Figgy

“Oh, why don’t we blame it on Pen?” not-Triss heard herself snap, in a voice that sounded harsher and more brutal than her own. something had burst, and the words welled up in spite of all her attempts to dam them. “That’s what we always do, isn’t it? That’s what she’s for, isn’t it? We blame everything on Pen and then we change the subject. And nothing matters as long as we don’t talk about it.”
― Frances Hardinge, Cuckoo Song

“Fear is only your enemy if you allow it to be.”
― Sabaa Tahir, An Ember in the Ashes

“It was, in fact, quite difficult to lie to a hawk.”
― Laini Taylor, Strange the Dreamer

“Then why couldn’t Father see that?” not-Triss felt despair and hurt welling up inside her again, and it was all she could do to stop her teeth from sharpening. “Why couldn’t Mother see it?”
“Because they’re stupid,” growled Pen, rubbing at her nose with her sleeve. “They can’t tell when real Triss is fake-crying, so of course they can’t tell when fake Triss is real-crying.”
― Frances Hardinge, Cuckoo Song