A Shadow in the Ember Quotes

“Now that was a bold move,” Saion commented. “A really bad one, but bold.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“Now we know why the poppies came back.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“Ash touched one of my hands, causing the familiar jolt. “What Kolis did can’t be undone, but what my father did by placing what had to be his ember of life in you? Hidden away in a mortal bloodline this whole time? He made sure there was a chance for life.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“You,” Ash whispered, his deep voice hoarse. I looked over at him, and I…I’d never seen him so stunned, so exposed. “You carry an ember of life.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“For the first eighteen to twenty years of life, they live relatively mortal lives,” she continued, snapping my attention back to her. “They may not even know that they carry the blood of the gods in them. But they soon will.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“You should’ve thought about that before you picked up that whip,” the Primal growled. “And touched what is mine.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“Some call me Ash.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“You’re a god. Can’t you do something…godly?”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“There was no way he could know that in the two hundred years it had taken for me to be born, the knowledge of how to kill a Primal had been obtained. Love. They had one fatal weakness that made them vulnerable enough to be killed, and that was love. Make him fall in love, become his weakness, and end him. That was my destiny.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“I don’t want you to stay.” “Why do I think that’s a lie?” “It’s not.” “That’s another lie.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“I knew I should let it go. Keep my mouth shut, but I didn’t.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“The water dipped below his chest, revealing the ridges of the lean muscles of his stomach. I knew I should look away. Continuing to stare there meant I was being equally inappropriate. But his body was…it was very interesting, and I was curious because, well… I didn’t have a good, appropriate reason for looking.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“There was a deeper shadow behind the waterfall, a thickness that didn’t seem right. And that tall shape was moving forward, coming through the fall of water. My stomach dipped like it did when I goaded a horse into running too fast. A moment later, a deep and smooth voice came from within the waterfall. “Since you asked so nicely.” That voice…”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“I meant that since you seem pretty—” “Thank you.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“You grabbed me.” “Do you stab everyone who grabs you?” “Yes!” I exclaimed.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“Are you seriously blaming me?” Disbelief rang in his tone. “You grabbed me,” I repeated. “Without warning—” “Perhaps you should look before stabbing?” the god argued. “Or has that never occurred to you?” “Has it ever occurred to you to announce your presence so you don’t get stabbed?” I shot back.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“How dare you!?” “How dare I? Do you think that maybe I don’t want to be stabbed again with it?” “You wouldn’t have to worry about that if you simply said hello!” I shouted. “But what if I just happened to startle you?” he challenged. “You’d likely stab me even then.” I balled my hands into fists. “Now, I really want to stab you again.” “With what?” His chin lowered once more, eyes a swirling storm.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“It didn’t even have to do with who I knew must have given it to me. It was just… I’d never been gifted anything in my life.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“He’d… He’d drawn blood. My head snapped up. “You—” The god stepped in, folding his hand around my wrist. He lifted my arm, and before I could even wonder what he was about, his mouth closed over my finger, and he sucked. I felt the hard pull in a most shameful way—all the way to my core in a rush of hot, damp heat.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“It has different meanings to different people.” The eather pulsed in his eyes, swirling once more through the silver. “But all of them mean something beautiful and powerful.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“And you, liessa, are very brave.” His thumb moved, sweeping over the curve of my jaw.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“Who?” I asked, nocking another arrow. I truly didn’t understand what I was seeing. “Who do you think sent them?” Rhain fired a second after me. He twisted, grabbing another arrow. “They’re pets of the Court of Dalos.” My breath thinned. Kolis. I still hadn’t processed what I’d learned about him. I fired, striking one of the beasts as it reached the bluff.