Lady Smoke Quotes

“As women, we must have our weapons in this world, whether they’re our minds or our fists or our wiles or our tears.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“He looks at me like I'm his favorite book, one he's read every page of too many times. One whose secrets he's uncovered but he keeps coming back for more.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Hope is contagious. When you have enough it spreads naturally.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“A queen without a crown, without a throne, without a coronation. What, exactly, do you imagine you're queen of?”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Still, there is something to be said for someone seeing your darkest parts and accepting you anyway.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“I died the Queen of Peace, and peace died with me,” she says after a moment. “But you are the Queen of Flame and Fury, Theodosia, and you will set their world on fire.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“...fear is not a thing to be controlled by logic.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“People will believe anything if it makes them think they have more control than they do in this world.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“There is no pleasing everyone without losing yourself.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Friends, enemies, I don’t think it matters anymore. The chains are just as heavy, no matter who holds the key,”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Your judgment is flawed.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“The examination is a simple thing, easy to endure,” King Etristo says, waving a dismissive hand.

I force a saccharine smile. “You’ve undergone it yourself, Your Highness?” I ask. “That makes sense. If highborn men should only marry chaste women, then surely highborn women should only marry chaste men.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“I thought of you as Lady Smoke.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“I’m proud of you, my Phiren. You may be just brave—and just foolish—enough to triumph.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Dragonsbane stares at me for a few moments, her mouth hanging open. She starts to speak, then cuts herself off, then tries again. It happens a few times before she finally manages to say words.

“Are you mad?” she asks me. There’s no accusation in her voice—she sounds genuinely curious.

“I’m desperate,” I say. “But I suppose the two are close enough.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Her name is Queen Theodosia, and if you won’t apologize for disrespecting her, I’ll let her men have you and I’ll describe your last moments to your wife so that she knows how pathetically you died.”

Mattin grunts, eyes dropping away. “I apologize,” he says through gritted teeth.

Søren looks tempted to extract something more sincere out of him, but that would hardly be productive. I clear my throat.

“I accept your apology,” I say coldly. “I hope you come to see that a woman can wield power beyond what’s between her legs—for your daughter’s sake if nothing else.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“I hear congratulations are in order, Father, on your nuptials,” he says with a grim smile before turning his attention to Cress. “And you, Lady Crescentia, have my deepest condolences.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“There’s no grace to battle, no need for style. You only need to move faster and hit harder than your opponents. Dueling is more like a dance—you respect your partner, you understand them. It’s as much a chess match as a physical sport.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“You are sweet and docile and dumb.”

I recoil. “Excuse me?”

She smirks. “Another role to play. You’re very good at playing roles.”

I’m tempted to look at Søren, who’s too busy rowing to talk but can certainly hear every word.

“Let them believe you are dim,” Artemisia continues. “The King, his court, your suitors. If they believe you to be an idiot, they will underestimate you. Let them.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“I've sacrificed enough for Astrea, I want to say, I can't give any more. But that isn't true and we both know it. If it comes down to it, there is nothing I won't give up to save my country.
Not my will.
Not my body.
Not my life.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Hope is contagious,” she says. “When you have enough, it spreads naturally.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“But people will believe anything if it makes them think they have more control than they do in this world.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“You said they were a…religious…?”

“Oligarchy,” he finishes. “Ruled by five high priests, who are in turn elected by smaller delegations of regular priests, one for each sub-country. Though the common belief is that each high priest is chosen by God himself.”

“God?” Artemisia asks.

“They’re monotheistic, yes,” he says.

She rolls her eyes. “Just say there’s only one. You aren’t in court, your fancy words don’t impress anyone.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Some things are worth fighting for even when the fight seems hopeless.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“Dice mucho de alguien que vea tu parte más oscura y te acepte de todos modos.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“there is something to be said for someone seeing your darkest parts and accepting you anyway.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“He looks at me like I’m his favorite book, one he’s read every page of too many times. One whose secrets he’s uncovered but he keeps coming back for more anyway.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“I've always thought that belief in something lends a kind of truth to it. In this case, we may never have a sure answer, so belief is the only truth we have.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“If everyone put aside their selfishness, the Kalovaxians could be stamped out as easily as an ant under a boot heel, with minimal effort or risk. But there’s no money in that, so no one bothers.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke

“I give a dramatic huff and watch Tyrannius exchange pleasantries with King Etristo. “It’s awfully rude of everyone to try to use me to their own ends when I’m trying to do precisely that to them.”
― Laura Sebastian, Lady Smoke