Lianna

“She turned to look at him, and he was already looking at her. “I’m going to miss you when I wake up,” she whispered, because she realized that she must have fallen asleep under the sun. Arin was too real for her imagination. He was a dream.
“Don’t wake up,” he said.”
― Marie Rutkoski, The Winner's Crime

“He told himself a story. Not at first. At first, there wasn’t time for thoughts that came in the shape of words. His head was blessedly empty of stories then. War was coming. It was upon him. Arin had been born in the year of the god of death, and he was finally glad of it. He surrendered himself to his god, who smiled and came close. Stories will get you killed, he murmured in Arin’s ear. Now, you just listen. Listen to me.”
― Marie Rutkoski, The Winner's Kiss

“You’re my best friend, Kenji. You know that, right?” “Yeah, kid.” He grins at me. “I do. And I can’t believe I got stuck with your skinny ass.”
― Tahereh Mafi, Ignite Me

“Arin smiled. It was a true smile, which let her know that all the others he had given her were not.”
― Marie Rutkoski, The Winner's Curse