The Hollows Quotes

“Do you still see the Hollows as butterflies when maybe, just maybe, dear reader, you should see them as monsters?”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Penny, heads up,” came Ezrah’s voice.
When she turned around, she barely had time to catch the knife barreling towards her. “What am I supposed to do with this?!”
Ezrah, who picked Kitianna up bridal-style, pointed to the ground where unconscious Otherworlders lay. “Some of them are faking, or unconscious. If they wake―”
“You expect me to kill them?” Penny shook her head.
“Mostly protect yourself. But this is Arcane; so, yes.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Ezrah scoffed. “You’re fucking cold, Marge. Life is meaningless to you.”
“And what is it to you,” retorted Margaret, “but a game to forget?”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Fuck Accalia,” spat Penny. Her heart raced, slamming against her ribs, and she thought: Did I just say that?”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Ezrah said, “You used Time to find us. Why not do that now?”
“We didn’t use Time,” stated Saphy.
“Then what did you use? A spoon?” Marge wasn’t amused.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Gosh.” Marge rolled her eyes. “Time traveling sounds so boring with rules. I mean, don’t you two ever just want to jump off cliffs, teleport back before you hit the water, and do it all again, and like, the closer you get to the water, the more points you get for cheating Death? No? Just me? Don’t you two ever have any fun? Imagine putting Satan in that time-loop―fucking cool. Hey, how much would Satan glow if you stuff him in a jar―?”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Kitianna stared at them with concern. “Are you sure you want to hear this?”
“Do you think we asked because we wanted brownie points to dispense our childhood misery to Otherworlders?” retorted Marge loudly and Caesar quacked in response.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Margaret smiled. "Surprise! We're brainwashed.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“A chuckle rang out. “Dead or alive; your blood will still be valuable.”
“You’re working for Accalia then?”
“Accalia?!” shouted one Otherworlder.
“Why would we work for that fool?” said another.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“You are not funny, Margaret Hollow,” said the other woman, some sort of elf.
Marge smirked. “You just have bad taste.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“The images of the Eakens’ dying, the sounds of their pitiful screams, repeated in his mind and that feeling, that fear of never seeing his family again, overcame him―and he realized, as he entered the tunnel and the control of Cy disappeared instantly, the feeling was more than just fear; he wasn’t invincible anymore.
He was just another Otherworlder with magic. If the Eakens could be murdered, the fourth most powerful Otherworlder alive, once alive, then no one was safe. Not even the Castaways.
Ezrah Hollow kept on running.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Hutch created Augury and Sortilege. Chiaroscuro was a creation of man’s own desire to thin out royal bloodlines and become more powerful.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“The man scowled. “My Necromancy isn’t―”
“It’s weak. Admit it,” retorted Marge. “I’ve seen a baby perform spells better than your little mind-tricks you tried pulling on us when we got here. It doesn’t do you any good to hide it in the dark, you know.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Don’t call me Marge, dog. I am not a kinship or friend to you.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Trust you?” Marge shook her head. “That went out the window four minutes ago.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Well, you see, I was trying to summon a duck army, but I was able to spawn Satan at the mere age of twelve instead by accident. Where were you at that age? Right, probably still drooling over the rise of miniskirts in Arcane.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“All Mundanes have done to one another is focus on competing for the smartest or bravest tasks to win overall strength. Otherworlders live in a world where they compete but for a different cause: To survive.
No, I am not implying Mundanes don’t do that too.
Otherworlders exist for change of heart, not change of desire.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“I didn’t expect this would be easy,” Ezrah mumbled. “I was just hoping I wouldn’t have to resort to violence.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“What would be wise is if my sister didn't act like she is more important than all of humanity. Or if my parents were still alive. Or if this family didn't have secrets so thick a Reshaper couldn't cut through it. But we don't get what we want.”
Uncle Bernard sighed, running a hand down his face once again. “Honestly, you are giving me a headache. Just go get dressed.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Is all of this magic that simple?” Penny's eyes widened to mini saucers. “I mean, you all perform spells like it's nothing but eating a meal.”
