“This was what she had needed. Not forgiveness, not a balm for this strange writhing fury inside her, but the promise of someone to care for--to love--that she could not harm. Even if she had to. Even if she tried.”
―
Tasha Suri,
The Jasmine Throne
“Power doesn’t have to be the way the regent and your rebels make it be,” Priya said eventually, making do with her own artless words, her own simple knowledge of the way the world worked. “Power can be looking after people. Keeping them safe, instead of putting them into danger.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Malini wanted to explain that being monstrous wasn't inherent, as Priya seemed to believe it to be. It was something placed upon you: a chain or a poison, bled into you by unkind hands.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“After all, power makes everyone monstrous. At least a little.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Truth and lies were both tools, to be used when most necessary.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Hate me, Malini. Hate me and live. I can love enough for the both of us.” ― Tasha Suri, The Oleander Sword
“When she is crowned in jasmine, in needle-flower, in smoke and in fire, he will kneel before he and name her," repeated Rao, in common Zaban. And suddenly Malini was shivering, every inch of her afire with a mad elation that rose up, up in her blood. "He will give the princess of Parijat her fate: He will say..." He swallowed. Raised his eyes, which were fierce and wet. "Name who shall sit upon the throne, princess. Name the flower of empire. Name the head that shall reign beneath a crown of poison. Name the hand that lit the pyre." The silence was deep; a drumming tense silence, drawn taut as a bowstring. "He will name her thus," finished Rao. "And she will know.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Maybe if I’d been raised gently by people who taught me to be kind and good, I’d know how to do it. But I was taught goodness and kindness, or what passes for it, by other damaged children, so I can’t.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“This face. This face right in front of me. The face you've shown me, the fact that you kissed me. I know it. I know you,' said Priya, 'I know exactly who you are. There are other versions of you that I don't know. But this one...' Her fingers were against Malini's lips. 'This one is mine.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Subtlety was cultivated out of necessity, by people who knew that power needed to be treated with care --who understand how easily it could be stolen or taken.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“I barely understand it, the way I would willingly kneel for you, anywhere, for anything. The way I would fight for you. The way I want to be at your side. Is that what love is, Malini? Is that how awful love is? Because if it is, then I love you, the way that roots love the deep and leaves love the light. It’s—the way I am. And no matter how much I try to be good, to do right—I’m all flowers in your arms, for your war, for you—” ― Tasha Suri, The Oleander Sword
“There is power that is showy and fierce. And there is power grown slowly, and stronger for the time spent braiding its ancient strength.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Oh, vows could be broken. Of course they could. And yet Priya was… not entirely a safe person to lie to. And worse still, Malini did not want to break a promise to her.There was a sound, somewhere below them. Priya’s jaw hardened.“Promise me this, or one way or another, you die here.”“You’ll kill me after all, Priya?”“No, you fool woman,” Priya said, eyes blazing. “No. Never me.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“You are like ink, Malini thought helplessly. Ink, and all I want is to make poetry of you.” ― Tasha Suri, The Oleander Sword
“I am afraid for you!” His voice was vicious. His pulse burned beneath her hand. “If anything happens to you here and I live, I will read every book, every tome, I will trick death itself to bring you back. I will become something terrible, not for your sake, but mine, because I cannot live in a world without you in it.” ― Tasha Suri, Realm of Ash
“Don't you realize I want to know everything about you? That even now, when I should have forgotten you, all I desire is to know your heart better than my own?” ― Tasha Suri, The Oleander Sword
“But some men dream of times long dead, and times that never existed, and they're willing to tear the world apart entirely to get them.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“You and Chandra both believe the right to rule is something that must be given to you, by the mothers of flame, by blood, by the nameless. I'm no such fool. I know there is no higher power that sanctions a king or emperor. There is only the moment when power is placed in your hand, and there is on truth: Either you take the power and wield it, or someone else will. And perhaps they will not be as kind to you and yours.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“It would be foolish to try to take what was not hers to take. Royal sons were the ones who wore the crown. Royal women were...Well.She thought of her fellow princess Alori, and of highborn Narina, and how they had screamed when the flames had touched them. How they smelled as they burned, as their crowns of stars splintered around their skulls, as even the sweetness of perfume and flowers could not block out the acrid scent of burnt hair and silk, or the smell of flesh, fat, marrow burning and burning and burning.Royal women are only crowned in death, Malini thought furiously.