Sarah J. Maas

“Chaol'a "ne zamandır uyuyorum?" diye fısıldasa da yüzbaşı ona yanıt vermedi. Bir kez daha "Ne zamandır uyuyorum?" diye sorduğunda Chaol'un yanaklarının hafifçe kızardığını fark etti. "Sende mi uyudun?""Ağzının duyu omzuma akana kadar uyuyordum."Celaena " Aman aman, nasıl da üste çıkıyor bu genç adam," deyince Chaol onun bacağını dürttü.”

“Kancıklarımdan biri bir sürü melez doğurdu. Bir süre öncesine dek farkı anlayamacağımız kadar küçüktüler. Fakat... Eh, ben saf kan olacaklarını umuyordum.""Köpeklerden mi kadınlardan mı bahsediyoruz?""Hangisini tercih ederdin?" Dorian, Celaena'ya muzipçe gülümsedi.”

“O kocaman şeyi giymeye nasıl tahammül ediyorsun?"Celaene elbisesinin eteklerini tuttu. "Doğrusu kaburgalarımı kırıyor."Nehemia "En azından azap çeken tek ben değilmişim," dedi.”

“Chaol onun öfkesinne kıkırdayarak cevap verdi ve kılıcıyla , ayağa kalkmasına izin verdiği Celaena'ya silahların olduğu rafı gösterdi. "Başka bir silah seç. İlginç bir şey olsun. Beni terletecek bir şey, lütfen."Celaena ince kılıcını yerden alıp "Diri diri derini yüzüp göz kürelerini ayağımın altında ezdiğimde epey terleyeceksin." diye mırıldandı"işye aradığımız ruh bu."İnce kılıcı basbayağı fırlatarak yerine bıraktıktan sonra hiç tereddüt etmeden av bıçaklarını eline aldı.Eski dostlarım benim.Celaena'nın yüzüne muzır bir gülümseme yayıldı.”

“Dorian tahtına iyice yaslandı. "Babamın imparatorluğayardım edecek birine ihtiyacı var. Güçlük çıkaran kişileri aradan çıkarmasına yardımcı olacak birine.""Yani pis işlerini yaptıracak bir yalakaya."Prens "Açıkça ifade etmek gerekirse, öyle." dedi. "Yaveri rakiplerini sessiz tutmalı."Celaena sevimli bir edayla "Mezar kadar sessiz." dedi.”

“The stag’s enormous head turned slightly—toward the wagon, toward the small window.The Lord of the North.So the people of Terrasen will always know how to find their way home, she’d once told Ansel as they lay under a blanket of stars and traced the constellation of the stag. So they can look up at the sky, no matter where they are, and know Terrasen is forever with them.”

“Where do men find it in themselves to do such monstrous things?”

“She would not break.And someday… someday,even if it took her until her last breath, she’d find out who had done this to her. Celaena wiped away her tears as the wagon entered the shade of the tunnel through the wall. Whips and screams and the clank of chains. She tensed, already taking in every detail she could.But she squared her shoulders. Straightened her spine.“My name is Celaena Sardothien,” she whispered “And I will not be afraid”

“Apparently, a woman can only go so long without a sword between her hands.”

“...are you as deft at handling your sword as Captain Westfall?""Better," he whispered in her ear.”

“Of course." He picked up the brown bag of candy on the table. "What's your . . ." He trailed off as he weighed the bag in his hands. "Didn't I give you three pounds of candy?"She smiled impishly."You ate half the bag!""Was I supposed to save it?""I would have liked some!""You never told me that.""Because I didn't expect you to consume all of it before breakfast!"She snatched the bag from him and put it on the table. "Well, that just shows poor judgement on your part, doesn't it?”

“She moaned into her pillow. "Go away. I feel like dying.""No fair maiden should die alone," he said, putting a hand on hers. "Shall I read to you in your final moments? What story would you like?"She snatched her hand back. "How about the story of the idiotic prince who won't leave the assassin alone?""Oh! I love that story! It has such a happy ending, too—why, the assassin was really feigning her illness in order to get the prince's attention! Who would have guessed it? Such a clever girl. And the bedroom scene is so lovely—it's worth reading through all of their ceaseless banter!”

