“
You can choose what you believe, Shuffler, but you can’t change what’s true.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
I regret many things I’ve done,” he said, “but most of all I regret those moments when I said to Fear, ‘You are my master.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
The Green Ember burns; the seed of the New World smolders. Healing is on the horizon, but a fire comes first. Bear the flame.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
It's better to live as you will want to have lived, rather than spend your time worrying about the end. You are right here in your story. Don't skip ahead
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember, #2))
“
What do I always tell you? ‘ Not enough salt is an in-salt,’ and ‘Too much salt is an as-salt!
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
All of life is a battle against fear. We fight it on one front, and it sneaks around to our flank.” He paused, looked kindly at her. “Yes, Father. I understand.” “I regret many things I’ve done,” he said, “but most of all I regret those moments when I said to Fear, ‘You are my master.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Growing up is terribly wonderful. But often it’s also wonderfully terrible.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
I love a happy ending... because I need hope.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember, #2))
“
we have to keep loving what’s on the other side of this fight—the other side of this rescue— and that will have to make us brave.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
If you aren’t angry about the wicked things happening in the world all around, then you don’t have a soul.” There
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
My place beside you. My blood for yours. Till the Green Ember rises, or the end of the world!
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Black Star of Kingston (Tales of Old Natalia #1))
“
We don’t have to win the war today, sir,” Heather said. She hoped she looked braver than she felt. “We only have to win the next battle.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember #2))
“
What is it, Father?” Picket asked as Mother tenderly took Jacks from him. “It’s only that, when you’re older, you hand out wisdom to your children like you know everything, but it is sometimes hard to follow your own advice.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
My place beside you, my blood for yours, 'till the Green Ember rises, or the end of the world!
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember, #1))
“
This is a place where people make and are made. You are what you do. Choose wisely, young Picket. Choose wisely, brave Heather. Understand?
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
She was seeing the other side of the tragedy, the world that lived, for now, only in the hopeful hearts of those who, though not seeing, saw.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Picket,” he said quietly, “stay angry. It’s okay if it’s at me, for now. If you aren’t angry about the wicked things happening in the world all around, then you don’t have a soul.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Thank you for loving us, Mother and Father. Thank you for preparing us for the unnumbered dangers we’ve faced. We had no idea that when you gave us all the light you did, you were guiding us to one day strike out at the darkness so fiercely.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
I was born at a very early age.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Mooses with Bazookas: And Other Stories Children Should Never Read)
“
Shuffler, you're going to have to stop doing that....[....]...It's 'my place beside you,' not 'my place blocking your view.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember, #4))
“
My place beside you
my blood for yours
til the green ember rises
or the end of the world.
”
”
S.D. Smith
“
there is no cost too high for doing what is right and no retribution great enough for doing what is wrong. To believe otherwise is to surrender our liberty to lies.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
We may find pleasure in our duty, but our duty is not our own pleasure.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Black Star of Kingston (Tales of Old Natalia #1))
“
If you aren’t angry about the wicked things happening in the world all around, then you don’t have a soul.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
My place beside you, my blood for yours. Till the Green Ember rises or the end of the world!
”
”
S.D. Smith
“
But no cause is greater than my love for you. I fight because you are in my heart.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember #2))
“
Dear Kyle, you are the great nitwit of the world. Love, Jo Shanks.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember, #4))
“
Was Father getting sadder, or was she just getting old enough to see it?
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember, #1))
“
I’m not sure if it’ll be all right. But I’m glad we’re together.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
How many times in the last two days had she believed she was at the end of her strength, only to somehow find more?
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Do you even know how to use one?' he asked. "The sharp part at the bad guys?' 'That's the general idea.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember, #4))
“
He longed for a world where safe places for the weak and vulnerable were common, but that was not this world. Not right now.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember, #2))
“
Being a ruler is, contrary to popular notions, a calling of self-sacrifice. That is, if one wants to be a good ruler.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Black Star of Kingston (The Green Ember, #0.5; Tales of Old Natalia, #1))
“
I am afraid... But I keep on loving what's on the other side of this fight, and that will have to make me brave.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Black Star of Kingston (The Green Ember, #0.5; Tales of Old Natalia, #1))
“
It’s only that, when you’re older, you hand out wisdom to your children like you know everything, but it is sometimes hard to follow your own advice.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
A story to make us brave.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
It’s always hard to forgive, but it’s never not worth it.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
The sunlight sparkled through the wind-bent boughs of trees, dancing in an ever-shifting pattern
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Because you loved me. Before I was anything. Before I was at all lovable, you loved me. I won't forget.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember, #4))
“
And if that means the end for us,” Mother said, “then those left alive must…well, they must bear the flame.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
I regret many things I've done," he said, "but most of all I regret those moments when I said to Fear, 'You are my master.
