Mel

“All her life, she'd thought of death as the single moment, the heart stopping, the final breath, but now she knew that it could be much more like giving birth, with nine months of preparations. Her father was heavily pregnant with death, and there was little to do but wait.”
― Emma Straub, This Time Tomorrow

“They wrapped her corpse in silver, a shroud in moonglow made... with an Ancient's chain they lowered her, while in pain their eyes did fade. Oh now the storm is raging, the ship has seen its last, and she will never see the sun... as long as the bones stand strong and fast.”
― Sana Takeda, Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood

“Nonagesimus,” she said slowly, “the only job I’d do for you would be if you wanted someone to hold the sword as you fell on it. The only job I’d do for you would be if you wanted your ass kicked so hard, the Locked Tomb opened and a parade came out to sing, ‘Lo! A destructed ass.’ The only job I’d do would be if you wanted me to spot you while you backflipped off the top tier into Drearburh.”

“That’s three jobs,” said Harrowhark.”
― Tamsyn Muir, Gideon the Ninth