Shields Of Sparrow Quotes

Forgive me, Highness, for not giving a fuck.

Only fools and liars burn books and people’s homes.

Praise is for the bedroom, Cross. Not the training ring.

The only person who was always going to fight for me was me.

I love you.” “Yes, you do. Don’t forget.

To the characters who came before. To the stories that led us here. To the chances we take. To the dreams we chase. Trust your wings.

If I truly wanted to be in control of my destiny, then I couldn’t wait for someone else to save me from danger. The only person who was always going to fight for me was me.

What’s that word you like so much?” He tapped his chin, pretending to think it over. “No.

Worried about me, my queen?” I rolled my eyes. “Only that you’d die and I wouldn’t get to spit on your grave.

I didn’t ask to be married to a stranger and shipped across the continent. I didn’t ask to come to Turah. I didn’t ask to be jailed in a wilderness treehouse. Those were decisions made for me by the whims of men. So you can threaten to take away my freedom all you want, but I will fight you. Every step of the way. Until my last breath. And I will not go quietly into a cage.

Who would I become if I wasn’t at the mercy of men?

Gods save the men who make you mad.

Did he regret telling me his name? Well, too bad. I liked saying it.

I’ve never met a woman who asked so many questions.

If the last kiss had ignited the spark, this kiss set me aflame.

When I am nothing but dust and ash, Turah will endure. I do not need a crown. And I have made peace with my destiny. But before I step into my grave, my choice is you.

Hot tears dripped to the dirt at my boots. “I love you.” “Yes, you do. Don’t forget.” “Never.” “Neither will I.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I will find you. Here, or in the shades.

What if I jumped? Would anyone notice? No. Not for this princess. A smile tugged at my mouth. I raced for the cliff. My drab, gray dress streamed behind me as I ran, faster and faster, arms pumping, legs pushing. I didn’t think. I didn’t falter. One moment, my feet were tethered to the earth. The next, I was flying.

Have you no one else to pester?

You are mine, Odessa.

Feel free to wander into mine, Princess.” He leaned in closer. “Zavier likes to share.

Tell me you want to leave, and I’ll take you back to Roslo myself.” He was giving me the choice. All I had to do was say yes. “No,” I whispered. His eyes drifted closed, his forehead dropping to mine. “Good. I have no desire to live in Quentis.” “Wh-what?” I leaned away. “You are mine.” His hands dove into my hair, fingers threading through my curls. “Even if we are kingdoms apart, you are mine. But I’d rather not be a kingdom apart.

Falconi said, "Hey, Gregorovich, you're in fine form. How about a few words to send us on our way?" The ship pretended to clear his throat. "Fine. Here me now. The Lord of Empty Spaces protect us as we venture forth to fight our foes. Guide our hands - and our thoughts - and guide our weapons that we may work our will upon these perversions of peace. Let daring be our shield and righteous fury be our sword, and may our enemies flee at the sight of those that defend the defenseless, and may we stand unbowed and unbroken in the face of evil. Today is the Day of Wrath, and we are the instruments of our species' retribution. Deo duce, ferro comitante. Amen." "Amen," said Hwa-jung and Nielsen. "Now that. was a prayer!" said Sparrow, grinning.

What was it with the Turans and dawn? Something always seemed to be happening at dawn. “Fine.

He might be a jackass, but at least he was handsome. There were worse things to behold at the end of a life than a nice face.

There’s my queen.

Where are you going?” Cathlin called. I kept walking. “To find my wife.

A King cannot kill his Sparrow, and a Sparrow cannot kill her King, either directly or indirectly, without death befalling them both.

Um… What?

It was a smile to chase away that sullen fog. A smile to brighten a miserable day. A smile, just for me. It lasted for only a heartbeat. Smiles faded too fast these days.

My attendance? Entirely unnecessary.

There was only one way for me to break free. Knowledge.

If I just pushed him over the railing the next time he invaded my privacy, would he die? A girl could dream.

What was wrong with me that I wasn’t enough?

My queen the assassin.

How much of an identity could one person lose before they were hollowed into a shell?

There was a tether between us. Gods save us when it snapped. Why couldn’t I feel this way for the man who’d claimed me? Our mouths were too close. All it would take was a shift and we’d collide. We’d crash into each other, and the shock waves would destroy us both. I needed him to say something mean. To strike a nerve. To bruise my heart. I needed him to hurt me so thoroughly, I’d never forgive him. “I hate you.” It should have broken the moment. It should have pissed him off. But he stared at me like I was something to behold. Something to cherish. Something to protect. “Yes, you do,” he said. “Don’t forget.” “Never.

You are the crown prince. It was all a ruse.” “Not all of it.” His eyes darkened, shifting to that forest green as he took my arms, keeping me on my feet. Pulling me close and into his chest. “You have always been my queen.

