The Bone Shard Emperor Quotes

“Old men always think they know better than everyone else, even when the world has long since changed around them.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“A coward is not a man who feels fear. A coward is one who would volunteer others for suffering he would not take on himself.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“One thing the monks taught me was that history is not a line; it is a spiral. We don’t repeat moments in time, but we come back around, echoing them.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“When you’re young, you think you can change the world. You think you can bend it to your will. When you’re old, you learn to change your small corner of it and live with the rest.”
“So am I old now?”
She gave me a narrow-eyed look. “Older.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“had to know my place, he’d said, otherwise others would decide my place for me.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“It’s a fantasy that makes the Sukais sound more noble and intrepid than they actually are. In the end we are all animals, scraping by with what we can. None of us are noble.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“It wasn’t fair that Jovis should have the love and adoration of the Empire’s people, and I had to fight for even a modicum of respect.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“We’ve all suffered—but because you think you’ve suffered more, that gives you a right to dismiss what others are going through?”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“A song isn’t impenetrable armor. They write songs about dead people too, you know.” “But are they quite so catchy?”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“I’m learning to. What’s the point of having power if we can’t use it to help people? The farmers, the gutter orphans – they’re no different than you or me.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“How could she condone the deaths of these people just because they were not her people? Happenstance had placed them elsewhere. It was easier to think of people she did not know as less significant, but that didn’t make it right.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“Everything is broken and I don’t know how to put it back together in a way that makes sense.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“And this was what she hated about politics – the wheedling, the insinuations, the need to always be careful exactly what one was saying lest it be misinterpreted. Why couldn’t everyone just have their cards pinned to their shirts instead of holding them close to their chests?”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“I was not some pampered, cloistered Emperor’s get. I had clawed my way tooth and nail to this position, defying my father and teaching myself his magic. I was Lin, and I was Emperor. “Riya has an interesting way of greeting guests, Sai,” I said, my voice even. “Honored ones in particular.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“But beneath that you have the strongest, most compassionate heart of anyone I’ve ever known. Any child would be lucky to feel a fraction of the love I know you’re capable of. We’ll figure this out together.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“Thrana leaned against my hip. “I wasn’t used to kindness either.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“A coward is not a man who feels fear. A coward is one who would volunteer others for the suffering he would not take on himself,”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“When you’re young, you think you can change the world. You think you can bend it to your will. When you’re old, you learn to change your small corner of it and live with the rest.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“What am I supposed to do, Mephi? What do you do when you have difficult decisions to make?” He didn’t answer at first, and I could nearly see the gears in his mind working. When had Mephi actually had a difficult decision to make, except which fish to chase? “First,” he said slowly, “make sure you are not hungry.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“Gossip could topple an Empire almost as surely as rebellion could.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“Gossip could topple an Empire almost as surely as rebellion could.+”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“Did you just shit yourself? Titus said.
"Because I think I just shit myself!”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“He took Mephi. And I know where he’ll take him to.” He took his hands in mine. His fingers were cold, though mine weren’t much warmer.
“Then you have to go.” There wasn’t anything else he could do. The thought of someone taking Thrana, of not knowing where she was, of knowing she was in unfamiliar hands—I couldn’t bear it. “You have to find him.”
He ran his fingers over my knuckles, his gaze on our entwined hands. “I shouldn’t leave you. I’m your Captain of the Imperial Guard. You’ll need me now, more than ever.”
Now that the Alanga were returning. Now that we knew that their motives were as varied as the fish in the sea. “We both know Mephi needs you more. Take whatever you need from the ship. Money. Supplies. Witstone. It’s all yours.” I could feel the pull to be out on the open sea, away from the mess of politics, trying to untangle the knots my father had wrought. “I wish I could go with you.”
He sighed. “But you can’t.”
I tugged him in closer, reaching up to press my lips to his. He tasted earthy, like mud and rainwater. His clothes were heavy with moisture, as were mine. But I could feel the heat of him beneath, and it warmed me more than a roaring fire.
“Lin,” he said, breathless, again my mouth.
To the depths of the Endless Sea with propriety. I seized his collar with mud-caked hands, pressing against him, knowing this could be the last time. The last kiss, the last embrace, the last time I ever saw him. It felt like drowning, but with no urge to come up for air. He caught me, one arm around my waist, the other lifting to cup my cheek, to dig fingers into the tangle of my hair.
I wished I could live in this moment. I wished it never had to end.
But for ever was a term for fools and poets. I was neither. I pulled away. “I don’t care where you came from. I don’t care about your heritage. Come back to me.”
I didn’t ask, but he offered it anyway. “I promise.” He took my hand and held it over his heart. It beat, strong and steady, beneath my palm. “And I’ll never break a promise to you again.”
