The Roach Quotes

“I spot the Roach and the Bomb, sitting in the shadows of the re-formed thrones. He is tossing grapes into her mouth and never missing, not once.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing

“The Roach clasps his hand on the back of my neck with a laugh. 'You did good, kid, you know that? You came out of the sea even tougher than you went in.'

I have to look down because I am surprised by how much I wanted to hear someone say that. When I glance back up, Cardan is watching me carefully. He looks stricken.

I shake my head, to keep him from saying whatever he's thinking.”
― Holly Black, The Wicked King

“You who dwell in the shadows, I wish for you to stand with us sometimes in the light,' says Cardan. 'To each, I give a mask. When you wear it, no one will be able to recall your height or the timbre of your voice. And in that mask, let no one in Elfhame turn you away. Every hearth will be open to you, including mine.'

They bow and lift the masks to their faces. When they do, there's a soft of distortion around them.

'You are kind, my king,' says one, and even I, who know them, cannot tell which is speaking. But what no mask can hide is how, once they give their bows and depart, one masked figure takes another's gloved hand.

Or how the third turns his shiny metal face toward Taryn.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing

“Relying only on yourself is a good way to get got. Next time, take a member of the royal guard. Take one of us. Take a cloud of sprites or a drunken spriggan. Just take someone.'

'Watching my back is the perfect opportunity to stick a knife in it,' I remind him.”
― Holly Black, The Wicked King

“Cardan was left to be suckled by a little black cat whose kittens came stillborn.'

'He survived on cat milk?' I exclaim.
...
I think again of the globe I held in Eldred's study, of Cardan dressed in rags, looking to the woman in my chamber for approval, which came only when he was awful. An abandoned prince, weaned on cat milk and cruelty, left to roam the palace like a little ghost.”
― Holly Black, The Wicked King

“You could still be lying,' says the Roach. He turns to Cardan. 'Try her.'

'Your pardon?' Cardan says, drawing himself up, and the Roach seems to suddenly remember whom he's speaking in such an off-handed way.

'Don't be such a prickly rose, Your Majesty,' the Roach says with a shrug and a grin. 'I'm not giving you an order. I'm suggesting that if you tried to glamour Jude, we could find out the truth.'

Cardan sighs and walks toward me. I know this is necessary. I know that he doesn't intend to hurt me. I know he can't glamour me. And yet I draw back automatically.

'Jude?' he asks.

'Go ahead,' I say.

I hear the glamour enter his voice, heady and seductive and more powerful than I expected. 'Crawl to me,' he says with a grin.

Embarrassment pinks my cheeks.

I stay where I am, looking at all their faces. 'Satisfied?'

The Bomb nods. 'You're not charmed.”
― Holly Black, The Wicked King

“I told him to watch out,' the Roach says. .... 'But would he listen? I'd have ordered him, if not for the little matter of him being the High King.'

'Cardan sent you?' I ask.

'Not exactly,' says the Roach, moving the light so that I can see the person with him, the one I elbowed. The High King of Elfhame in plain brown wool, a cloak on his back of a fabric so dark it seems to absorb light, leaf blade in the scabbard on his hip. He wears no crown on his brow, no rings on his fingers, nor gold point limning his cheekbones. He looks every inch a spy from the Court of Shadows, down to the sneaky smile pulling at a corner of his beautiful mouth.

Looking at him, I feel a little light-headed from some combination of shock and disbelief. 'You shouldn't be here.'

'I said that, too,' the Roach goes on. 'Really, I miss the days when you were in charge. High Kings shouldn't be gallivanting around like common ruffians.'

Cardan laughs. 'What about uncommon ruffians?'

I swing my legs over the edge of the bed, and his laugh gutters out. The Roach turns his gaze to the ceiling. I am abruptly aware that I am in a nightgown Oriana lent me, one that is entirely too diaphanous.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing

“You want to free him? Let's gut him like a haddock. Quicker and far more satisfying.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing

“He's begun a new sword for Madoc.'

'I wouldn't mind ruining that before it's put to my throat,' says Cardan.

'Look for the big one,' I say. 'That'll be it.'

The Roach gives me a frown. I can't help not having a better description; the last time I saw it, it was barely more than a bar of metal.

'Really big,' I say.

Cardan snorts.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing

“Lil-' he says, voice sounding soft and scratchy, but speaking.

He's conscious. Awake.

Healed.

He grabs hold of the Bomb's hand. 'I'm dying,' he says. 'The poison- I was foolish. I don't have long.'

'You're not dying,' she says.

'There's something I could never tell you while I lived,' he says, pulling her closer to him. 'I love you, Liliver. I've loved you from the first hour of our meeting. I loved you and despaired. Before I die, I want you to know that.'

The Ghost's eyebrows rise, and he glances at me. I grin. With both of us on the floor, I doubt the Roach has any idea we're there.

Besides, he's too busy looking at the Bomb's shocked face.

'I never wanted-' he begins, then bites off the words, clearly reading her expression as horror. 'You don't have to say anything in return. But before I die-'

'You're not dying,' she says again,, and this time he seems to actually hear her.

'I see.' His face suffuses with shame. 'I shouldn't have spoken.'

I creep toward the kitchen, the Ghost behind me. As we head toward the door, I hear the Bomb's soft voice.

'If you hadn't,' she says, 'then I couldn't tell you that your feelings are returned.'

Outside, the Ghost and I walk toward the palace, looking up at the stars. I think about how much cleverer the Bomb is than I am, because when she had her chance, she took it. She told him how she felt. I failed to tell Cardan. And now I never can.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing

“Lil-' he says, voice sounding soft and scratchy, but speaking.

He's conscious. Awake.

Healed.

He grabs hold of the Bomb's hand. 'I'm dying,' he says. 'The poison- I was foolish. I don't have long.'

'You're not dying,' she says.

'There's something I could never tell you while I lived,' he says, pulling her closer to him. 'I love you, Liliver. I've loved you from the first hour of our meeting. I loved you and despaired. Before I die, I want you to know that.'

The Ghost's eyebrows rise, and he glances at me. I grin. With both of us on the floor, I doubt the Roach has any idea we're there.

Besides, he's too busy looking at the Bomb's shocked face.

'I never wanted-' he begins, then bites off the words, clearly reading her expression as horror. 'You don't have to say anything in return. But before I die-'

'You're not dying,' she says again, and this time he seems to actually hear her.

'I see.' His face suffuses with shame. 'I shouldn't have spoken.'

I creep toward the kitchen, the Ghost behind me. As we head toward the door, I hear the Bomb's soft voice.

'If you hadn't,' she says, 'then I couldn't tell you that your feelings are returned.'

Outside, the Ghost and I walk toward the palace, looking up at the stars. I think about how much cleverer the Bomb is than I am, because when she had her chance, she took it. She told him how she felt. I failed to tell Cardan. And now I never can.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing