Key of Pearl Quotes

“Her thoughts pulsated through him, frantic, desperate, pleading for him to stay behind.

“I won’t—can’t,” he murmured. “If you’re going, so am I.”

She exhaled a laborious sigh and flung her arms around his neck; her warm breath fanned over his skin as she tightened her grip. “If you die, Andrew, I’ll track you across multiple dimensions just to say I warned you,” she cautioned, voice tender.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“Your hair is like butterflies,” Sebastian said, giggling like a child.
“That’s nice,” Firen said impatiently. “Keep moving.”
“Fantastic. I always like my days better with a touch of insanity,” Gabriella quipped.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“Where are you taking me?” Andrew demanded, whirling on the Ferryman. His muscles tensed, hands curling in and out of fists.
“To my master.” The voice was ghostly, whispers of black ash and death, words cold and detached.
He had an idea who that was but asked anyway: “And who is your master?”
No answer came.
Andrew’s insatiable rage rose up and swallowed his grief like a yawning ocean mouth, the darkest depths surging to the surface to form a mighty tidal wave. He closed the distance and seized the Ferryman’s gaunt wrist. There was no substance, no life beneath the cloak. The Ferryman slowly turned his hooded head, and Andrew found himself looking into the black hole of a self-contained night. The olfactory of decay was a punch in the face. Andrew released the Ferryman’s wrist and hastily stepped back, rocking the boat as he put distance between him and the unnatural wind spilling from the gaping orifice. Andrew shivered, the tiny hairs on his neck saluting. The cloaked head faced forward again, and the wind died away.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“The Ferryman will transport us across the moat,” Chris informed.
“Yeah. This seems legit,” Gabriella quipped as Chris helped her onto the boat. Andrew followed behind.
“Are you sure this isn’t a trick?” Egnatious asked.
Again, uncertainty filtered into Chris’s blue eyes, but he nodded anyway. “This is the only way.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“An ear-splitting screech pierced the silence, followed by another, striking his ears like metal against a hollow bell. The woosh woosh of wind being displaced brought Andrew’s attention skyward, and a glacial gust of paralyzing terror raced up his spine. The creature opened its mouth, and a blazing shaft of fire bellowed from above. Andrew barely had enough time to back beneath an awning for protection. Egnatious and Sebastian dove to the side while Firen sidestepped her impending doom, raising the katana in challenge.
The screeching returned, except now the howls were coming from every direction.
Firen’s chest heaved. “Did you see that?” she asked, her stormy eyes glinting with rapture and daring as she held her katana out, preparing for the next attack.
“Did I see the dragon?” Sebastian asked, hysteria dangerously rising to the surface. He stood and brushed himself off. “Yes, I bloody well did see that enormous, scaly, fire-breathing dragon.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“Burn wounds always elicited pain more terrible than anything else he had ever endured. He didn’t relish the idea of forcing himself to suffer through such agony. But it was necessary. Earth depended on them taking possession of the key. “It’s the only way out,” Andrew reminded him.
“I understand that, but—”
“The trials we have faced thus far have been minimal,” Andrew said, cutting off Sebastian’s retort. “What we seek is the key to the universe. You didn’t expect it to be easy, did you?”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“I think I found your vampire,” Andrew said, except this time he wasn’t so amused.
However, Gabriella was, her smile huge as she laughed, the sound a trill in the densely packed cold air.
“You think this is funny?” The words came out surly, but Andrew couldn’t stop his lips from twitching over her amusement.
“I thought they’d be bigger,” she said, stifling another round of giggles. “Are you okay?”
“Just a flesh wound.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“What are you doing?” Egnatious asked, eyebrows furrowed as he watched Gabriella do a flip.
Firen mimicked Gabriella and turned to Egnatious. “Fun times. Go with it.” She didn’t even crack a smile, though her body language said she was laughing on the inside.
Instead of following their act, Egnatious simply dove for an outcrop just as it began moving away. He nearly lost his balance, but Firen caught his flailing arms.
“Are you having a seizure or something?” she jested, displaying a rare vein of humor.
Egnatious sent her a queasy glare.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“He strained his ears, and the darkness felt heavier than before. Oppressive.
“We’re hungry.” That came from behind him.
“They smell tasty,” a voice to his left hissed.
“I don’t like this,” Andrew said, feeling like the world around them was spinning with voices, taunting, echoing them.
“I don’t like this,” a voice parroted. “I don’t like this. I don’t like this. I don’t like this.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl

“Mmm.” Sebastian moaned. “It’s so delicious.” He laughed then. “It’s not the Poisonous Desert; it’s the Oreo Desert.” He scooped up handfuls of dirt and stones and funneled it into his mouth. He licked his palms, his teeth grinding against rock.

“Did the plant scramble his brains?” Firen asked, her lips twitching just a smidgen.

“The plant’s poison makes you delusional,” Gabriella informed as Egnatious and Firen yanked Sebastian to his feet. “He’ll probably be a bit Looneyville for a while.”
― Laura Kreitzer, Key of Pearl