”
”
S.D. Smith
“
I know this is a hard blow... But stay on the job, son. Do the next right thing.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember, #2))
“
All of life is a battle against fear. We fight it on one front, and it sneaks around to our flank.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Growing up is terribly wonderful. But often it’s also wonderfully terrible. Ha, a riddle of words amounting to nothing. A stuttering cleverism that falls as short as my feeble steps. But this is true. A teacher could become rich if he ever perfected the art of helping mature students unlearn many awful things. Enjoy your innocence, my dear. Even if it only lasts the day.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Dreams do … not come true,” Picket whispered back. “Inspiring,” Emma said flatly. “That’s going in my book of Shuffler’s Collected Wisdom. I’m going to write it after the war—really show Heather who’s the true scribe.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
I never don’t not clean my sword,
”
”
S.D. Smith (The First Fowler (Green Ember Archer #2))
“
One must either sacrifice for great accomplishment or sacrifice great accomplishment
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
You can choose what you believe, Shuffler, but you can't change what's true.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember, #1))
“
He had to be prepared for what Helmer might throw at him. And he realized that Helmer might actually throw things at him.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
We are beset by many dangers, and traitors multiply in the dark. It will not be so in the Mended Wood.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember #2))
“
It’s called Starseek,” she said, “and this is the star.” “Is it a real star?” Picket asked, his head cocked sideways and his whiskers twitching. “No, little one,” Heather said, “a real star hangs in the sky at night, along with a million others. This is just a game.” “A game?” Picket said. “Maybe they’re all for games.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Our love is a treasure, but it's not the house we keep the treasure in.' Heather smiled through the tears. 'There is a bigger world we fit inside, and we can't say yes to our love right here without saying no to the world. I can't. I know you can't either, or you wouldn't be the one I love so much.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember, #4))
“
And the Great Wood did mend; brighter and brighter it shine, with more and more light to share. Mending begat mending, and the healing grew, like a disease in reverse, until the wholeness spread to the edge of every map.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember, #4))
“
The problem with baseball is that at first you're desperate to leave home. Then, once you're gone, you'll do just about anything to get back. Even steal. But you can't get back the way you came. You have to take another way home.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Jack Zulu and the Waylander's Key (Jack Zulu, #1))
“
Almost getting killed is stressful.' Kylen said, wiping his eyes. 'I feel like I've been doing it my whole life.' 'We have so much in common,' Jo said as they resumed their march.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember, #4))
“
The seed of the new world smolders,” he cried. “But a fire comes first. Bear the flame!
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
My place beside you. My blood for yours. Til the Green Ember rises, or the end of the world!
”
”
S.D. Smith
“
Come, ye fine does, and look upon me, I’m big as a mountain, but dumb as a tree … I dance like a madman, just about to sneeze, So come, ye fine does, and look upon me.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
I like you, Shanks. You remind me of me - well, me a long time ago.' 'That's pretty insulting,' Jo said, 'but I've heard worse.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember, #4))
“
Was that my ribbon?” Weezie asked. “Maybe.” “Maybe?” Weezie frowned in mock severity. “Picket Thingstealer, bane of the does.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
it’s better to live as you will want to have lived, rather than spend your time worrying about the end.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember #2))
“
I dreamed I was riding on a blind cardinal’s back, and he kept flying into things.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
We are Prince Winslow’s bucks, all of us.” “We aren’t,” Helmer said flatly. “I’d like to take his head off.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
Picket instinctively stepped in front of Emma as the Preylords dropped lower and lower, nearing the edge of the city. “Shuffler, you’re going to have to stop doing that,” Emma said, hooking him with her arm. “It’s ‘my place beside you,’ not ‘my place blocking your view.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
Good morning, Ladybug,” Helmer said, his voice a guttural rasp, as though the air he used to speak was passing through a rusty old gate. “Good morning … Wasp?” Picket said. “Ha,” Helmer chuckled. “I like that. But you will call me Master, child.” “Yes, Masterchild,” Picket said. “Well, obviously you have a deep, soul-level need for humility,
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
But she was brave, like you. She chose to trade her life for the cause. Heather placed more weight on the hope of the mending than she put value on her own life. That’s how I want to live. And die, if I must.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
Uncle Picket,” Hanna asked, tugging on his shirt, “who made up Starseek?” “Your mother, the queen, invented the game,” Picket answered with a smile. “But,” Queen Heather said, “Uncle Picket made it magic.” The End
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
We sing about it. We paint it. We make crutches and soups and have gardens and weddings and babies. This is a place out of time. A window into the past and the future world. We are heralds, you see, my dear, saying what will surely come. And we prepare with all our might, to be ready when once again we are free.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
The Green Ember burns; the seed of the New World smolders.
