Mariam > Mariam's Quotes

“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Certain people, in their eagerness to construct a world no external threat can penetrate build exaggeratedly high defense againts the outside world, againts new people, new places, different experiences and leave their own world stripped bare. It is there that bitterness begins irrevocable work.”
― Paulo Coelho, Veronika Decides to Die

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Do good works or commission an opera house or just take it out and gaze at it longingly when you think of the handsome prince you might have made your own. For the record, I favor the latter option, preferably paired with copious tears and the recitation of bad poetry.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“I will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but mine.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“It’s a vow that if I can’t be anything else to you, at least I can be a weapon in your hand.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Na razrusha'ya. I am not ruined. E'ya razrushost. I am ruination.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Aleksander," I whispered. A boy's name, given up. Almost forgotten.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Thanks for the rescue."

"Everyone needs a hobby."

"I thought yours was preening."

"Two hobbies.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“I wanted to believe anything so that I wouldn’t have to face the future alone. The problem with wanting is that it makes us weak.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“You'll still make a great king."

"Of course I will," he scoffed. "I'm melancholy, not daft.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“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.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“What do you want, Mal?" The room seemed very quiet.
"Don't ask me that."
"Why not?"
"Because it can't be."
"I want to hear it anyway."
He blew out a long breath. "Say goodnight. Tell me to leave, Alina."
"No."
"You need an army. You need a crown."
"I do."
He laughed then. "I know I'm supposed to say something noble--I want a united Ravka free from the Fold. I want the Darkling in the ground, where he can never hurt you or anyone else again." He gave a rueful shake of his head. "But I guess I'm the same selfish ass I've always been. For all my talk of vows and honor, what I really want is to put you up against that wall and kiss you until you forget you ever knew another man's name. So tell me to go, Alina. Because I can't give you a title or an army or any of the things you need.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“He’d wanted me to believe in his ruthlessness.
Then I remembered his words from so long ago: Make me your villain.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“I didn't have to stand here in the darkling arms. I could vanish from his grip, slide back into consciousness and the safety of a stone room hidden in the mountaintop. But I didn't want to go. Despite, everything, I wanted this whispered confidence.

"Yes." I breathed.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Yuyeh sesh. Despise your heart. Ni weh sesh. I have no heart.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“….For all my talk of vows and honor, what I really want is to put you up against that wall and kiss you until you forget you ever knew another man’s name. So tell me to go, Alina. Because I can’t give you a title or an army or any of the things you need.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“They're all crazy, Oncat. Invisible armies, monster princes. Let's go set fire to something.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“I shook my head in wonder. "How does he do it?"
"Want to know my secret?" Nikolai asked from behind us. We both jumped. He leaned in, looked from left to right, and whispered loudly. "I have a lot of money."
I rolled my eyes.
"No, really," he protested. "A lot of money.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Tell me, Alina, has he claimed you yet?"

"Claimed me? Like a peninsula?”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“There's not much to do underground besides train."
"I can think of a few more interesting ways to spend one's time."
"Is that supposed to be innuendo?"
"What a filthy mind you have. I was referring to puzzles and the perusal of edifying texts.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising