Home > Work > Nightblood (Frostblood Saga, #3)
1 " Ice no longer scared me. Its facets were beautiful, especially when it caught and held the vibrancy of flame. "
― Elly Blake , Nightblood (Frostblood Saga, #3)
2 " He frowned. "You don't win a coronation.""Watch me. "
3 " Then why are we fighting?”He dropped his hand and it curled into a fist. “Because you putting yourself in danger terrifies me, and yet you do it all the time.”I wished I could reach up and, with a wave of my hand, erase the fear I saw lurking in his eyes. So little scared him. It didn’t seem right that I was the cause of his worst fears.“Not all the time,” I said with a little palm-open gesture. “Sometimes I’m as cautious as a baby rabbit.”“Really.” He raised a brow. “Like when you set someone on fire?”“Only people who choke me. And it was technically her hat. An ugly one. That hat needed burning.”His lips twitched. “It was a particularly grotesque hat, I’ll give you that much. "
4 " Are you extremely furious or just angry?”“Both.”Another step closer. “I hope you don’t blame anyone else. Brother Thistle didn’t know about my little game.”“Oh, I know! He would never do anything so idiotic. Pretending to be a monk so you can surprise me with a kiss!” He raised his head and glared. “When I’ve ridden here half-mad with worry, all the while wondering whether I’d make it in time. "
5 " So your vow of poverty means nothing to you,” I said, amused at his flaring nostrils. How easy it was to goad him. “A fact made even clearer when you look out your window at the hundred or more starving people freezing to death on those docks. They seemed to view the arrival of our ship as a last hope.”“I can’t control how many people choose to leave our shores, or how few ships are here to transport them. The Winter of Purification is upon us. I do not question the will of the gods; I merely serve.”“I think it’s your own will you follow. You always were obsessed with Frostblood purity.”“Only the strongest will remain.” His eyes shifted to Arcus. “No true Frostblood would object to that.”“Is that what you’re posturing as?” I demanded. “A true Frostblood? Last I checked, you had no gift to speak of.”He drew himself up. “I’ve always thought the mark of a true Frostblood was in his character.”“Excuse me?” I laughed at the idea of him having anything resembling character. “Oh, and I suppose that’s why those people out there are freezing? Because they have no character?” My voice rose. “I think it’s because they don’t have your connections, your wealth, and your guile. You plunder their lands to fill your coffers, spending your coin on food and fine clothing while common folk starve! The proof is in these invoices and ledgers.” I grabbed a wad of scrolls and tossed them at him. They hit his chest and scattered. “Do you deny it?”“I don’t owe them anything, damn you!” Spittle flew, hitting my heated skin with a sizzle. “I certainly owe you no explanations. You are nothing but an upstart rebel who was pretty enough to attract the attentions of a scarred and ugly king!”The words reverberated in my head. It was one thing to insult me, but to say that about Arcus…“I’m so glad you gave me an excuse to do this,” I said hoarsely, raising my fiery palms. “Even your bones will be ashes. "
