When the Sea Is Rising Red Quotes

“No matter what the results, it is my choices that define me. And I will fight for them, even when it seems that failure is inevitable. Perhaps most especially then.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“In the end, we make our choices on our own. And no matter how stupid they are, we have to live—or die—with what we’ve done. Sometimes choosing our moment of death is the only freedom we have left.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“If there’s one thing my mother taught me, it is how to wear the perfect mask. Never show them what you’re really feeling because that’s how they hurt you.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Just because you are family doesn’t guarantee you’ll be friends.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“If all I can feel is the very fraying edge of their grief, then I do not want to think how dark the center must be.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“None of them will believe me. I drop any attempt to explain myself and just gracefully accept that people are going to make assumptions and that the more I argue, the more it’ll look like I’m trying to hide something.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Then again, I’ve never been overly fond of rational thoughts.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Maybe I could have saved you once. Twice, even.” I want to reach up and brush back a lock of pale hair that has fallen over her face, but I hold my arms still. “In the end, we make our choices on our own. And no matter how stupid they are, we have to live—or die—with what we’ve done. Sometimes choosing our moment of death is the only freedom we have left.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Do you think I don’t care what happens to her?”

He shakes his head. “No. I just think that you’ve forgotten what it’s like to have a friend instead of an agenda.”

“Fuck off then,” Dash says. His anger is back, controlled, focused. “I hope you find her, but if you don’t, I won’t mourn either of you.”

“I never expected it.” Verrel’s mouth twists in an awful parody of a smile. “I hope your scheme works, Dash, and that you get whatever it is you want.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“You are not one of the heroes in your fucking street operas,” Dash shouts, his voice strangled. “You’re not.”

Verrel pauses and looks back. “And neither are you.”

“I never bloody claimed to be.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“He’s twisting everything. He’s killing himself, killing innocents so that he can have his Gris-damned revenge on my brother.

“This isn’t about saving the Hobs,” I hiss at him. “And it never was.”

“No,” he says, and he grins. His eyes are frightened, giving the lie to his cheer. “But I did always love a good spectacle.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“He sits down on the edge of the bed. “I wanted to talk to someone who wasn’t food or family.” There’s no humor in his thin smile. “I wanted to talk to someone who had enough courage to take what she wanted.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“She is somewhat”—I search for an appropriate response—“imposing.”

“I think you mean terrifying.”

“That too.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“We’re going to watch the sun set,” he says. “I’m not sitting here any longer. Too much misery in this room. I need out.”

Lils sneers. “And you want us to all traipse off to the garden and watch the sun set because you hate dealing with reality?”

“I can deal with reality perfectly well,” he says back, grinning. “I just don’t see why I should.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“I grit my teeth and wonder if it would matter if I strangled Dash in his sleep. Or poisoned his tea. I wonder what his neck would feel like under my fingers.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Someone here died, I realize. Someone these people loved and cared for. I’m not the only person in the world tangled up in grief.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Whether I’m working a street corner or a market stall, well, that’s none of their business unless they’re buying. The anonymity is comfortable, like going around draped in magic, hidden from view.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“I will never let myself be caught like that—any marriage I make will be my own. A choice. A free one.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“What, after all that subterfuge?” Jannik steps back and looks at me from under his rain-damp hair. “Far be it from me to stop you, but all that hiding behind umbrellas and engaging in nefarious clinches is going to seem wasted.” He grins. He is not afraid to show me his teeth.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“I pull my mostly dry shawl tighter around my shoulders and dip my head so that I don’t have to look into their eyes and see the thoughts there.

Lammer-whore.

I am not this thing. I raise my head sharply, and with my chin jutted out I walk alongside Jannik, willing these Gris-damned bats to say something, anything. The anger waits inside me, cold and ready. Even I know it’s just a façade. I’m so scared now that I have nowhere left to go. My armor is frost thin and just as useful.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Are you asking me if I fuck my food?” The words sound overly harsh in the darkness.

“I suppose I am.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Just sleep here.” At my sharp look he laughs. “I’ll take the floor, and I’ll get you to your job on time. I promise.”

“You’re full of promises.” But the thought of sleeping in a soft bed with warm blankets is appealing. And I understand Jannik now. I’m his symbol of hope, his reason to believe that one day he too can throw off the shackles of his family.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Every now and then one stands up and orates at length to the unfortunate crowd, after which he bows to their scattered applause. Personally, I think they’d be better served by plates broken over their heads than by hand-claps.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Witch-sign, they said. Little eddies, like miniature storms breaking the surface of the ocean. Witch-signs rise up in great numbers, last a few minutes, and then disappear. When the whirlpools are gone, all that’s left is floating petals. Black sea roses.

Anomalies.

I’m not afraid. A queer chill settles into my bones, and I huddle, pulling my knees closer to my chest. What if Ilven’s death really did raise something up out of the waters? But those stories Nala is talking about—they’re just … fancies. There’s no real truth to them, they’re Hob tales. That’s what our House crake taught me. Of course, Ilven always did find the old stories fascinating and told me how she secretly wished that they were still real, that there was more to magic than just the scriv-forced power of the Houses.

Oh Ilven. Bound now below the sea, caught in the kelp forests, nibbled at, her hair full of crabs and little ghost shrimp, a ghost herself. I choke on a sadness so sharp that it has sliced me in two.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“They really did you over,” she says, after peering at my bruised face. “This way, we’ll get you sorted out.” She’s not friendly, just abrupt and sharp, like she’s dealing with another problem in her long day.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Let Piers and Owen make the wedding arrangements, just don’t expect the bride to be there like a dog called to heel. I’ll choose my own Gris-damned husband, thank you. If I even want one, and I’m not exactly certain of that. I want life on my own terms, not on the dictates of tradition and of haggling over power and land.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“I picture my mother’s face when she must go out in public with Owen, the cold arrogant look she wears, as if the whole world is filth before her. It is an expression I’ve learned to copy well, and like all roles, if you can believe it, you can be it. I press my hands to my face and push, smoothing the worry and fear away. I’m better than them. Better than Owen, than Canroth Piers. They can never really control me because they cannot bridle my thoughts.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“This time I keep to the long shadows where the darkness gathers thickest, picking my way across the silvery damp grass until I reach the edge of the world. Below, the rocks and waves are grinding against each other, and the wind sucks at me, begging me to take one more step, to throw myself down. Sacrifice, the water says in its sea-witch voice, full of whispers and promises. Sometimes I have to wonder if the Hob belief that the sea is animate, alive and full of magic, is more than just primitive nonsense.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“Like all high-Lammers, I am a lucky accident of birth, gifted with a talent that can be expanded by something as simple as a mineral. A mineral unfortunately rare and extremely addictive. This—this dust—rules our lives. Sometimes I wonder if it would be better had there been no magic at all.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red

“My mother still deludes herself that the letters are written out of more than a desire to spend as little time in our company as possible. She likes to think he is still hers.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red