Marie Lu Quotes

After she was gone, I sheathed her sword at my belt, draped her cloak over my shoulders, carried her heart in my arms, and, somehow, went on. ~ Marie Lu

I hereby pledge to serve the Dagger Society, to strike fear into the hearts of those who rule Kenettra, to take by death what belong to us, and to make the power of our Elites known to every man, woman, and child. Should I break my vow, let the dagger take from me what I took from the dagger. ~ Marie Lu

I laugh at him, and behind us, several Inquisitors stir in surprise at the sound. Only Magiano can coax joy out of me so easily. ~ Marie Lu

Raffaele reaches Enzo. Flames still burn on Enzo's hands, but for some reason, he doesn't move to attack. Instead, he waits as Raffaele reaches up to curl a hand around the back of his neck, then pulls him close so that their foreheads touch. Tears streak Raffaele's face. Suddenly I remember how he had looked on the day he turned his back on me, the way he had closed his eyes when I begged him to let me stay. It is the same expression he wears now. ~ Marie Lu

So. Tell me, little wolf. Do you want to punish those who have wronged you? ~ Marie Lu

You are a light...and when you shine, you shine bright. ~ Marie Lu

Do great things and challenge the world. ~ Marie Lu

I really miss him. I miss him so much. And I'm so sorry. I am so sorry for everything. ~ Marie Lu

We're in this together, right?" he whispers. "You and me? You want to be here, yeah?" There's guilt in his questions. "Yes," I reply. "I chose this." Day pulls me close enough for our noses to touch. "I love you. ~ Marie Lu

I try to imitate the effortless grace that Day and Pascao have in this urban jungle. ~ Marie Lu

You should have taken me with you, I whisper to him. Then I lean my head against his and begin to cry. In my mind, I make a silent promise to my brother's killer.
I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine. ~ Marie Lu

You rarely regret the things you do, but always the things you don't. ~ Marie Lu

You know, sometimes I wonder what things would be like if I just ... met you one day. Like normal people do. If I just walked by you on some street one sunny morning and thought you were cute, stopped, shook your hand, and said, Hi, I'm Daniel. ~ Marie Lu

The tale is told by royalty and vagabonds alike, nobles and peasants, hunters and farmers, the old and the young. The tale comes from every corner of the world, but no matter where it is told, it is always the same story.

...Some say that, once upon a time, she had a prince, a father, a society of friends. Others say that she was once a wicked queen, a worker of illusions, a girl who brought darkness across the lands. Still others say that she once had a sister, and that she loved her dearly. Perhaps all of these are true.

These are only rumors, of course, and make little more than a story to tell around the fire. But it is told. And thus they live on.

- "The Midnight Star," a folktale. ~ Marie Lu

The sight sends both a thrill and a shiver through me, bringing memories that I've forced into a closet in my mind, thoughts I need to keep buried if I want to stay focused, keep going. ~ Marie Lu

Walk in the light. ~ Marie Lu

Her sadness makes her impossibly beautiful, like snow blanketing a barren landscape. ~ Marie Lu

Day leans in toward me. He reaches up to touch my face. I can tell it still hurts him to use his fingers, and his nails are dark with dried blood. "You're brilliant," he says. "But you're a fool to stay wish someone like me."
I close my eyes at the touch of his hand. "Then we're both fools. ~ Marie Lu

You drive me insane June. You're the scariest, most clever, bravest person I know, and sometimes I can't catch my breath because I'm trying so hard to keep up. There will never be another like you. You realize that, don't you? Billions of people will come and go in this world, but there will never be another like you. ~ Marie Lu

Don't be all night about it," she says. "Take turns - or get cozy and shower together, if that's faster. ~ Marie Lu

It is not weakness to open your heart. It does not make you less of a man to to ask for help. To turn to someone when you're vulnerable. To need a shoulder to cry on. You don't have to bear the weight of anything by yourself. ~ Marie Lu

We are doomed to be forever young. ~ Marie Lu

I walk over to Teren, then bend down so that my gaze meets his. I watch the rain pour down his face. When was the first time I saw this face? When I was chained to the stake, of course, and he had come over to bend down before me. How poised he had been, then, with his handsome, chiseled face and his mad, pulsing eyes. I smile, realizing that we have switched places now. ~ Marie Lu

