Shadow And Bone Trilogy Quotes

When people say impossible, they usually mean improbable.

The Darkling slumped back in his chair. “Fine,” he said with a weary shrug. “Make me your villain.

The problem with wanting," he whispered, his mouth trailing along my jaw until it hovered over my lips, "is that it makes us weak.

Na razrusha'ya. I am not ruined. E'ya razrushost. I am ruination.

The less you say, the more weight your words will carry.

What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.

Of course not," said Sturmhond. "Anything worth doing always starts as a bad idea.

Watch yourself, Nikolai,” Mal said softly. “Princes bleed just like other men.” Nikolai plucked an invisible piece of dust from his sleeve. “Yes,” he said. “They just do it in better clothes.

I took a breath. “Your highness—” “Nikolai,” he corrected. “But I’ve also been known to answer to ‘sweetheart’ or ‘handsome.

I don't care if you danced naked on the roof of the Little Palace with him. I love you, Alina, even the part of you that loved him.

I've seen what you truly are," said the Darkling, "and I've never turned away. I never will. Can he say the same?

I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.

I will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but mine.

Beauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what's inside you? That's steel. It's brave and unbreakable. And it doesn't need fixing.

They had an ordinary life, full of ordinary things—if love can ever be called that.

I hope you weren’t looking to me to be the voice of reason. I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret.

And there's nothing wrong with being a lizard either. Unless you were born to be a hawk.

I'm sorry it took me so long to see you, Alina. But I see you now.

In this moment he was just a boy -brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.

I want to kiss you,” Nikolai said. “But I won’t. Not until you’re thinking of me instead of trying to forget him.

I'm not like you, Mal. I never really fit in the way you did. I never really belonged anywhere." "You belonged with me.

Aleksander," I whispered. A boy's name, given up. Almost forgotten.

Weakness is a guise. Wear it when they need to know you're human, but never when you feel it.

Mal,” I whispered into the night. “What?” “Thanks for finding me.” I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming, but somewhere in the dark, I thought I heard him whisper, “Always.

I'm the Sun Summoner. It gets dark when I say it does.

The moment our lips met, I knew with pure and piercing certainty that I would have waited for him forever.

You’re shaking,” he said. “I’m not used to people trying to kill me.” “Really? I hardly notice anymore.

You know the problem with heroes and saints, Nikolai?” I asked as I closed the book’s cover and headed for the door. “They always end up dead.

Maybe love was superstition, a prayer we said to keep the truth of loneliness at bay.

Yuyeh sesh. Despise your heart. Ni weh sesh. I have no heart.

I have loved you all my life, Mal,” I whispered through my tears. “There is no end to our story.

Oh, and the easiest way to make someone furious is to tell her to calm down.

I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I'd catch myself just walking around to find you, not for any reason, just out of habit, because I'd seen something that I wanted to tell you about or because I wanted to hear your voice. And then I'd realize that you weren't there anymore, and every time, every single time, it was like having the wind knocked out of me. I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again just to be with you, just to starve with you and freeze with you and hear you complain about hard cheese every day. So don't tell me why we don't belong together," he said fiercely.

Aleksander." His eyes fluttered shut. "Don't let me be alone," he murmured. And then he was gone.

Thanks for the rescue." "Everyone needs a hobby." "I thought yours was preening." "Two hobbies.

They are orphans again, with no true home but each other and whatever life they can make together on the other side of the sea.

Sturmhond had a way of talking that made me want to shoot someone. Preferably him.

Do you answer a question directly?" "Hard to say. Ah, there, I've done it again

I'm perfectly capable of being stupid on my own.

I like to have powerful enemies. Makes me feel important.

Why can a Grisha possess but one amplifier? I will answer this question instead: What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.

We are alike,” he said, “as no one else is, as no one else will ever be.” The truth of it rang through me. Like calls to like.

Why won’t you leave me alone?” I whispered one night as he hovered behind me while I tried to work at my desk. Long minutes passed. I didn’t think he would answer. I even had time to hope he might have gone, until I felt his hand on my shoulder. “Then I’d be alone, too," he said, and he stayed the whole night through, till the lamps burned down to nothing.

He leaned against the window, and the gilded frame came into sharp focus. “Do you think it would be any different with your tracker beside you? With that Lantsov pup?” “Yes,” I said simply. “Because you would be the strong one?” “Because they’re better men than you.” “You might make me a better man.” “And you might make me a monster.

He watches her the way Harshaw watches fire. Like he’ll never have enough of her. Like he’s trying to capture what he can before she’s gone.

Anything worth doing always starts as a bad idea.