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“I had never seen one outside of sketches in the heavy tomes that dealt with Iliseeum, but I knew they were dakkais—a race of vicious, flesh-eating creatures, rumored to have been birthed from bottomless pits located somewhere in Iliseeum. Featureless except for gaping mouths full of jagged teeth, they were rumored to be one of the most vicious creatures that existed in Iliseeum. “Why are they here?” I looked over at Rhain. “They are like trained bloodhounds, able to sense eather. They’re drawn to it.” The god’s luminous gaze landed on me. “Whoever sent them, sent them here for you.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“seized me as they pressed forward, pushing and falling, clamoring”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“The Rot is a byproduct of the deal your father made with Roderick Mierel expiring.” Ash’s brows lowered as he rested an arm on the nicked table. “That has nothing to do with the deal, Sera.” Shock rippled through me, rocking me to my very core. “I don’t understand. It started after I was born. It appeared then, and the weather started to change. The droughts and the ice that falls from the sky. The winters—” “The deal did have an expiration date because what my father did to the climate wasn’t natural. It couldn’t continue that way forever.” Ash’s gaze searched mine. “But all that meant was that the climate would return to its original state—more seasonal conditions like in some areas of the mortal realm. Of course, I doubt it will ever get as cold as Irelone, not where Lasania is located, but nothing too severe.” My heart sped up. There was a buzzing in my ears. I barely heard Saion when he said, “The weather has been affected by what Kolis did. That’s why the mortal realm is seeing more extreme weather like droughts and storms. It’s a symptom of the destabilization of the balance.” “The deal has nothing to do with the Rot?” I whispered, and Ash shook his head. I…I wanted to deny what he was saying. Believe that this was some sort of trick. “Did you think the two things were related?” Ash asked. A tremor started in my legs. “We knew the deal expired with my birth. That’s when the Rot showed. That’s what we’d been told, generation after generation. That the deal would end, and things would return to as they were.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“Your presence is slowly bringing life back.” That sounded…utterly unbelievable, but something Ash had said earlier resurfaced. “You said the effects of there being no Primal of Life was already being felt in the mortal realm.” Ash nodded. “What you call the Rot? It’s what happened in the Shadowlands. It’s a consequence of there being no Primal of Life.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“Kolis still retained some ember of death in him, just like my father retained some of his ember of life. Enough power for Kolis to capture and hold a soul. He has my father’s soul.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“I saw Saion raise his brows in doubt. “Wait. This is your father’s ember of life. Does that somehow make us…related?” Ash barked out a laugh. “Good gods, no. It’s not like that. It would be like taking someone’s blood. That doesn’t make you related to them.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“Ash inclined his head. “You don’t understand, Sera. The powers he stole have weakened and become nearly nonexistent, but he has not weakened. He is the oldest Primal. The most powerful. He could kill any of us. And then what? A new god can’t rise. Not without Life. That will impact the mortal realm. Your home. Nothing can be done.” He leaned toward me. “At least, that’s what I believed. My father never told me or anyone about why he made the deal. It’s been a godsdamn mystery for over two hundred years. But he had a reason.” His gaze flickered over my features. “He gave us a chance for something to be done.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember

“How have the other Primals allowed this? How did none of them other than Keella step in when he took your father’s place? When he brought that poor girl back to life?” “Kolis destroyed all record of the truth,” Ector explained from the other end of the table. “Both in Iliseeum and in the mortal realm. It was then that the Primal of Death was no longer depicted. He went to great extremes to hide that he was not supposed to be the Primal of Life. Even when it became apparent that something was not right. That he was losing his ability to create life and maintain it.” “What do you mean?” “The destiny was never his, just as the Primal of Death’s was never my father’s,” Ash said. “I was born into it, my destiny reshaped. But Kolis forced this onto himself and my father. What powers of life he gained were temporary. It took centuries for those powers to wane, and by that time, my father was dead, and Kolis had mastered…other powers. But there has been no Primal born since me. He cannot grant life. He cannot create it.” Something struck me. “Is that why no Chosen have Ascended?” “Yep,” Bele said with a nod. “But he can’t stop the Rite, can he? That would raise too many damn questions. And so, the unstable balance has shifted even more.” “Toward what?” I asked. “Death,” Ash replied. Ice touched my skin. “Death of everything, eventually. Both here and in the mortal realm. It may take several mortal lifetimes for it to destroy the mortal realm completely, but it’s already started. Two Primals of Death cannot rule, and that is what is happening. Because at Kolis’s very core, that is what he is.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Shadow in the Ember