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“To his left, he heard Inej laugh behind her mask. He'd never heard her laugh like that, giddy and wild.”
― Crooked Kingdom
― Crooked Kingdom
“He swept the red cloak around Inej's shoulders in a rain of petals and blossoms as she continued to strap on her knives. She looked almost as startled as the flower seller.
"What?" he asked as he tossed her a Mister Crimson mask that matched his own.
"Those were my mother's favorite flower."
"Good to know Van Eck didn't cure you of sentiment."
"Nice to be back, Kaz."
"Good to have you back, Wraith.”
― Crooked Kingdom
"What?" he asked as he tossed her a Mister Crimson mask that matched his own.
"Those were my mother's favorite flower."
"Good to know Van Eck didn't cure you of sentiment."
"Nice to be back, Kaz."
"Good to have you back, Wraith.”
― Crooked Kingdom
“Matthias joined them at the table. “The Shu woman we faced was stronger than me, Jesper, and Wylan put together.”
“You heard right,” said Jesper. “Stronger than Wylan.”
― Crooked Kingdom
“You heard right,” said Jesper. “Stronger than Wylan.”
― Crooked Kingdom
“The clerks at the bank who turned over our information. The fake attorney. The man who gave me free hot chocolate at Hertzoon’s fake office. I destroyed them all, one by one, brick by brick. And Rollins will be the last. These things don’t wash away with prayer, Wraith. There is no peace waiting for me, no forgiveness, not in this life, not in the next.”
Inej shook her head. How could she still look at him with kindness in her eyes? “You don’t ask for forgiveness, Kaz. You earn it.”
“Is that what you intend to do? By hunting slavers?”
“By hunting slavers. By rooting out the merchers and Barrel bosses who profit off of them. By being something more than just the next Pekka Rollins.”
It was impossible. There was nothing more. He could see the truth even if she couldn’t. Inej was stronger than he would ever be. She’d kept her faith, her goodness, even when the world tried to take it from her with greedy hands.
His eyes scanned her face as they always had, closely, hungrily, snatching at the details of her like the thief he was—the even set of her dark brows, the rich brown of her eyes, the upward tilt of her lips. He didn’t deserve peace and he didn’t deserve forgiveness, but if he was going to die today, maybe the one thing he’d earned was the memory of her—brighter than anything he would ever have a right to—to take with him to the other side.”
― Crooked Kingdom
Inej shook her head. How could she still look at him with kindness in her eyes? “You don’t ask for forgiveness, Kaz. You earn it.”
“Is that what you intend to do? By hunting slavers?”
“By hunting slavers. By rooting out the merchers and Barrel bosses who profit off of them. By being something more than just the next Pekka Rollins.”
It was impossible. There was nothing more. He could see the truth even if she couldn’t. Inej was stronger than he would ever be. She’d kept her faith, her goodness, even when the world tried to take it from her with greedy hands.
His eyes scanned her face as they always had, closely, hungrily, snatching at the details of her like the thief he was—the even set of her dark brows, the rich brown of her eyes, the upward tilt of her lips. He didn’t deserve peace and he didn’t deserve forgiveness, but if he was going to die today, maybe the one thing he’d earned was the memory of her—brighter than anything he would ever have a right to—to take with him to the other side.”
― Crooked Kingdom
“Inej placed her hands on Nina’s shoulders. “We’ll see each other again.”
“Of course we will. You’ve saved my life. I’ve saved yours.”
“I think you’re ahead on that count.”
“No, I don’t mean in the big ways.” Nina’s eyes took them all in. “I mean the little rescues. Laughing at my jokes. Forgiving me when I was foolish. Never trying to make me feel small. It doesn’t matter if it’s next month, or next year, or ten years from now, those will be the things I remember when I see you again.”
― Crooked Kingdom
“Of course we will. You’ve saved my life. I’ve saved yours.”
“I think you’re ahead on that count.”
“No, I don’t mean in the big ways.” Nina’s eyes took them all in. “I mean the little rescues. Laughing at my jokes. Forgiving me when I was foolish. Never trying to make me feel small. It doesn’t matter if it’s next month, or next year, or ten years from now, those will be the things I remember when I see you again.”
― Crooked Kingdom
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