You two have a bad habit of acting like fools and calling it heroic.

I can’t decide if you’re a fearmonger or a coward.” “And I can’t decide if you’re an idiot or an idiot.

You live in a single moment. I live in a thousand.

You never know," said Nikolai. "I've been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet." "Please tell me you plan to dress up as a volcra and jump out of a cake." "Well, now you've ruined the surprise.

A moment later the boy whispered, "I don't think you're ugly." "Shhhh!" the girl hissed. But hidden by the deep shadows of the cupboard, she smiled

I thought you wanted to go." "I wanted you to ask me to stay.

He tapped the sun over his heart. "I came here for you. You're my flag. You're my nation.

It’s true,” I said softly. “You are stronger, wiser, infinite in experience.” I leaned forward and whispered, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. “But I am an apt pupil.

Just you and me." "Really?" "It's always just you and me, Alina.

You heard Prince Perfect," Mal said, and joined us at the table. Nikolai grinned. "I've had a lot of nicknames, but that one is easily the most accurate.

So I'm the Darkling's prisoner?" "You're under his protection." "What's the difference?" "Pray you never find out.

Hope was tricky like water. Somehow it always found a way in.

He’d wanted me to believe in his ruthlessness. Then I remembered his words from so long ago: Make me your villain.

You are all I’ve ever wanted,” he said. “You are the whole of my heart.

Did you tell him what I showed you in the dark?

The thought filled me with grief, grief for the dreams we'd shared, for the love I'd felt, for the hopeful girl I would never be again.

I am not ruined. I am ruination.

Like calls to like.

The ox feels the yoke, but does the bird feel the weight of its wings?

Thanks for being my best friend and making my life bearable. Oh, and sorry I fell in love with you for a while there.

This was his soul made flesh, the truth of him laid bare in the blazing sun, shorn of mystery and shadow. This was the truth behind the handsome face and the miraculous powers, the truth that was the dead and empty space between the stars, a wasteland peopled by frightened monsters.

Suffering is cheap as clay and twice as common. What matters is what each man makes of it.

Scars made good reminders.

Maybe love was superstition, a prayer we said to keep the truth of loneliness at bay. I tilted my head back. The stars looked like they were close together, when really they were millions of miles apart. In the end, maybe love just meant longing for something impossibly bright and forever out of reach.

My mother was an oyster,” he said with a wink. “And I’m the pearl.

It’s a vow that if I can’t be anything else to you, at least I can be a weapon in your hand.

You'll still make a great king." "Of course I will," he scoffed. "I'm melancholy, not daft.

You’re mad,” I said. “You know what he can do. No prize is worth that.” Sturmhond grinned. “That remains to be seen.” “The Darkling will hunt you for the rest of your days.” “Then you and I will have something in common, won’t we? Besides, I like to have powerful enemies. Makes me feel important.” Mal crossed his arms and considered the privateer. “I can’t decide if you’re crazy or stupid.” “I have so many good qualities,” Sturmhond said. “It can be hard to choose.

You were meant for more than me, and I'll die fighting to give it to you. But please don't ask me to pretend it's easy.

And there’s no way I’m leaving you alone with Prince Perfect.” “So you don’t trust me to resist his charms?” “I don’t even trust myself. I’ve never seen anyone work a crowd the way he does. I’m pretty sure the rocks and trees are getting ready to swear fealty to him.

I saw the prince when I was in Os Alta,” said Ekaterina. “He’s not bad looking.” “Not bad looking?” said another voice. “He’s damnably handsome.” Luchenko scowled. “Since when—” “Brave in battle, smart as a whip.” Now the voice seemed to be coming from above us. Luchenko craned his neck, peering into the trees. “An excellent dancer,” said the voice. “Oh, and an even better shot.” “Who—” Luchenko never got to finish. A blast rang out, and a tiny black hole appeared between his eyes. I gasped. “Imposs—” “Don’t say it,” muttered Mal.

I had spared the stag's life. The power of that life belonged to me as surely as it belonged to the man who had taken it.

Will you say it? "Aleksander" His grin faded and his grey eyes seemed to flicker. "Again." "Aleksander

Everyone okay?" Mal asked. "Never better," said Genya shakily. David raised his hand. "I've been better.

How could he be so cruel and still so human?

Do you blame me for every mistake I made? For every girl I tumbled? For every dumb thing I've said? Because if we start running tallies on stupid, you know who's going to come out ahead.

I may not have been completely honest about that." "You? Less than truthful? I'm shocked, Nikolai. Shocked and horrified.

I've been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet." "Please tell me you plan to dress up as a volcra and jump out of a cake." "Well, now you've ruined the surprise.