You may claim no affiliation with them, but perhaps some have crossed your path.And perhaps you'd like to help us find them."
"Oh,sure.You killed my mother. You can imagine I'm dying to help you out."
Thomas manages to ignore me again. He glances at the first photo projected on the wall. "Know this person?"
I shake my head. "Never seen him before."
Thomas clicks the remote. Another photo pops up. "How about this one?"
"Nope."
Another photo. "How about this?"
"Nope."
Yet another stranger pops up on the wall. "Seen this girl before?"
"Never seen her in my life."
More unfamiliar faces. Thomas goes through them without blinking an eye or questioning my responses. What a stupid puppet of the state. I watch him as we continue, wishing I weren't chained so I could beat this man to the ground. ~ Marie Lu

You think me cruel."
"No." Magiano hesitates for a long moment. "Maybe a little."
"I'm not branding them because I am cruel," I say calmly. "I'm doing it as a reminder of what they've done to us. To the marked. You're so quick to forget."
"I never forget," Magiano replies. This time, there is a slight sharpness to his tone. His hand hovers near his side, where his childhood wound continues to plague him. "But branding the unmarked with your crest will not make them any more loyal to you."
"It makes them fear me."
"Fear works best with some love," Magiano says. "Show them that you can be terrifying, yet generous." The gold bands in his braids clink. "Let the people love you a little, mi Adelinetta. ~ Marie Lu

Boys are different from girls, but boys are also different from other boys, just as girls are different from other girls. Calling a book 'for boys' or 'for girls' is well-meaning, but to me, not terribly helpful. ~ Marie Lu

Trusting me," Teren murmurs, "is a dangerous game, mi Adelinetta."
"I'm doing more than that," I reply. "For the rest of this journey, you will be my personal guard."
At that, Teren's eyes flare with surprise and anger. "I'm not your lackey, Your Majesty."
"And I'm not Giulietta," I fire back. ~ Marie Lu

That's another thing to love about me. I steal. ~ Marie Lu

They believe that objects have souls. The more love you put into one, the more beautiful it becomes. ~ Marie Lu

You must be as thrilled as I am to meet again.Call it an act of extreme kindness that I requested your leg be bandaged up," she snaps. "I want to see you stand for your execution,and I won't have you dying from infection before I'm through with you."
"Thanks.You're very kind. ~ Marie Lu

Even monsters must dream of fears and wants, and the sadness in his voice drew me closer. ~ Marie Lu

embellish your flaws ~ Marie Lu

Someday, someone out there will see you for the girl you really are. Someday, you'll find someone who understands you. ~ Marie Lu

It will be impossible to catch all the rats, my love," he says. His hand brushes against mine. "Sooner or later, one will squeeze through the cracks. You need to be more careful. ~ Marie Lu

Enzo enters with a sweep of dark robes, bringing with him the scent of wind, night, and death. ~ Marie Lu

Don't cry. You are stronger than that. ~ Marie Lu

He loves so wholly. It is his nature.
No one compares to him. And right now, I want nothing else. ~ Marie Lu

Everything I am familiar with is gone. ~ Marie Lu

The irony of life is that those who wear masks often tell us more truths than those with open faces. ~ Marie Lu

I've looked over my shoulder for a decade,' I whisper, 'wondering what it was that was missing in my life. Turns out, all this time, it was you. ~ Marie Lu

It feels like it's the end of the world if you don't do well on your SATs. ~ Marie Lu

I stand there for a while, then sit cross-legged before it and bow my head. "Hi, Metias," I say in a soft voice. "Today's my birthday. Do you know how old I am now?"
I close me eyes, and through the silence surrounding me I think I can sense a ghostly hand on my shoulder, my brother's gentle presence that I'm able to feel every now and then, in these quiet moments. I imagine him smiling down at me, his expression relaxed and free.
"I'm twenty-seven today," I continue in a whisper. My voice catches for a moment. "We're the same age now."
For the first tine in my life, I am no longer his little sister. Next year I will step across the line and he will still be in the same place. From now on, I will be older than he ever was.
I try to move on to other thoughts, so I tell my brother's ghost about my year, my struggles and successes in commanding my own patrols, my hectic workweeks. I tell him, as I always do, that I miss him. And as always, I can hear the whisper of his ghost against my ear, his gentle reply that he misses me too. That he's looking out for me, from wherever he is. ~ Marie Lu

Our hearts fill with terror at the thought of harm coming to our loved ones, don't they? You cannot have love without fear. The two coexist. ~ Marie Lu

So many memories, so much joy and sadness. ~ Marie Lu

A panicked person is a dead person - June ~ Marie Lu

But looking out, all he saw was an ocean of light, the shimmering heart of Gotham City spread out before him. He didn't know everything his future held for him, not yet, but he knew that whatever it was, it would remain here. It looked like a place worth protecting. It looked like home. ~ Marie Lu

