2
" She imagined him leaning against the shuttle, entertaining thoughts of scolding her for dressing like a ragged commoner. Never mind that her present outfit was light years ahead in comfort.
(Actually, he’s wishing he had been less critical of you earlier. He feels bad that you won’t acknowledge his presence, and he blames himself.)
(Quit it, Ian. I’m not going to feel sorry for him.)
She caught her protector’s shrewd grin, highlighted by the fire’s glow. (You already do, Queenie.)
(This talent of yours is really annoying.)
He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “That’s not what you thought earlier when you wanted to get ahold of Efren.”
“One tiny rosebud in a handful of thorns,” she retorted. "
― Richelle E. Goodrich , Eena, The Curse of Wanyaka Cave (The Harrowbethian Saga #3)
6
" I know they don’t respect the lives of others…”
“Mortals,” he specified, “who exist for a brief moment and then die off.”
Her voice rose as she argued with him. “I speak of people with very valued lives, Edgar. It may seem like a moment to you, but to me it is eternity.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It makes perfect sense, Edgar! Life is valuable—period. And because mine can be easily taken away, it becomes even more valuable and precious. Yours, you take for granted because you’ll never lose it. Mine, I cherish because it’s fleeting. For that reason alone I can argue that my life is of the greatest worth.”
His eyebrows pulled together over a tangled scowl. She couldn’t tell if he was trying to understand her reasoning or if she had merely managed to upset him.
“Never mind,” she mumbled. “I don’t think you can appreciate what you’ve never experienced.
“That works both ways, Amora.”
“Whatever. "
― Richelle E. Goodrich , Eena, The Curse of Wanyaka Cave (The Harrowbethian Saga #3)
7
" The watchful Mishmorat commented while waiting, contemplating Eena’s bare back. “Your people are so plain and pale.”
“Oh?” Eena kinked her neck to look at Niki, zeroing in on her long spotted arms. Her bronze skin was arguably more striking—speckled in beautiful patterns.
“I’m sorry,” the Mishmorat quickly apologized. “I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I’ve never seen such bare skin before. There’s nothing to look at.”
Eena quickly pulled the new t-shirt down over her back. She chuckled at Niki’s comment. “I’ll admit your people are very attractive. But I’m okay with my ‘plainness.’” She glanced over her pale legs before pulling on a clean pair of pants.
“You’re kinda like a clear, cloudless sky,” Niki said, cocking her head wonderingly.
“And you’re like a…..a sky dotted with shapely clouds.”
“Only dark clouds.”
“Storm clouds.”
“Yeah,” Niki grinned devilishly, “That’s me—a sky full of storm clouds. "
― Richelle E. Goodrich , Eena, The Curse of Wanyaka Cave (The Harrowbethian Saga #3)
13
" The captain put his fingers to his temples as if he had a headache. “So, let me get this straight. Edgar, an immortal, who I assume is as unscrupulous as his sisters, tried to take that bracelet from you…”
“He did take it,” she corrected.
“I thought you said Zmey kept him from doing so.”
“No. Edgar did snatch it from me at first, but Zmey made him give it back. I guess because King Wennergren gifted it to me. That means no one else is allowed to have it—that is, unless I give it away.”
“So it’s good that you had Zmey there to help.”
“Well….not exactly,” she hemmed again.
“Not exactly, again?” Derian’s face tightened with frustration. He pressed harder on his temples.
“Zmey protects the bracelet because he has to, but he doesn’t care much for me.” She hesitated before uttering the next sentence. “He actually tried to kill me.”
“What? What! Why? Eena!”
“It’s okay, really, I’m fine! Naga protects me from those other dragons.”
“Other dragons? For criminy’s sake, how many more are there?! "
― Richelle E. Goodrich , Eena, The Curse of Wanyaka Cave (The Harrowbethian Saga #3)