“As my friend, you should either bring me along, or keep me company.""Friend?" he asked.She blushed. "Well, 'scowling escort' is a better description. Or 'reluctant acquaintance', if you prefer.”

“She watched him, her head angled. He sometimes felt that she looked at him the way a cat regards a mouse. He just wondered how long it would take for her to pounce.”

“You always wear that necklace," he said. "Is it another gift?" Though she wore gloves, he glanced at her hand - where the amethyst ring always sat - and the spark died from his eyes."No." She covered the amulet with her hand. "I found it in my jewellery box and liked the look of it, you insufferably territorial man.”

“I name you Elentiya." She kissed the assassin's brow. "I give you this name to use with honour, to use when other names grow too heavy. I name you Elentiya, 'Spirit That Could Not Be Broken.”

“He was done with politics and intrigue. He loved her, and no empire, no king, and no earthly fear would keep him from her. No, if they tried to take her from him, he'd rip the world apart with his bare hands. And for some reason, that didn't terrify him.”

“You're not moving your body the correct way, Here, just let me show you."Though it was the oldest and most shameless trick in the book, he reached over her and put his hand on top of the one that gripped the cure. He then positioned the fingers of her other hand on the wood before lightly gripping her wrist. To Dorian's dismay, his face became warm. His eyes shifted to her, and, to his relief, he found that she was as red as he, if not more so.”

“Walk to her. Take her hand. But his feet were leaden, and Dorian could do nothing except watch her. His skin flushed beneath his small black mask. He didn't know why, but seeing her made him feel like a man. She was something out of a dream- a dream in which he was not a spoiled young prince, but a king.”

“... "As you wish.""But I'd like to remain your friend."He put his hands in his pockets. "Always.”

“Do you intend to make me cry, or are you just foolish?”

“Last night... I'm sorry if I was too forward with you." He paused. "Celaena, you're grimacing."Had she been making a face? "Er- sorry.""It did upset you, then!""What did?""The kiss!"... "Oh, it was nothing," she said, thumping her chest as she cleared her throat. "I didn't mind it. But I didn't hate it, if that's what your thinking!" She immediately regretted saying it."So, you liked it?" He grinned lazily."No! Oh, go away!" She flung herself onto her pillows, pulling the blankets over her head. She was going to die from embarrassment.”

“He suddenly felt the urge to kiss her-hard- upon the mouth. But this- what he felt, it could never be real. Because once the ball was over, she would go back to being an assassin, and he would still be a prince. Dorian swallowed hard. For tonight, though...He held her closer. Everyone transformed into mere shadows on the wall.”

“Been eating candies, have you?""You sent those?" She kept her mouth closed as much as possible."Of course." He picked up the brown bad of candy on the table. "What's your..." He trailed off as he weighed the bad in his hands. "Didn't I give you three pounds of candy?"She smiled impishly."You ate half the bag!""Was I supposed to save it?""I would have liked some!""You never told me that.""Because I didn't expect you to consume all of it before breakfast!"She snatched the bag from him and put it on the table. "Well, that just hows poor judgement on your part, doesn't it?”

“Sunset's Passions," he read, and opened the book to a random page to read aloud. "'His hands gently caressed her ivory, silky br- " His eyes widened. "By the Wyrd! Do you actually read this rubbish? What happened to Symbols of Power and Eyllwe Customs and Culture?"..."You may borrow it when I'm done. If you read it, your literary experience will be complete. And," she added with a coy smile, "it will give you some creative ideas of things to do with your lady friends.”

“It's Dorian, by the way. Not 'Your Highness'.""Very Well.""Say it.""Say what?""Say my name. Say, 'Very well, Dorian'."She rolled her eyes. "If it pleases Your Magnanimous Holiness, I shall call you by your first name.""Magnanimous Holiness? Oh, I like that one.”