Healing is on the horizon, but a fire comes first.
Bear the flame.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
He had always been wise enough to see and bold enough to act, now he was becoming brave enough to hope.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Black Star of Kingston (The Green Ember, #0.5; Tales of Old Natalia, #1))
“
I’m prepared to die by getting caught,” he whispered, “but not by heart attack because of you two idiots creeping up on me like that.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
But it’s better to live as you will want to have lived rather than spend your time worrying about the end. You are right here in your story. Don’t skip ahead.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Wreck & Rise of Whitson Mariner (Tales of Old Natalia, #2))
“
I'd rather keep Morbin waiting than Helmer.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Author)
“
We all can betray. The question is, will we?
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
Heather looked up to where Smalls was peeking out
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
The sunlight sparkled through the wind-bent boughs of trees, dancing in an ever-shifting pattern of shadows along the path. They
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Don’t stop hating it. It’s a useful fuel for hard work.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
It is, she considered gravely, a terribly dangerous world. She supposed it always had been, but she was only now really experiencing it.
”
”
S.D. Smith
“
I waked up this morning from dreams about feets, sniffed big-time major breeze of life and hoped with all my hopes that this day might be filled with stinky feets to examine. It’s a dream coming truth.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Even if you burn the Great Wood down, among the smoldering embers they will find that one is green. This is the seed of a new world. It will yield in time a Mended Wood, greater even than what I have seen.
”
”
S.D. Smith
“
My place beside you. My blood for yours. We are in this together, my friend. As you are bound to me, I am bound to you. So long as you remain loyal to the king, I am loyal to you. I am on your side. I am a brother to you.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Black Star of Kingston (The Green Ember, #0.5; Tales of Old Natalia, #1))
“
Heather, I think you are very brave. What you did today, out there in the storm, took courage. All of life is a battle against fear. We fight it on one front, and it sneaks around to our flank.” He paused, looked kindly at her. “Yes, Father. I understand.”“I regret many things I’ve done ,” he said, “but most of all I regret those moments when I said to Fear, ‘You are my master.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
What a burden to assign all these souls to places where he knows they will face unthinkable danger.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember #2))
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
Swordless, Fleck Blackstar hobbled to the water’s
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
The sky thundered suddenly, an ominous, brooding doom. Heather felt panic growing inside her. “It’s nothing,” she said aloud. “I’m not afraid of this
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
unbelievably large rabbit with unique markings
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember #2))
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
My place beside you, my blood for yours
'Til the Green Ember rises or the end of the world.
”
”
S.D. Smith
“
Oh, Mother,” Heather said, “we must live every day as if it’s our last. And we never know who we will lose. But those of us left behind must endure. We must…bear the cake.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Rising (The Green Ember #3))
“
He hobbled on, hoping they were close to escaping. But escaping to where?
