Cassidy

“I paused, considering those words. It was true. He had come to me the night of the battle, wailing about what he had perceived of their location, locking it down despite all the magic those vagrants had used to conceal themselves. It had surpassed all realm of my imagination in what I believed him capable of, and I could not deny it now. Though that did not excuse him from punishment.”
― Caroline Peckham, Sorrow and Starlight

“Unhelpful,” said Verity, shooting him a look. She joined Rune on the floor, crossing her legs beneath her dress and leaning over the map as the carriage jolted beneath them. Rune’s nose prickled. One of these days, she would gently suggest to her friend not to dab so much perfume on …”
― Kristen Ciccarelli, Heartless Hunter

“He recalled the night she branded him. She’d pinned him to the wall with a spell so he’d be helpless to stop her from searing his flesh. He remembered his body spasming beneath the glowing iron, every muscle tightening at the lightning-hot pain. It’s a curse, Gideon, she said, pressing harder as he tried not to scream. One I will activate if you betray me again.”
― Kristen Ciccarelli, Heartless Hunter

“This is different. I should have been strong enough to fight the Shadow Beast off before it ever got as far as it did. I’m supposed to be some all-powerful Phoenix but look at me now. I’m nothing.” “You are everything,” I said firmly, and she tried to push past me, but I slammed my palms to the wall either side of her, not letting her go. “And you will not run from me.” “How can you even stand to look at me?” she hissed. “I’m a monster. I look like her. Like Lavinia.” She winced as if she wanted to cringe away from her own skin and a frown furrowed my brow. “Listen to me, Blue. I loved you when your soul shone with all the starlight in the night sky, and I’ll love you now when your soul is the blackest you’ve ever known. I will love you whole and I’ll love you in pieces. It doesn’t matter, light or dark, I am here. That is what mates are for. It’s what I’m made to be for you by the stars themselves, so stop trying to shut me out.”
― Caroline Peckham, Sorrow and Starlight