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“Because I so stupidly loved her.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Heart of Betrayal

“I would never betray Venda.��
“Sometimes we’re all pushed to do things we thought we could never do.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Kiss of Deception

“I was about to reach in the basket to take one when a horse that had been grazing nearby suddenly charged at another horse. Kaden grabbed me and pulled me out of its path. We stumbled back, unable to regain our footing, and both tumbled to the ground. He rolled over me in a protective motion, hovering in case the horse came closer, but it was already gone.
The world snapped to silence. The tall grass waved above us, hiding us from view. He gazed down at me, his elbows straddling my sides, his chest brushing mine, his face inches away.
I saw the look in his eyes. My heart pounded against my ribs.
“Are you all right?�� His voice was low and husky.
“Yes,�� I whispered.
His face hovered closer to mine. I was going to push away, look away, do something, but I didn’t, and before I knew what was happening, the space between us disappeared. His lips were warm and gentle against mine, and his breath thrummed in my ears. Heat raced through me. It was just as I had imagined that night with Pauline back in Terravin so long ago. Before��
I pushed him away.
“L����—���
I got to my feet, my chest heaving, busying myself with a loose button on my shirt. “Let’s forget that happened, Kaden.��
He had jumped to his feet too. He grabbed my hand so I had to look at him. “You wanted to kiss me.��
I shook my head, denying it, but it was true. I had wanted to kiss him.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Kiss of Deception

“My time in camp with Kaden had become awkward several times, or perhaps I was just more self-conscious now.

I had known he cared about me. It was hardly a secret. It was the reason I was still alive, but I hadn’t quite grasped how much he cared. And in spite of myself, I knew in my own way, I cared about him too. Not Kaden the assassin, but the Kaden I had known back in Terravin, the one who had caught my attention the minute he walked through the tavern door. The one who was calm and had mysterious, but kind, eyes.

I remembered dancing with him at the festival, his arms pulling me closer, and the way he struggled with his thoughts, holding them back. He didn’t hold back the night he was drunk. The fireshine had loosened his lips and he laid it all out quite blatantly. Slurred and sloshy but clear. He loved me. This from a barbarian who was sent to kill me.

I lay back, staring into the cloudless sky, a shade bluer and brighter than yesterday.

Did he even know what love was? For that matter, did I? Even my parents didn’t seem to know. I crossed my arms behind my head as a pillow. Maybe there was no one way to define it. Maybe there were as many shades of love as the blues of the sky.

I wondered if his interest had begun when I tended his shoulder. I remembered his odd look of surprise when I touched him, as if no one had ever shown him a kindness before. If Griz, Finch, and Malich were any indication of his past, maybe no one had. They showed a certain steely devotion to one another, but it in no way resembled kindness. And then there were those scars on his chest and back. Only cruel savage could have delivered those. Yet somewhere along the way, Kaden had learned kindness. Tenderness, even. It surfaced in small actions. He seemed like he was two separate people, the intensely loyal Vendan assassin and someone else far different, someone he had locked away, a prisoner just like me.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Kiss of Deception

“Any fool can see what's there. You need to see what is not there.”
― Brian Staveley, The Emperor's Blades

“It made me think how different everything might have been if we had both been born in Terravin.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Kiss of Deception

“If ever there were three mismatched riders, it was us- the crown prince of Dalbreck, the Assassin of Venda, and the fugitive princess of Morrighan. Sons and daughter of three kingdoms, each bent on domination of the other two.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Beauty of Darkness

“Easier to recall a loosed falcon than a spoken word.”
― Brian Staveley, The Emperor's Blades

“I was terrified of him but at the same time wanted him to desire me. I wanted him to care for me and protect me.”
― Lydia Kelly, Screaming in the Silence

“You have to make your peace with Kaden, and he with you. You are not on opposite sides anymore. Do you understand?”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Beauty of Darkness

“Sometimes the smallest animal inflicts the greatest pain.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Kiss of Deception

“Your enjoyment only adds to my pleasure, but don't forget that I'm forcing you to do this.”
― Lydia Kelly, Screaming in the Silence

“Fine. No more carelessly tossing people out through the gate."
"And more sword fights!" Kaden yelled.”
― Kiera Cass, The Heir

“From the weakest will come strength. From the hunted will come freedom.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Kiss of Deception

“Because everything was flying out of control. Because she was right - I wanted to trust her but I didn't. Because when I left a week ago, she had kissed me.
Because I so stupidly loved her.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Beauty of Darkness

“A real kiss," he said. "That's what I needed, just one more time.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Heart of Betrayal

“Kaden caught me listening. He fixed his gaze on me and said quite loudly over the others, "Osa'r e enand vopilito Gaudrella. Shias wei hal... le diamma camman ashea mika e kisav." The men hooted, lifting their horns to Kaden, then went back to their conversations, but Kaden's eyes remained focused on me, unblinking, waiting for me to react. My heart skipped. I worked to show no reaction, to maintain my naive indifferent stare and pretend I didn't know what he said, but I finally had to look away, feeling my face grow hot. When someone has announced that he thinks you make a very beautiful vagabond and he wants to kiss you, it's hard to feign ignorance.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Kiss of Deception