Maria

“Intellectual freedom is essential to human society—freedom to obtain and distribute information, freedom for open-minded and unfearing debate, and freedom from pressure by officialdom and prejudices. Such a trinity of freedom of thought is the only guarantee against an infection of people by mass myths, which, in the hands of treacherous hypocrites and demagogues, can be transformed into bloody dictatorship.”
― Charlie English, The CIA Book Club: The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature

“Hmm. It's a scary shadow, you say?"
"They're all scary. Even if you make a nice one, like a kitten, it'll turn into a man-eating tiger or something. It's like they're trying to be scary."
"That makes sense."
Morrigan was surprised. "Does it?"
"Shadows are shadows, Miss Crow." His eyes reflected the moonlight. "They want to be dark.”
― Jessica Townsend, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

“He gave me a look that was almost pitying, and when he smiled it was the smile of a vengeful god. "My dear Veronica, I am suprised you have not already learned -- everyone has a capacity for cruelty. Not everyone gets the chance to exercise it.”
― Deanna Raybourn, A Curious Beginning

“Verily I say unto you, the era of the sword and axe is nigh, the era of the wolf’s blizzard. The Time of the White Chill and the White Light is nigh, the Time of Madness and the Time of Contempt: Tedd Deireádh, the Time of End. The world will die amidst frost and be reborn with the new sun. It will be reborn of the Elder Blood, of Hen Ichaer, of the seed that has been sown. A seed which will not sprout but will burst into flame. Ess’tuath esse! Thus it shall be! Watch for the signs! What signs these shall be, I say unto you: first the earth will flow with the blood of Aen Seidhe, the Blood of Elves… Aen Ithlinnespeath, Ithlinne Aegli aep Aevenien’s prophecy”
― Andrzej Sapkowski, Blood of Elves