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Power doesn’t have to be the way the regent and your rebels make it be,” Priya said eventually, making do with her own artless words, her own simple knowledge of the way the world worked. “Power can be looking after people. Keeping them safe, instead of putting them into danger.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Malini wanted to explain that being monstrous wasn't inherent, as Priya seemed to believe it to be. It was something placed upon you: a chain or a poison, bled into you by unkind hands.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“After all, power makes everyone monstrous. At least a little.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Truth and lies were both tools, to be used when most necessary.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Hate me, Malini. Hate me and live. I can love enough for the both of us.” ― Tasha Suri, The Oleander Sword
“When she is crowned in jasmine, in needle-flower, in smoke and in fire, he will kneel before he and name her," repeated Rao, in common Zaban. And suddenly Malini was shivering, every inch of her afire with a mad elation that rose up, up in her blood. "He will give the princess of Parijat her fate: He will say..." He swallowed. Raised his eyes, which were fierce and wet. "Name who shall sit upon the throne, princess. Name the flower of empire. Name the head that shall reign beneath a crown of poison. Name the hand that lit the pyre." The silence was deep; a drumming tense silence, drawn taut as a bowstring. "He will name her thus," finished Rao. "And she will know.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Maybe if I’d been raised gently by people who taught me to be kind and good, I’d know how to do it. But I was taught goodness and kindness, or what passes for it, by other damaged children, so I can’t.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“This face. This face right in front of me. The face you've shown me, the fact that you kissed me. I know it. I know you,' said Priya, 'I know exactly who you are. There are other versions of you that I don't know. But this one...' Her fingers were against Malini's lips. 'This one is mine.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Subtlety was cultivated out of necessity, by people who knew that power needed to be treated with care --who understand how easily it could be stolen or taken.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“I barely understand it, the way I would willingly kneel for you, anywhere, for anything. The way I would fight for you. The way I want to be at your side. Is that what love is, Malini? Is that how awful love is? Because if it is, then I love you, the way that roots love the deep and leaves love the light. It’s—the way I am. And no matter how much I try to be good, to do right—I’m all flowers in your arms, for your war, for you—” ― Tasha Suri, The Oleander Sword
“There is power that is showy and fierce. And there is power grown slowly, and stronger for the time spent braiding its ancient strength.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“Oh, vows could be broken. Of course they could. And yet Priya was… not entirely a safe person to lie to. And worse still, Malini did not want to break a promise to her.There was a sound, somewhere below them. Priya’s jaw hardened.“Promise me this, or one way or another, you die here.”“You’ll kill me after all, Priya?”“No, you fool woman,” Priya said, eyes blazing. “No. Never me.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“You are like ink, Malini thought helplessly. Ink, and all I want is to make poetry of you.” ― Tasha Suri, The Oleander Sword
“I am afraid for you!” His voice was vicious. His pulse burned beneath her hand. “If anything happens to you here and I live, I will read every book, every tome, I will trick death itself to bring you back. I will become something terrible, not for your sake, but mine, because I cannot live in a world without you in it.” ― Tasha Suri, Realm of Ash
“Don't you realize I want to know everything about you? That even now, when I should have forgotten you, all I desire is to know your heart better than my own?” ― Tasha Suri, The Oleander Sword
“But some men dream of times long dead, and times that never existed, and they're willing to tear the world apart entirely to get them.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“You and Chandra both believe the right to rule is something that must be given to you, by the mothers of flame, by blood, by the nameless. I'm no such fool. I know there is no higher power that sanctions a king or emperor. There is only the moment when power is placed in your hand, and there is on truth: Either you take the power and wield it, or someone else will. And perhaps they will not be as kind to you and yours.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
“It would be foolish to try to take what was not hers to take. Royal sons were the ones who wore the crown. Royal women were...Well.She thought of her fellow princess Alori, and of highborn Narina, and how they had screamed when the flames had touched them. How they smelled as they burned, as their crowns of stars splintered around their skulls, as even the sweetness of perfume and flowers could not block out the acrid scent of burnt hair and silk, or the smell of flesh, fat, marrow burning and burning and burning.Royal women are only crowned in death, Malini thought furiously.” ― Tasha Suri, The Jasmine Throne
