“I would rather lose this entire war than live without you, and if that means I have to prove myself over and over, then I'll do it. You gave me your heart, and I'm keeping it.”
“There’s nowhere in existence you could go that I wouldn’t find you, Violence.”
“Hope is a fickle, dangerous thing. It steals your focus and aims it toward the possibilities instead of keeping it where it belongs—on the probabilities.”
“I’m going to keep you. You’re mine, Violet.”
“Fascinating. You look all frail and breakable, but you’re really a violent little thing, aren’t you?”
“Lies are comforting. Truth is painful.”
“Oh, gods.”
“I am the sky and the power of every storm that has ever been. I am infinite.”
“There is nothing more sacred than the Archives. Even temples can be rebuilt, but books cannot be rewritten.”
“But I will not run. I wouldn't be standing here if I'd quit every time something seemed impossible to overcome. I will not die today.”
“The right way isn’t the only way.”
“One generation to change the text. One generation chooses to teach that text. The next grows, and the lie becomes history.”
“My breath catches and my body warms, the traitorous bitch. You are not attracted to toxic men, I remind myself, and yet, here I am, getting all attracted.”
“None of this is worth it without you.”
“Don’t borrow tomorrow’s trouble.”
“You’re making us look bad. Stop it.”
“He cares for you. That’s already hard enough for him.”
“You never considered that it was you I couldn’t stay away from?”
“I'm so wildly in love with you that I can't imagine what my life would even look like without you in it. And I probably shouldn't have said that, but if we're doing this, then we're starting from a place of complete honesty.”
“You can't make me fall for you and then die.”
“There is no me without you.”
“And when others are quick to stand in front of me, Xaden always stands at my side, trusting me to hold my own.”
“Coming in last is better than coming in dead.”
“You’re not going to handle me?” I call after him, shock raising my brows. “Not tonight!” he tosses over his shoulder. I scoff. “What are you waiting for?” “It’s no fun if you expect it,” he answers, striding into the darkness. “Now, get back to bed before your wingleader realizes you’re out after curfew.” “What?” I gawk after him. “You’re my wingleader!”
“I am annoyingly aware of everything you do.”
“You look all frail and breakable, but you're really a violent little thing, aren't you?”
“I’m just… not as strong as other riders.”
“You still love me. It's possible." Gods, do I ache to kiss her, to remind her exactly what we are together, but I won't, not until she asks. "I'm not afraid of hard work, especially not when I know just how sweet the rewards are. I would rather loose this entire war than live without you, and if that means I have to prove myself over and over, then I'll do it. You gave me your heart, and I'm keeping it." She already owns mine, even if she doesn't realize it.”
