CE

“There you go...let it all slide out. Unhappiness can't stick in a person's soul when it's slick with tears.”
― Shannon Hale, Princess Academy

“When I saw you at the graveyard, looking so white, I knew something was wrong. I knew it."

Azalea stared at him, the fire flickering highlights in his eyes.

"So...I thought I should do something," he finished lamely.

"You saw everything?"

Mr. Bradford gave a half of a crooked smile. "I did knock."

"You didn't see Mr...Mr.-"

"Mr. Keeper?" Mr. Bradford spat the name. "Oh yes, I saw Mr. Keeper. Rather hard not to. I saw him try to kiss you. Or what he said was a kiss. I want to snap his head off!"

Azalea had her hand over her mouth, shocked that someone as solemn and dignified as Mr. Bradford could have such venom. He took her hands, gently, and pushed up her sleeved, revealing her swollen wrists. His fringers traced the bruises.

"You stopped him," said Azalea. She bowed her head, shy. "You kept him from-from-"

"Ah, yes, my lady!" Mr. Bradford smiled a crooked smile in full. "His ponytail was simply begging to be yanked.”
― Heather Dixon, Entwined

“I keep thinking about a tale my nurse used to read to me about a bird whose wings are pinned to the ground. In the end, when he finally frees himself, he flies so high he becomes a star. My nurse said the story was about how we all have something that keeps us down.”
― Shannon Hale, Princess Academy

“I thought you were dead already," I say.
He's got nothing for a minute.
"Then we're even,”
― Maria Headley