I am a hopeless pantser, so I don't do much outlining. A thought will occur to me, and I'll just throw it into the story. I tell myself I'll worry about untangling it later. I'm glad no one sees my first drafts except for my poor editor and agent. ~ Marie Lu

I will keep you, until the day I choose not to. You have destroyed and harmed all that is dear to me. In return, I want you to know what that feels like. I will not kill you. I will keep you alive. I will torture you." My voice drops to a whisper. "Until your soul is dead. ~ Marie Lu

Plans. They're fickle things. ~ Marie Lu

You once said that you were tired of the horror in the world," I say. "Well, so am I. We can still find a way to fight it, the right way. We can find a way to do this together. ~ Marie Lu

They think they can keep me out, but it does not matter how many locks they hang at the entrance. There is always another door.
- The Thief Who Stole the Stars, by Tristan Chirsley ~ Marie Lu

There is a yearning in you to set things right, little malfetto - you are smarter than the others, because you know there is something wrong with you. It tears at your conscience, doesn't it? You have hatred for yourself, and I admire that. ~ Marie Lu

The king is dead. Long live the queen. ~ Marie Lu

The Republic is weak and broken." I narrow my eyes. "But it is still your country. Fight for it. This is your home, not theirs. ~ Marie Lu

Why do I even care? It shouldn't hurt this much. ~ Marie Lu

So long as I remain in Day's life, I will hurt him. Any other alternative is impossible.
Now, he is free. ~ Marie Lu

I'm supposed to hate you for what you did, I think. But her eyes linger on me in a way that refuses to let me. ~ Marie Lu

Because, sometimes, being patriotic means calling out the problems rotting away your country. I'm not saying we don't want to work with you. But we represent millions of voices you're not hearing right now. If you want to preserve the spirit of what made Antarctica a world leader to begin with, you should take a look at your blind spots. ~ Marie Lu

The boy who walks in the light. The girl who shatters the shining glass. ~ Marie Lu

Sorry, always sorry. What in the world can you buy with an apology? ~ Marie Lu

I certainly don't understand all these strange new feelings inside me
am I here because I love him, or because I owe him? ~ Marie Lu

When you stand out there," John continues in a hoarse voice, "keep your chin up, all right? Don't let them get to you."
"I won't."
"Make them work for it. Punch someone if you have to." John gives me a sad, crooked smile. "You're a scary kid. So scare them. Okay? All the way until the end."
For the first time in a long time, I feel like a little brother. I have to swallow hard to keep my eyes dry. "Okay," I whisper. ~ Marie Lu

The gods gave us powers, Adelina, because we are born to rule. ~ Marie Lu

No, that is not my life without power. My life without power will be one of walking through a crowd without darkness tugging at my heart. It will be seeing Violetta in the living world, smiling again. It will be riding on the back of a horse with Magiano as we crest another mountain, searching for adventure. It will be a life without these whispers in my head. It will be life without my father's ghost.

It will be a life. ~ Marie Lu

Through the whirlwind, I hear my father's harsh whisper.
I know who you really are. Who will ever want you, Adelina?
My fury heightens. Everyone. They will cower at my feet, and I will make them bleed. ~ Marie Lu

And the book (#7) is for whenever the hunt involves a lot of waiting around. Entertainment that won't eat up my batteries is always worth bringing. ~ Marie Lu

Heart thumped from ~ Marie Lu

They tell me that you have been crying in your sleep. Do not grieve our separation, my love, for our reunion will come just as swiftly.
-Letter from unknown prisoner, convicted of treason, to fiancee ~ Marie Lu

Let go of me," I choke out, clawing blindly at Teren. The sharp tang of blood suddenly fills my nostrils, and I realize that it is from his wrists, spreading a film of scarlet around us. Somewhere ahead, the silhouette of our ship looms. We are getting closer.
"I wish I could," Teren spits, dripping venom. "There's nothing I'd like to see more than you in the Underworld, Adelina."
His words spark my fury. He never intended to finish this journey with you. Teren grips my arm again so hard that I scream in pain. He is pulling us both toward the ship, his face set in grim determination.
Then I hear him shout, "But I won't."
But I won't. My fury wavers, turning into bewilderment. ~ Marie Lu

Violetta's voice trembles. "Raffaele is saying that all of us, all Elites, are in danger."

