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448 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2021
鈥淓muri鈥檈n, be kind. Let us survive the trials that await us. Don鈥檛 knot our threads together, only to sever them.鈥�
鈥淚 would tell you stories from dawn to dusk if it meant filling your eyes with happiness.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 bound to you first. I always have been.鈥�
鈥淚 would not have you be alone, Lina, not in your joys or your sorrows. I would wish your strand knotted to mine, always.鈥�
鈥淵our curiosity will be the doom of you one day, little one.鈥�
鈥淚 wanted to give you memories of your mother. Memories that would make you smile, even when you came to despise me.鈥�
鈥淵ou are my daughter, not of my blood, but of my heart.鈥�
鈥淟earn from my mistakes, and learn from my joys. Surround yourself with those who鈥檒l love you always, through your mistakes and your faults. Make a family that will find you more beautiful every day, even when your hair is white with age. Be the light that makes someone鈥檚 lantern shine.鈥�
鈥淕enerous of Radish Boy. I鈥檓 starting to like him already.鈥�
鈥淪uit yourself. All I鈥檓 saying is, he doesn鈥檛 seem quite like the barbarian you pictured.鈥�
鈥淒o you want me to poke her eyes out for you?鈥�
鈥淲hen you die, I die. If you鈥檙e not afraid, I won鈥檛 be either. I鈥檒l stay with you to the end, Shiori.鈥�
鈥淚gnorant brute, I鈥檇 pay good gold to see his face when you tell him who you really are.鈥�
鈥淚 owe you my life, from now on, Lina is my guest here, free to come and go as she pleases.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 glad I finally met you, Shiori鈥檃nma.鈥�
鈥淚 wish you would speak to me, sometimes, the way you move your lips, I swear that you can. Even if I鈥檓 wrong, I wish I could at least see your eyes.鈥�
鈥淛ust know that I care about you, Lina. I couldn鈥檛 be there for Shiori, but I will be there鈥攆or you. Whether you need me or not.鈥�
鈥淵ou almost got yourself killed, rushing into the fire like that.鈥�
鈥淚 would do it again without hesitation. To hear your voice. To finally see your eyes.鈥�
鈥淲hat are you doing?鈥�
鈥淲hat does it look like? I鈥檓 coming with you.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛鈥斺€�
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 expect to steal my horse and take off without me. Besides, I have a story I think you may like.鈥�
鈥淚f you think that there is anything you could say to dissuade me from coming with you, then you are sorely mistaken.鈥�
鈥淏ut the demons鈥斺€�
鈥淲ould have to rip me from your side. I鈥檓 afraid you are stuck with me, Shiori, even if you don鈥檛 ever wish to marry me. I pledge to protect you.鈥�
鈥淵ou know, you鈥檙e even bolder when you can speak, Princess Shiori.鈥�
鈥淚 have many months to make up for.鈥�
鈥淭he odds of death were high, but not assured.鈥�
鈥淵ou courageous fool.鈥�
鈥淚f that鈥檚 what you call me now, rather than 鈥榯hat barbarian lord of the third rank鈥� 鈥攖hen it was well worth it.鈥�
鈥淢y brothers aren鈥檛 going to put you in the dungeon for giving me a hug,鈥�
鈥淚 know, I only worry that I won鈥檛 want to let you go.鈥�
鈥淔ind the light that makes your lantern shine,鈥� she used to say. 鈥淗old on to it, even when the dark surrounds you. Not even the strongest wind will blow out the flame.鈥�
鈥淢other and Father always say that courage is the Bushian creed, but in times like these I wish it were more like 鈥楰eep to yourself and drink tea.鈥�
馃悏 嗷嬛� 饢セ 鈥渇ind the light that makes your lantern shine,鈥� she used to say. 鈥渉old on to it, even when the dark surrounds you. not even the strongest wind will blow out the flame.鈥�
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!