87
" All of us who fight here today do so with someone standing invisible behind us.” Asterin’s gold-flecked black eyes softened a bit. “Yes,” was all Manon’s Second said as her hand drifted to her abdomen. Not in memory of the hateful word branded there, of what had been done to her. In memory of the stillborn witchling who had been thrown by Manon’s grandmother into the fire before Asterin had a chance to hold her. In memory of the hunter whom Asterin had loved, as no Ironteeth ever had loved a man, and had never gone back to, for shame and fear. The hunter who had never stopped waiting for her to return, even when he was an old man. For them, for the family she had lost, Manon knew her Second would fight today. So it might never happen again. "
― Sarah J. Maas , Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)
91
" Darrow shook his head. “Why?” Not about her magic being whittled to nothing. But why she had gone to face them, with little more than embers in her veins. “Terrasen is my home,” Aelin said. It was the only answer in her heart. Darrow smiled—just a bit. “So it is.” He bowed his head. Then his body. “Welcome,” he said, then added as he rose, “Your Majesty.” But Aelin looked to Evangeline, the girl still beaming. Win me back my kingdom, Evangeline. Her order to the girl, all those months ago. And she didn’t know how Evangeline had done it. How she had changed this old lord before them. Yet there was Darrow, gesturing to the gates, to the castle behind him. Evangeline winked at Aelin, as if in confirmation. Aelin just laughed, taking the girl by the hand, and led that promise of Terrasen’s bright future into the castle. "
― Sarah J. Maas , Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)
95
" Cairn groaned as unconsciousness gave way. By the time Cairn awoke, chained to that metal table, Rowan was ready. Cairn beheld who stood over him, the tool in Rowan’s tattooed hand, the others he had also laid out on that piece of velvet, and began thrashing. The iron chains held firm. Then Cairn beheld the frozen rage in Rowan’s eyes. Understood what he intended to do with that sharp, sharp knife. A dark stain spread across the front of Cairn’s pants. Rowan wrapped an ice-kissed wind around the tent, blocking out all sound, and began. "
― Sarah J. Maas , Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)
99
" Before my first battle,” Aedion said to the girl, “I spent the entire night in
the privy.”
Evangeline squeaked, “You?”
Aedion smirked. “Oh yes. Quinn, the old Captain of the Guard, said it was a
wonder I had anything left inside me by the time dawn broke.” An old ache
filled Aedion’s chest at the mention of his mentor and friend, the man he’d
admired so greatly. Who had made his final stand, as Aedion would, on the plain
beyond this city.
Evangeline let out a little laugh. “That’s disgusting.”
“It certainly was,” Aedion said, and could have sworn Lysandra was smiling a
bit. “So you’re already much braver than I ever was.”
“I threw up earlier,” Evangeline whispered.
Aedion said in a conspiratorial whisper, “Better than shitting your pants,
sweetheart. "
― Sarah J. Maas , Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)
100
" Aedion grinned, and ruffled her red-gold hair. “The battle won’t be pretty,” he
said as Evangeline sipped her milk. “And you will likely throw up again. But
just remember that this fear of yours? It means you have something worth
fighting for—something you care so greatly for that losing it is the worst thing
you can imagine.” He pointed to the frost-covered windows. “Those bastards out
there on the plain? They have none of that.” He laid his hand on hers and
squeezed gently. “They have nothing to fight for. And while we might not have
their numbers, we do have something worth defending. And because of that, we
can overcome our fear. We can fight against them, to the very end. For our
friends, for our family ...” He squeezed her hand again at that. “For those we
love ...” He dared to look up at Lysandra, whose green eyes were lined with
silver. “For those we love, we can rise above that fear. Remember that tomorrow.
Even if you throw up, even if you spend the whole night in the privy. Remember
that we have something to fight for, and it will always triumph. "
― Sarah J. Maas , Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)