Athena

“و ما ... برای خوردن یک سیب

چقدر تنها ماندیم...”
― سهراب سپهری

“The young woman had never thought much of love. She had not been fed tales of storybook princesses; she did not dream of true love’s kiss saving her from her treacherous life. But the memory of this boy’s mouth still visited her at night. If it was love to want someone, perhaps this was it.

She was so, so young. Hard in some ways. Softly naive in others. She did not truly understand, yet, that vampires shone as the silver teeth of traps shone. Their beauty was a “beckoning hand, promising sweet caresses.

The little serpent was so very lonely. She slithered right into those lovely, elegant fingers. She did not even see the claws.”
― Carissa Broadbent, The Serpent and the Wings of Night

“Tonight, though, my soul was heavy—with Raihn’s torture and Mische’s past, with Vincent’s lies and the dark memories stirred by the Ministaer’s mouth on my skin. Maybe I was weak. Maybe I was foolish.

But even though I knew I should pull away, I didn’t.

No, I drank up Raihn’s touch like one last gulp of wine. A secret, shameful vice.”
― Carissa Broadbent, The Serpent and the Wings of Night

“It was the closest I’d ever get to an apology. I had never seen Vincent apologize to anyone for anything, ever. But one had to learn how to hear what lingered in between the words. Just like he never told me he loved me, but I heard it in every stern instruction.
And now, even though he did not say he was sorry, I heard it in the slightly lower cadence of his voice in that single sentence.
You had to bend, with people like Vincent. Reach for what they wouldn’t give you themselves.”
― Carissa Broadbent, The Serpent and the Wings of Night