Except I was frozen in place, eyes glued to that book on the table. It had flipped over when Ransom had tossed it, showing the other side. There was an intricate etching on the cover. A winged emblem. The same emblem on the pendant I wore around my neck.

You were suffocating in Quentis. You were fucking wasting away in that golden castle. I’m not trying to trap you here, Odessa. But I need you to live. I won’t…” He dragged a hand over his face. “I have never been more scared than when I saw you run for that boy.

But grateful. For you.” He shifted in his seat like the praise made him uncomfortable. “I’m going to ask you questions now,” I said. “You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t come armed with questions. Honestly, I’m starting to feel like the weapons are unnecessary.” This. This was what I needed to chase away some of the fog. Bickering with Ransom.

The corner of his mouth turned up. “I told you to stay quiet today.” “I couldn’t help myself. He made me mad.” “Gods save the men who make you mad.” He shook his head, and then a chuckle came from his throat. It preceded a smile. A real smile, wide and white. My heart skipped. It was a smile to chase away that sullen fog. A smile to brighten a miserable day.

It might take me an entire lifetime to satiate my need for Ransom. It sounded like a good way to spend a life.

But I will not bend to your every whim. I will not humiliate myself because you deem me insignificant. If you wanted me to stay quiet, then you

If I was going to die, I didn’t want my last sight to be rows of teeth, so I stayed locked on the Guardian. He might be a jackass, but at least he was handsome.

I guess you’ll just have to be careful not to bite her.” What in the six shades was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I shut the fuck up?

I love you.” “Yes, you do. Don’t forget.” “Never.” “Neither will I.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I will find you. Here, or in the shades.

My heart lurched. He was too stubborn, too much of a monster himself, to die. He hadn’t pestered me enough to die. Not today.

Damn that smirk. Damn the way it made my heart trill.

I don’t like holding hands.” “How do you know? You’ve never held mine.

I will find you. Here, or in the shades.

Every secret I exposed would lead me to freedom. The freedom of choice. So I could decide where I wanted to go. Where I wanted to live. Who I could become.

You don’t have to hide who you are, Cross. Not here.

He’s a monster. He’s a monster, he’s a monster, he’s a monster. A beautiful monster but a monster all the same.

It wasn’t that he’d chosen Jocelyn. It was that he hadn’t chosen me. Why was I never the first choice?

By this cruel twist of fate, I was married to Zavier while this man haunted my dreams.

I needed him to say something mean. To strike a nerve. To bruise my heart. I needed him to hurt me so thoroughly, I’d never forgive him.

I wanted to jump. I wanted to dive into that ocean blue. I wanted to be unshackled from everyone’s expectations for just one godsforsaken moment.

Are you angry, Sparrow? Use that rage. Fucking. Fight.

show. “Not all monsters are born from the gods, my queen. Some of us were made.

Gods, I hated gray.

What if I jumped?

Was that one of the Guardian’s powers? Could he read minds? Well, if he could read mine… Go away. Please and thank you.

Except he wouldn’t hurt me. Without a shadow of a doubt, I knew the Guardian wouldn’t hurt me. Yes, he’d tease and scold and ridicule me until I wanted to strangle him to death. But he wouldn’t hurt me.

A man I’d mostly forgotten. A man wearing not the emblem of the Turan wolf but instead a symbol I’d seen my entire life. A crossbow woven with leaves and stalks of wheat. The symbol on every flag in Quentis. Banner.

There should have been a monster’s lifeless body in the courtyard. There should have been a winged beast with my sword in its chest. Instead, I’d pulled my sword from this woman’s body. A woman with red hair, the spiraling curls a mix of orange and strawberry and copper. Odessa’s hair.

Yet those emerald green eyes would linger in my mind for hours. Emerald meant he was amused. Intrigued. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever seen him actually happy, but green was the color of his gaze when he wasn’t pissed off. They changed to varying shades of hazel when he was serious or focused or annoyed. And then there was the silver of his rage. I shouldn’t be able to read his eyes. I should have been concentrating on Zavier’s instead. Yet my husband had made himself scarce, spending most of his time with Evie.

The katana has been the weapon of the samurai since time immemorial. Consider the inner meaning. Our blade is honed only on a single edge. Why? It is because with the dull edge against our flesh, the katana becomes our shield. This cannot happen with a two-edged sword, One day, in the midst of a melee, you may owe your life to the dull edge rather than the sharp one. Let this contrast remind you that attack and defense are one.

Who would I become if I wasn't at the mercy of men?

Jocelyn’s mother. She kept waving. She never stopped. Her arms had to be tired, but she kept waving to her daughter. I might be the woman wearing the crown, but Jocelyn was the one with the riches, wasn’t she?

For most beasts, your only hope is to inflict a wound. Go for the throat. Slice a leg. Gouge an eye. Anything to slow it down so you can run and hide. If you’re fighting a man, go for the kill.