That we are doomed to be forever young. ~ Marie Lu

I make sure to keep a good distance between us, just in case she decides to get happy with a knife or something. ~ Marie Lu

As the sun starts to rise, I watch as Raffaele bends over Enzo's body, the two of us mourning the prince we both loved. ~ Marie Lu

No, thanks," I reply. "I don't like fried dough. ~ Marie Lu

So, tell me," he whispers. "How fast did you climb those fourteen stories?"
Thomas makes a disapproving sound in his throat, but I break into a grin. Storm's past. Metias loves me again. "Six minutes," I whisper back to my brother. "And forty-four seconds. How do you like that?"
"That must be some sort of record. Not that, you know, you're supposed to do it. ~ Marie Lu

Once upon a time, a prince fell madly in love with a demon from the Underworld. When she disappeared back into the sea, he ached so much for her that he walked into the ocean and never returned.
- Kenettran Folk Tales, various authors ~ Marie Lu

The complete stillness of my energy is something I have never felt before. I am full of light. I am confused. A strange mix of guilt and wonder swims inside me.
The thought of ruling Kenettra with Enzo at my side - Enzo, who had saved me from certain death, who brought my powers out with a mere touch of his hand on my back, whose own fire awakened my ambitions - thrills me. So why am I here, this close to a boy who is not my prince? Why am I reacting in this way to his touch? ~ Marie Lu

The darkness seeps in a little more every day. What have I done? How can I be like this? ~ Marie Lu

Do you remember one year when that player - Leeroy something - actually got drafted into the Stormchasers, even though he always just charged in and messed up his entire team's play? My God, he was terrible. ~ Marie Lu

There are forces out of your control that will shape you into who you are. ~ Marie Lu

What's the point of keeping in touch with the girl you're crazy about, when you're dying? ~ Marie Lu

Writing the first draft of a new story is incredibly difficult for me. I will happily do revisions, because once I can see the words on the page, I can go about ripping them up and moving scenes around. A blank page, though? Terrifying. I'm always angsty when I'm working my way through a first draft. ~ Marie Lu

As a writer, I try to appeal to the 'elusive boy audience' the same way I try to appeal to everyone: I do the very best I can to create interesting characters, addictive plots, tons of conflict, believable settings, unexpected plot twists, intriguing beginnings, and satisfying endings. ~ Marie Lu

The only way out is death. ~ Marie Lu

I exchange a long glance with June. She's okay, she's unharmed. And yet, I'm afraid that she'll disappear if I'm careless enough to look away. ~ Marie Lu

I found a secret place," he whispers. His hand finds mine under the water, tugging on my wrist. "Come with me."
I'm unable to suppress a laugh. "Where are you taking me?" I say in a mock scolding voice.
"I'll beg your forgiveness later, Your Majesty," he teases back, flashing me a grin as he pulls us toward the far end of the pool. ~ Marie Lu

Raffaele says you are lost forever. That you are beyond help. I think he's wrong, but sheds tears for you and shakes his head. I'm trying to convince him." Her whispers turn urgent. "I think I'll try again tomorrow."

I reach up and angrily wipe my tears away. "I don't understand you," I whisper back. "Why do you have to keep trying?"

Violetta's lips tremble with effort. "You cannot harden your heart to the future just because of your past. You cannot use cruelty against yourself to justify cruelty to others." Her gray eyes slide downward, away from my face, until her gaze rests on the lantern burning low near the tent flap. "It is hard. I know you are trying. ~ Marie Lu

I'm not going to tell you it's never too late. But, in my experience, it's always the not doing that I regret more. ~ Marie Lu

I stand in the darkness for a long time, letting myself sink into the memories we once shared. ~ Marie Lu

Already, I'm starting to forget the face of the man I killed. ~ Marie Lu

For a small moment, I fix my eyes on his, telling him silently everything that I'll never say to him aloud. ~ Marie Lu

If I've learned anything from my past and my present, it's the power of fear. You can give your subjects all the generosity in the world, and still they will demand more. But those who are afraid don't fight back. I know this well enough. ~ Marie Lu

Even after all this time, I hope. ~ Marie Lu

I bet the Republic hasn't seen the last of you. ~ Marie Lu

I promise I'll miss you forever,' I whisper. 'I promise I'll miss you forever,' he echoes. ~ Marie Lu

June, Day murmurs. I feel a strange warmth at the sound of my name on his lips. ~ Marie Lu

Time heals all wounds. But not this one. Not yet. ~ Marie Lu

After a lifetime of darkness, I want to leave something behind that is made of light. ~ Marie Lu

My heart's been torn wide open, just like I feared it would be, and I have no willpower to close it back up. ~ Marie Lu

This is the part that Anden doesn't understand as well as I do, even if he knows Day's past on paper - he still doesn't know Day, hasn't traveled with him and witnessed the suffering he's gone through. ~ Marie Lu

We are drawn to stories and every scar carries one.
Hiding it makes you more beautiful. But revealing it makes you you. So wear it proudly. ~ Marie Lu