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Heather began to smile, even as tears stood out in her eyes. It was an old, familiar song. “But, it will not be so in the Mended Wood, We’ll be free and glad again. It will not be so in the Mended Wood, When the heir of Jupiter reigns. When the heir of Jupiter reigns!” Heather knew the song, yes. But she knew more than that. She knew exactly who was singing. Her heart flooded with a sudden, surging hope. The End
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember Falls (The Green Ember #2))
“
You prepared a table for trouble when you welcomed Longtreaders,” Frye spat. “We were just leaving.” With a menacing glare at first Heather, then Kyle and Gort, he left quickly with several bucks following him out.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Picket turned, smiled, and rushed Lallo with a leaping kick, which sent the surprised buck to the ground. Picket didn’t leave him there. He kicked his glider pack so that it crashed into Lallo’s head, then snagged several signal flags from a nearby shelf and attacked the astonished rabbit with them. Lallo blocked the first blow, then kicked out and missed as Picket dodged to the side and drove a flag’s thick handle into his middle. Lallo gasped, sinking to his knees. Picket rose and kicked him down. “How many weapons do I have?” Picket asked. “A thousand?” Lallo gasped. “Lesson one,” Picket said, extending a hand to the crumpled buck. “Everything’s a weapon.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Ember's End (The Green Ember #4))
“
I think Heather might be well-suited for the tale-spinners,” Emma said, nudging her friend. Heather felt panic rise, and she looked away. Why am I so afraid of what I love to do? “She is a good storyteller,” Picket said, frowning at her. “Telling stories to littles is not the same as a calling,” Heather said, blushing. “I can think of few higher callings,” Master Eefaw said, raising his eyebrows at Heather and motioning over to the storyguild.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Whenever I had it in my hand, I was invincible. I had used it only three times, because I was in awe of its lucky power and didn’t want to jinx it. But all three times I had not been killed. As you can plainly see, pretty lucky. The situations had not exactly been life-threatening, but the dentist’s office is no joke. He uses a drill in your mouth. A drill. It’s so serious that no one can say, “This is not a drill!” because it is. It is a drill. In your mouthparts. But I survived. Thanks to my lucky stick.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Mooses with Bazookas: And Other Stories Children Should Never Read)
“
They turned again so that Garden Mistress Halmond was facing Gloria. They were both smiling, but Mrs. Halmond’s face grew suddenly more composed, serious. There was a sudden silence in the hall. Mrs. Halmond took a step forward and placed her right fist over her heart.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
Heather squinted as Emma passed ahead of them into sunlight. She followed carefully over the threshold and into a vision of green, gold, and white. The persistent mist hung about the edges of a green hillside, lit with glittering sunlight. There was a surprisingly wide, mostly flat area, but this soon gave way to the ever-tilting hillside. Around the rim of the village green, the hillside slanted up into stony outcroppings, ending in the mountain peaks that showed about the ring of Cloud Mountain. It looked like a broken bowl, with the green being the bowl’s inside bottom. Heather saw row upon row of vegetables of every kind—cabbage and corn, potatoes and turnips. Her mouth watered, and she felt a little lightheaded. After the confining corridors of stone, it was unsettling to be out in the open like this.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))
“
What is the duty of a king?” he asked. “To serve. To do rightly. To be first into danger and last out. To rule so that those under his rule are as free and good as they can possibly be.” “True. All of that is true.” Whitson squeezed his son close, and his voice dropped lower. “He must also inspire them to follow, if he can. He must invite them to follow, if he cannot inspire them. And if he can do neither, he must insist that they follow.
”
”
S.D. Smith (Prince Lander and the Dragon War (Tales of Old Natalia #3))
“
You are betrayed, Jupiter,’ Morbin said in his triumphant, spiteful rasp. “‘Yes,’ the king said, ‘but it will not hold. All will be well.’ “‘Well? Well?’ he sneered. ‘You are captive, O great and mighty king. You will die,’ Morbin said. “‘Yes, I will. But already an answer to this treachery and murder forms in the mouth of the Great Wood.’ “‘Then I will burn the wood,’ Morbin sneered. “‘Even if you burn the Great Wood down, Morbin Bird, among the smoldering embers they will find that one is green. This is the seed of a new world. It will yield in time a Mended Wood, greater even than what I have seen.’ “‘A happy fantasy,’ Morbin said, cackling. “‘Yes,’ the king said. ‘I am my father’s true son, and my son is true. Let your talons strike; let the sky blacken with your cursed foul army. You cannot kill an idea. You cannot murder a dream. You will fail, Morbin, because—’ But he was allowed to say no more. Morbin did his foulest deed,” Uncle Wilfred spoke through tears. “And so ended the reign of King Jupiter the Great.
”
”
S.D. Smith (The Green Ember (The Green Ember #1))