Home > Work > Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1)
21 " Memories of our time together flashed before my mind: our years of friendship, our few stolen days of love. Then the candle flame flickered, struggling for its final seconds of life before curling into a wisp of smoke … the room now enveloped in darkness. "
― Sue Lynn Tan , Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1)
22 " When we met, I felt there were no walls between us. That you were someone I could speak freely with. I’d like us to be friends, if you want that, too?” he asked gently. "
23 " How dark the night that stretched before us, yet ablaze with the light of the moon and stars, it felt as bright as day. "
24 " No matter what is happening, keep a clear mind to judge when to use your power for greatest impact. But don’t hesitate to use it when necessary. "
25 " They were beautiful, yet something vital in them had been lost. Once you had seen the full moon, the crescent lost its charm. "
26 " It’s not the same,” I ground out. “You’ve taken away their freedom to choose, to judge on their own. To compel them to acts they might rather die than commit.” I fixed him with a scornful stare, even as I shrank away inside. “But no enchantment is unbreakable. You’ll pay when they break free. "
27 " As punishment, I was exiled to the moon—an enchantment cast upon me which binds me here for eternity. I cannot leave this place, no matter how much I want to.” In a low voice, she added, “A palace you cannot escape is a prison nonetheless. "
28 " My future stretched before me, lonely and bleak—a lifetime of servitude without hope of betterment. An unwanted tear welled up in the corner of my eye. I had learned to swallow them, inhaling sharply or blinking them away. But as I was alone, I let it trail down my cheek. "
29 " Yet as much as I loved him, I loved myself more. And as I was discovering, there was no end to love—it was something which grew and renewed endlessly, expanding to encompass each new horizon. Family. Friends. And other lovers, too—none of them the same—yet each precious in their own way. "
30 " Why was it that the times which called for greatest strength were when we were at our weakest? "
31 " Was this where all paths to love led? Heartbreak, whether through separation, betrayal, or death? Was the fleeting joy worth the sorrow that came after? "
32 " As long as you are mine as I am yours, we have all the time in the world. "
33 " Those most trusted could still let you down, even when they did not mean to—a lesson I had learned with Liwei, and one I learned well. "
34 " Everyone has their own troubles; some lay them bare while others hide them better. For myself, I do what I can to stretch the boundaries which chafe, even if it's just a little each time. Who knows when the slightest shift might make a difference? "
35 " We each had our own burdens to bear and we alone knew their true cost, and whether we could pay it. "
36 " Yet as much as I loved him, I loved myself more. And as I was discovering, there was no end to love-it was something which grew and renewed endlessly, expanding to encompass each new horizon. Family. Friends. And other lovers, too-none of them the same- yet each precious in their own way. "
37 " But I did not stop, my lifeforce surging free, running through my veins life a river undammed. Strong, indomitable, roiling with power. Brighter than the infinite stars, more luminous than the moon. "
38 " Why are you here?""Curiosity. I wanted to meet my replacement," I said with a flippancy which fell flat."Who could have taken your place? "
39 " Was it because we had bonded at the banquet, when he lent me his strength at the moment I most needed it? Or was he at ease with me because I held no official position here, seeking neither his favor nor approval? "
40 " A palace you cannot escape is a prison nonetheless. "