Do you take anything seriously?” “Not if I can help it. Makes life so tedious.

I hate hiding how much the stupid things he did hurt me, but I hated the idea of him finding out even more.

I’ve never understood this taste for otkazat’sya. Is it because you thought you were one of them for so long?” “I had a taste for you, once.” His head snapped up. He hadn’t expected that. Saints, it was satisfying.

We all die. Not everyone dies for a reason.

It's probably for the best, I told myself. How would I have said goodbye to Mal anyway? Thanks for being my best friend and making my life bearable. Oh, and sorry I fell in love with you for a while there. Make sure to write! 'What are you smiling at?' I whirled, peering into the gloom. The Darkling's voice seemed to float out of the shadows. He walked down to the stream, crouching on the bank to splash water on his face and through his dark hair. 'Well?' he asked, looking up at me. 'Myself,' I admitted. 'Are you that funny?' 'I'm hilarious.

Why waste my anger on you when the fault is mine? I should have anticipated another betrayal from you, one more mad grasp at some kind of childish ideal. But I seem to be a victim of my own wishes where you are concerned.” His expression hardened. “What have you come here for, Alina?” I answered him honestly. “I wanted to see you.” I caught the briefest glimpse of surprise before his face shuttered again. “There are two thrones on that dais. You could see me any time you liked.

I got used to seeing him waiting for me at the end of corridors, or sitting at the edge of my bed when I fell asleep at night. When he didn’t appear, I sometimes found myself looking for him or wondering why he hadn’t come, and that frightened me most of all.

So many men had tried to make her a queen. Now she understood that she was meant for something more. The Darkling had told her he was destined to rule. He had claimed his throne, and a part of her too. He was welcome to it. For the living and the dead, she would make herself a reckoning. She would rise.

I don't want lies between us, Alina." "How many lies have you told me, Sturmhond? How many secrets have you kept until you were ready to share them?" "Prince's prerogative?" "If a mere prince gets a pass, so does a living saint." "Are you going to make a habit of winning arguments? It's very unbecoming." "Was this an argument?" "Obviously not. I don't lose arguments.

Alina, I'll be back to fetch you for dinner, but should you grow restless, do feel free to run screaming from the room or take a dagger to her. Whatever seems most fitting at the time." "Are you still here?" snapped Baghra. "I go but hope to remain in your heart," he said solemnly. Then he winked and disappeared.

What are you smiling at?” I whirled, peering into the gloom. The Darkling’s voice seemed to float out of the shadows. He walked down to the stream, crouching on the bank to splash water on his face and through his dark hair. “Well?” he asked, looking up at me. “Myself,” I admitted. “Are you that funny?” “I’m hilarious.

You're very welcome," she said, giving my hair a hard tug. "You should be used to being gawked at by now." "And yet I'm not." "Well, if it gets too bad, give me a signal, and I'll get up on the banquet table, toss my skirt over my head, and do a little dance. That way no one will be looking at you.

You just punched a prince, Alina. I guess we can add one more act of treason to our list.” I shook out my sore hand. My knuckles smarted. “First of all, are we so sure he really is a prince? And second, you’re just jealous.” “Of course I’m jealous. I thought I was going to get to punch him. That isn’t the point.

Wretched boy.” “You like him,” I said in disbelief. Baghra scowled. “Greedy. Arrogant. Takes too many risks.” “You almost sound concerned.” “You like him too, little Saint,” she said with a leer in her voice. “I do,” I admitted. “He’s been kind when he might have been cruel. It’s refreshing.” “He laughs too much.” “There are worse traits.

C’mon,” he said. “One foot in front of the other. You know how it’s done” “You’re interfering with my plan.” “Oh really?” “Yes. Faint, get trampled, grievous injuries all around.” “That sounds like a brilliant plan.” “Ah, but if I’m horribly maimed, I won’t be able to cross the Fold.” Mal nodded slowly. “I see. I can shove you under a cart if that would help.

Did you miss me, Alina? Did you miss me when you were gone?" "Every day," I said hoarsely. "I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I'd catch myself walking around to find you, not for any reason, just out of habit, because I'd seen something I wanted to tell you about, or because I just wanted to hear your voice. And then I'd realize that you weren't there anymore, and every time, every single time, it was like having the wind knocked out of me. I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again just to be with you, just to starve with you and freeze with you and hear you complain about hard cheese every day. So don't tell me we don't belong together," he said fiercely. He was very close now, and my heart was suddenly hammering in my chest. "I'm sorry it took me so long to see you, Alina. But I see you now.