“It is the face of a girl who has seen the world, who realizes that it hates her, and who hates it in return.”

“...our parents' death broke his sense of wonder. My left-brained brother, who once had dreams of saving the world, now laughs at anyone who tries.”

“who once had dreams of saving the world, now laughs at anyone whotries.”

“There is a silence so great that I can hear the ice crystals cracking and falling from eyelashes of girls who will never blink again.”

“Love unrequited is violent. He loves you so much that he's turned it into hate.”

“There's a world out there that nobody has bothered to promise her.”

“I nod like I'm not at all unnerved by this new cold side to him. Not cruel like his father. Not warm like the husband who sought me out on quiet nights. Something in between. This Linden has never woven his fingers through mine, never chosen me from a line of weary Gathered girls, never said he loved me in a myriad of coloured lights. We are nothing to each other.”