Before I could respond he was gone.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“He took Mephi. And I know where he’ll take him to.” He took his hands in mine. His fingers were cold, though mine weren’t much warmer.
“Then you have to go.” There wasn’t anything else he could do. The thought of someone taking Thrana, of not knowing where she was, of knowing she was in unfamiliar hands—I couldn’t bear it. “You have to find him.”
He ran his fingers over my knuckles, his gaze on our entwined hands. “I shouldn’t leave you. I’m your Captain of the Imperial Guard. You’ll need me now, more than ever.”
Now that the Alanna were returning. Now that we knew that their motives were as varied as the fish in the sea. “We both know Mephi needs you more. Take whatever you need from the ship. Money. Supplies. Witstone. It’s all yours.” I could feel the pull to be out on the open sea, away from the mess of politics, trying to untangle the knots my father had wrought. “I wish I could go with you.”
He sighed. “But you can’t.”
I tugged him in closer, reaching up to press my lips to his. He tasted earthy, like mud and rainwater. His clothes were heavy with moisture, as were mine. But I could feel the heat of him beneath, and it warmed me more than a roaring fire.
“Lin,” he said, breathless, again my mouth.
To the depths of the Endless Sea with propriety. I seized his collar with mud-caked hands, pressing against him, knowing this could be the last time. The last kiss, the last embrace, the last time I ever saw him. It felt like drowning, but with no urge to come up for air. He caught me, one arm around my waist, the other lifting to cup my cheek, to dig fingers into the tangle of my hair.
I wished I could live in this moment. I wished it never had to end.
But for ever was a term for fools and poets. I was neither. I pulled away. “I don’t care where you came from. I don’t care about your heritage. Come back to me.”
I didn’t ask, but he offered it anyway. “I promise.” He took my hand and held it over his heart. It beat, strong and steady, beneath my palm. “And I’ll never break a promise to you again.”
Before I could respond he was gone.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“I winced at a sharp pain in my ribs. All my injuries began to throb at once, reminding me of their presence.
Jovis reached out a hand. “Are you hurt?” He brushed a clod of dirt from my shoulder with soft hands, noting the torn cloth beneath, the dried blood.
“Are you?” I reached hesitant fingers to the side of his head.
We checked one another over without speaking, cataloging wounds that had already begun to heal. Only the sounds of our breathing, the brush of cloth filled the small space.
“Lin,” he said.
I froze, as surely as though the word was his hand entering my chest, and I a construct. I didn’t know what to say. I wanted more than anything to step into his embrace but I wasn’t sure where we stood.
“I love you,” Jovis blurted out into the silence. “Please don’t execute me. Not even later. Ah shit. I’m no good at this. I mean— let me start over. I’ve made a mess of things. I don’t care what you are. Whatever your father did to make you. I care about who you are. And who you are is a person that I care about.” He pursed his lips, wrinkling up his nose. “I’m not sure if—does that make sense?”
I laughed in spite of myself. “It makes sense, I promise.” I lifted a hand to his cheek, wondering at the way he leaned into my touch, the feel of his warmth beneath my face.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“Everywhere, it knocked people to the side or trampled them, claws ripping torsos in two. Screams rose above the sound of clashing blades. The creature didn’t even seem aware of most of the people it killed.
“Did you just shit yourself?” Tythus said. “Because I think I just shit myself.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“I could make out the individual constructs now, shambling their way up the slope. I cleared my throat as both Thrana and Lin towered over me.
“I know you meant to have me executed if I returned, but can we call a temporary truce on that? It’s a little difficult for me to use my gifts with my head disconnected from my body.”
She looked as though she wasn’t sure if she should laugh or scowl. “When they’re close enough, send them back down the hill. Try not to collapse the palace. There are still people inside.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“There didn’t seem to be a good way to say: “I’m sorry for spying on you. Oh, also, I’m sorry I’m back even though you told me to leave—but Ragan is a serious asshole. Someone should tell you.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“You think you’re saving them, but you’re the one who’s wrong. You’re not some hero, bringing them freedom and justice. You’re the villain, Gio.
They will know you could have helped. Instead, you chose to do nothing.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor

“But how can I be a parent? Even you had a better example than I did. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, or how to do it right. I can help you take over Nephilanu, but I don’t know how to talk to a child.” She was talking in circles; nothing she said made sense.
Phalue’s calloused thumbs wiped the tears from her cheeks. “We’ll figure it out together.”
“If you come back.”
“I’ll come back,” Phalue said. “What could keep me from you?”
Imprisonment, war, death. But Ranami didn’t say any of this out loud. Giving voice to these fears would make them feel all too real. So she focused on something else.”
― Andrea Stewart, The Bone Shard Emperor