FreeTheBees

“I can't - Kestrel, you must understand that I would never claim you. Calling you a prize - my prize - it was only words. But it worked. Cheat won't harm you, I swear that he won't, but you must...hide yourself a little. Help a little. Just tell us how much time we have before the battle. Give him a reason to decide you're not better off dead. Swallow your pride."

"Maybe it's not as easy for me as it is for you."

He wheeled on her. "It's not easy for me," "You know that it's not. What do you think I have had to swallow these past ten years? What do you think I have had to do to survive?"

"Truly," she said, "I haven't the faintest interest. You may tell your sad story to someone else."

He flinched as if slapped. His voice came low: "You can make people feel so small.”
― Marie Rutkoski, The Winner's Curse

“You don't, Kestrel, even though the god of lies loves you.”
― Marie Rutkoski, The Winner's Curse

“I have no doubt he’ll hurt me. But he’ll do it on clean satin sheets in romantic lighting.”
― Kitty Thomas, The Last Girl

“I felt that if he touched me, I'd die. and then the thought crawled into my brain that if he didn't touch me, I'd die.”
― Kitty Thomas, The Auction