“No fair maiden should die alone" he said, putting a hand on hers. "Shall I read to you in your final moments? What story would you like?"She snatched her hand back. 'How about the story of the idiotic prince who won't leave the assassin alone?""Oh! I love that story! It has such a happy ending too- why, the assassin was really feigning her illness in order to get the prince's attention! Who would have guessed it? Such a clever girl. And the bedroom scene is so lovely- it's worth reading through all of their ceaseless banter!”

“What's the point in having a mind if you don't use it to make judgements?""What's the point of having a heart if you don't use it to spare others from the harsh judgements of your mind?”

“I'm not married,” he said softly, “because I can't stomach the idea of marrying a woman inferior to me in mind and spirit. It would mean the death of my soul.”

“In the garden, the Captain of the Guard stared up at the young woman's balcony, watching as she waltzed alone, lost in her dreams. But he knew her thoughts weren't of him.She stopped and stared upward. Even from a distance, he could see the blush upon her cheeks. She seemed young—no, new. It made his chest ache. Still, he watched, watched until she sighed and went inside. She never bothered to look below.”

“You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.”

“Celaena," Chaol said gently. And then she heard the scraping noise as his hand came into view, sliding across the flagstones. His fingertips stopped just at the edge of the white line. "Celaena," he breathed, his voice laced with pain—and hope. This was all she had left—his outstretched hand, and the promise of hope, of something better waiting on the other side of the line.”

“His breath was warm on her neck as he bent his head, resting his cheek against her hair. Her heart beat so quickly, and yet she felt utterly calm—as if she could have stayed there forever and not minded, stayed there forever and let the world fall apart around them. She pictured his fingers, pushing against that line of chalk, reaching for her despite the barrier between them.”

“How long was I asleep?" she whispered. He didn't respond. "How long was I asleep?" she asked again, and noticed a hint of red in his cheeks. "You were asleep, too?" "Until you began drooling on my shoulder.”

“With each day he felt the barriers melting. He let them melt. Because of her genuine laugh, because he caught her one afternoon sleeping with her face in the middle of a book, because he knew that she would win.”

“She stared at the castle unflinchingly, her form silhouetted against the blazing brightness that sat on the edge of the Avery River. Clouds gathered above them and she raised her head. Through a clearing in the swirling mass, a cluster of stars could be seen. He couldn't help thinking that they gazed down at her...The image haunted his dreams throughout the night: a lovely girl gazing at the stars, and the stars who gazed back”

“You're going to keep a low profile throughout the entire competition... You're going to stay solidly in the middle, where no one will look your way, because you're not a threat, because they'll think that you'll be eliminated sooner or later, and they should focus their attention on getting rid of bigger, stronger, faster champions like Cain.'But you're going to outlast them,' Chaol continued. 'And when they wake up the morning of the final duel and find that you are their opponent, and that you have beaten them, the look on their faces will make all of the insults and lack of attention worthwhile.”

“If you'd like to unwrap me," he said, lifting the large wicker basket onto the table, "we still have an hour until the temple service.”

“No fair maiden should die alone,”

“Nor had she missed when they zigzagged between levels, even though the building was a standard grid of hallways and stairwells. As if she'd lose her bearings that easily.She might have been insulted if he wasn't trying so hard.”

“He won every game, yet she hardly noticed. As long as she hit the ball, it resulted in shameless bragging. When she missed - well, even the fires of Hell couldn't compare to the rage that burst from her mouth. He couldn't remember a time when he'd laugh so hard.”

“I hate women like that. They're so desperate for the attention of men that they'd willingly betray and harm members of their own sex. And we claim men cannot think with their brains! At least men are direct about it.”

“No one deserves to be whipped like an animal.”

“Names are not important. It's what lies inside of you that matters.”

“My name is Celaena Sardothien," she whispered, "and I will not be afraid.”

“The game had been played, and she had lost.”

“And now, the very thing that had earned her the right to call herself Adarlan's Assassin would be what sealed her doom.”

“You, Celaena Sardothien, are charged with the deaths of the following people..." And then he began a long recitation of all those lives she'd taken. The brutal story of a girl who was now gone.”

“I love you," Sam said.Celaena wrapped her arms around him and held him close, breathing his scent. Her only reply was, "I hate packing.”

“When we die," she said, "I don't think the gods will even know what to do with us.”