Nightlizard

“I’m a king. My father told me a king can rule through fear, or through love. Fifty years from now, the people will love me. They won’t remember this – and those who do will consider it the necessary dark before the dawn. When they have prosperity, and security, and know their place, they will be content and they will love me for it. But until then, I’ll rule through fear if I have to.”
― Melinda Salisbury, The Sleeping Prince

“Lately, their love had been reduced to yellow emojis.”
― Jonathan Dunne, Lighthouse Jive

“All through the night, he smiled daggers into my heart.”
― Roshani Chokshi, The Star-Touched Queen

“He shook his head. “I’m not like your kind.” And then more sharply, almost as an accusation: “Why don’t you carry weapons?”
I bristled, pulling back my shoulders. “We have weapons. We just don’t use them on people.”
“Maybe if you did, you wouldn’t be so weak.”
Weak? My fingers curled to a fist, and swifter than a hare, I punched him in the stomach. He grunted, doubling over.
“Does that seem weak to you, mighty scavenger?” I taunted. “And remember, our numbers are twice that of yours. Maybe it is you who should follow our ways.”
― Mary E. Pearson, Morrighan