“It takes practice, energy, and genetics,” informed Ezrah. “Not everyone can do magic; not everyone can do the same magic either. Lucky for us Chiaroscuro Necromancers, we can do all spells. So long as we are of legal age and rights, and we don’t get caught when we aren’t, we won’t go to, what do you Mundanes call it—jail?”
“How come you can do all?”
“They can do black and white magic,” stated Kitianna as she entered the kitchen. “Most Otherworlders can only do one or the other.”
“So like good and evil Necromancy?” said Penny.
“Sure, if you want to call it that,” implied Ezrah.
“What would you call it?”
“Chiaroscuro. That is the terminology here.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“They had barely walked a hundred yards from the house they exited when a small quack filled their ears―and Penny heard Margaret shout, “You have my duck!” before she turned around and saw Marge stuffing her hands down Ezrah’s armored chest-piece, her brother protesting to stop as the scales struck his ribs, and pulled out a tiny, yellow-ruffled fluffball before she glared at her brother and said, “You could have squished him.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“What did you expect, little girl?” said the werewolf to Marge.
Margaret gagged. “Not that breath of yours. I thought the High Court taught you all proper hygiene? Isn’t that what we paid for?”
The man sneered. “Killing you―”
“You can’t. You see, I’m special and you’re not.”
He laughed.
“Don’t take it in a good way,” continued Marge. “You just lack the ability to be smart.”
“Margaret, would you stop chatting and fight,” hissed Penny, struggling against the Otherworlder’s iron grip on her thin wrist.
The werewolf countered, “Smart? You aren’t even fighting me.”
It was Marge’s turn to laugh. “Oh, sorry. The spell took some time to conjure.” She smiled up at him. “I hope you like duck. Away, my children!”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Ready?” Ezrah held up his hand.
Penny looked down at his pale flesh, and suddenly felt embarrassed.
Just because he’s a boy doesn’t mean you’re in love. (It’s because he’s hot.)”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Mundanes are as oblivious as a dead rat,” said Margaret.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“You see,” began Ezrah as they stopped at a table where Marge sat with her uncle (who got a bagel with ham and cheese) and aunt (who ordered a cherry-colored drink), “we have this tradition in Arcane where every Halloween, everything is pumpkin spice and candy apples. It sounds overly exhausting and wonderful, and it is. But on just that day, I go ham―eat anything that I can get my hands on, and it’s all free.” He looked at Marge who was bickering to Kitianna about some lead and the court hearing, and whispered, “It was the only day I could get Margaret to be a kid. To stop studying, stop worrying about her life. It isn’t the same now.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Not every Otherworlder hates us,” said Uncle Bernard.
“No. Just every monster and person on Ellyria and most of the continent of Jaiyana, but let’s not forget that at least Jaiyana’s city, Avalon Ridge, has hated us since the dawn of time.”
“You left out the other three continents in Arcane, sister,” stated Ezrah. “Loyce?”
Marge snapped her fingers. “That’s right! They rejoiced when they kicked out all of our businesses, and burned our ancestors at the stakes.”
“But Henovi, that was deep.” Ezrah laughed.
“They tried so hard to burn our ties to our magic. Like they could even do that with the blood of a Hollow. How dumb can you be?”
“And then Maelys followed and failed. So it seems our floating city is the smartest.”
“Until that time they set a werewolf attack on Mundanes because they couldn’t suffer the loss of poor Saowanee continent to join Maelys―”
“We get it.” Uncle Bernard ran a hand down his face.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“This is all your fault.” Margaret pointed her finger at the Mundane. “If it wasn’t for you, they would never have attacked us!”
The girl’s eyes became wide. “My fault? You’re the one who murdered me!”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“Marge laughed and readied her stance. “The Hollows never go out without a fight.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“You want to be eaten by the monsters upstairs?” Whiskey’s eyes bulged. “May I watch? It would be a terrific scene.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows

“She looked at Whiskey. “And why does your cat look like that, and why can it talk?”
“It isn’t a real cat,” retorted Marge. “It’s a spirit projection. This house is alive.”
― Kaitlin Creeger, The Hollows