I might be the woman wearing the crown, but Jocelyn was the one with the riches, wasn’t she?

I’m going to regret this.” “Probably.” I backed away for the door, about to duck inside before he could change his mind. “Odessa, wait.” It wasn’t his order that made me stop. It was my name. I was always Cross or Sparrow or my queen. But rarely Odessa. I’d never loved my name more. “Thank you. For saving those children.” He put both hands over his heart and bowed. Then he slipped into his treehouse, closing the door. And my rope ladder? It stayed attached. All night long.

Why was I never the first choice? Why was I always the consolation prize? With Father. With Margot. With my tutors. And now with Zavier.

His exhale was so deep that it seemed to come all the way from his toes. A breath he’d been holding for months. “I saw you in Roslo. On the cliffside.

The High Priest lifted off the floor and floated at the Guardian’s side.

What do we do?” “We?” “Yes.” I was part of this now. This country. I glanced at Evie. This family. Whether they wanted me or not. “We kill the monsters. We kill them all. Every last one.” Him. He meant to kill the monsters. Then himself. He smirked, his arrogant mask falling into place. “Just think of how happy your father will be when I’m dead. You can even tell him you killed me, just like he asked. My queen the assassin.

Except when I reached the walkway on the second floor, my feet stopped. The Guardian stood outside my door, casually leaning against the wall. His eyes were emerald green. His hair was damp at the ends and in need of a trim. His clothes were clean, and if he’d found any trouble, he’d washed it away. Along with his beard. His face was clean-shaven, and I’d never seen such a chiseled jaw, the corners as sharp as my knives. Gods, he looked gorgeous. With or without the beard, I didn’t care. He was here, and he was safe. He might be the Guardian, but that didn’t stop me from worrying. “Hi.” My voice, damn it, was too breathy. He pushed off the building, walking closer as he tossed a sheathed sword my way. I went to catch it, but it slipped out of my fingers and clattered at my feet. “Oops.” He cast his eyes skyward. “Oda, save me.” “Well, I didn’t know you were going to throw it at me.” I picked it up, letting my hair cover the blush of my cheeks. “What is this for?” “My queen demanded a sword.

He nodded. “Ransom. My name is Ransom.

I wasn’t meant to rule or lead. Politics were boring and regal parties overrated. I was not a queen. The crown on my head began to itch.

She is not yours to have.” Fury crackled off Banner’s frame, his body practically vibrating. “She is mine.

Not all monsters are born from the gods, my queen. Some of us were made.

Since Zavier seemed to hold no interest in my body or consummating this marriage, it would be perfectly safe between my breasts.

A monster both beautiful and deadly.

I wanted to be unshackled from everyone’s expectations for just one godsforsaken moment.

I closed my eyes, feeling the salt water spray on my face. I tilted my head to the sky, the warmth of the sun on my cheeks, and I filled my lungs with the wind. My adventure.

You might earn my name one day. But make no mistake, Cross. I will never trust you.

Was I ready to train with a man who could break my neck with a snap of his fingers or slice me in half with one flick of that sword? No. Definitely not ready. I want a sword. What the fuck was I thinking? If I died in this makeshift training area today, it would be my own damn fault.

Soft lips. Straight, white teeth. Sparkling eyes. That smile was breathtaking.

Did you ever stop to think that maybe the door to your cage has always been unlocked, Sparrow? And all you had to do

Odessa, wait.” It wasn’t his order that made me stop. It was my name. I was always Cross or Sparrow or my queen. But rarely Odessa.

Damn, that voice. Rugged and low, a murmur in my ear that made my insides liquefy.

There was only one way for me to break free. Knowledge. Every secret I exposed would lead me to freedom. The freedom of choice. So I could decide where I wanted to go. Where I wanted to live. Who I could become.

His eyes flashed from hazel to green. Did that mean I was amusing him again? At the moment, I think I’d prefer his fury. “No need to be shy, my queen.

I gave him a flat look. “Just incredibly uninterested in your sex life.” “Noted.” He smirked. It had been a while since I’d gotten the smirk.

It was the best kiss of my life. I could still feel the heat of his lips, taste him on my tongue. Damn him. He’d ruined me. Entirely. I hoped that wherever he was at the moment, he was miserable, too.

Zavier had warned me months ago, on the deck of the Cutter, that this kingdom was dangerous, but nothing he could have said would have prepared me for this reality. Turah was perilous. Majestic. Horrifying. Stirring. It was every emotion, good and bad, woven into a landscape that had stolen my heart.

My choice is you. I was his choice. Above all else.

To show that bitch who the real monster in Calandra was.

The Guardian came to a stop in the center of the circle. “You have no chance at outrunning an opponent, either monster or man. You’re too short and slow.” “Thanks,” I deadpanned. “And I was certain I wouldn’t earn any compliments today.” “Praise is for the bedroom, Cross. Not the training ring.