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“You don't need a blade. I would bleed if only you asked.”
― Lauren Roberts, Fearless

“Will you forever be the prize I am aimlessly trying to win"
"Is that all I am to you? A trophy?"
"Oh, darling, a trophy implies that I won it, earned it, deserve it." He leans in farther, a certain reverence in his gaze. "But if I get to have you, it will be because you let me.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“I like a challenge.
But she made it abundantly clean on what she wishes us to be: competition.
Enemies.
And more importantly, why isn't that what I want as well?”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Call us even. Call me crazy. I don’t care. Justâ€�' His eyes are pleading, brimming with emotion. 'Just call me yours.”
― Lauren Roberts

“Are poets not just fools with fancy words?”
― Lauren Roberts

“I show her my palms, surrendering before the fight has even begun. "You don't really want this and neither do I. Especially because I wouldn't want to mess up that pretty face of yours, darling."
She all but rolls her eyes at me. "That's funny because I won't hesitate to mess up your pretty face."
I smirk. "I knew you thought I was pretty."
At that, she throws another punch at my face that I easily evade. We continue circling each other, slowly. Damp hair clings to my forehead and I comb my fingers through it, pushing it off my sticky skin.
"You do know that I have eight powers at my disposal right now and any one of them could drop you." I grin as I say it, watching her eyes narrow.
"I don't want to fight your power-I want to fight you. Just you." Her piercing gaze never leaves mine as she says it, even as the other Elites turn their attention toward us, finding this fight far more interesting than their training.
"So, you just want me? No powers?"
"Yes, I just want you," she breathes, annoyed with me.
My mouth twists into a crooked grin. "I knew you wanted me, Gray.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“His voice is lower than before when he says, "You're a vision."
"She is, isn't she?"
My heart skips a beat. The voice coming from over my shoulder is so cold I nearly shiver. Kai brushes my arm as he steps around me, facing the stunned boy still clutching me to him.
"I'll be stealing her now," Kai says simply,...
He feels too familiar.
We fit together perfectly, pieces of a puzzle snapping into place. I shouldn't let myself relax into his touch. Shouldn't let the tension ease from my body when he holds me. But I can do nothing to stop it. Utterly and completely powerless.
His palm is flat and firm against my exposed back, calluses brushing my flushed skin. "You looked like you needed saving," Kai says, and I catch a glimpse of his smirk before he spins me.
"For once," I sigh, "I'm going to have to agree with you."
"I'm sure I could think of other things we agree on."
"Oh really? And what would those things be?"
"That he was right," Kai says softly. "You are a vision. I'm sure we can both agree on that.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“I'm swept from my thoughts when Kai spins me and my eyes dart to his without my permission.
Mistake.
His midnight hair falls over his forehead in messy, silky waves. Smoky gray eyes meet mine, captivating, chilling. His set jaw loosens, pulling his lips into a cocky grin as he watches me take him in.
Dimples. Both of them mocking me.
"Like what you see, Gray?" he croons, knowing that will get a rise out of me. I huff, looking away from him to fight the flush that's finding its way to my cheeks. Rough fingers glide from my back to catch my chin, gently guiding my face back to his as he mutters, "By all means, carry on. I'll never deny myself the chance of watching you watch me."
"And why is that?" I ask with a nonchalance I don't feel.
His smile is wicked. "Because it is far more fun to admire you when the action is mutual.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“I let out a low laugh. "Oh, 'sweet' isn't the word I would use to describe her, Gail. She held a knife to my throat only a few days ago."
"He deserved it," Paedyn says simply, shrugging slightly.
"Oh, I'm sure he did," Gail replies, grinning at her. "I probably would have done the same." She glances at me, nodding toward Paedyn. "I like this one.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Oh, and Kai?" she calls, her voice casual.
And then I'm ducking.
She spun, throwing the knife so suddenly that I barely had time to dodge it before it sank into the wooden target a few feet behind me.
"I don't want your mercy. Next time we fight," I can see her blue eyes smoldering from where I stand, "impress me."
A low whistle sounds from the crowd-Kitt, of course. Ignoring him, I shake my head, grinning at her as she turns away from me.
Vicious little thing, indeed.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Focus on the dimples you try to convince yourself you hate, even though I know you look for them every time I smile.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“And then she smiles, bright and big like the night sky hanging above us. I fear she could rival the stars.”
― Lauren Roberts

“I jump off the counter and give Gail a peck on the cheek. "Don't miss me too much."
Then, I turn toward Paedyn, who's leaning casually against the counter, a small smile tugging at her lips. I take a slow step toward her. Her head tips up to look me in the eyes as I close the distance between us, so close I can smell the lingering scent of lavender on her skin. I reach around her back, fingers brushing her tank.
Her breath hitches and I feel my lips tug upward. When she opens her mouth to tell me off, I pull my hand back slowly, holding an apple in front of her face. "Always feeding you, remember?"
She stares at the fruit before snatching it from my hand, huffing in annoyance. And then, she smiles, the dazzling action lighting up her face as she rubs the apple on my shirt, right above my heart.
She takes a bite, her eyes locked with mine. "And you said you weren't a gentleman.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“We make a right down a smaller corridor and head to the very last door on the left. He grips the handle and swings it open, revealing a bedroom beyond, lit only by the moonlight streaming through the window.
If I thought my room was magnificent, it pales in comparison to this. It's easily twice the size of my own, making it seem more like a house than a single bedroom. Though it's filled with a four-poster bed, dresser, and a desk-just as mine is-this room seems lived in. The shelf is overflowing, books stacked at odd angles to make them fit. Several of their worn covers tell me they consist of strategy, combat, and...poetry.
Interesting.
Everything filling this room is nicer than my own, yet used and worn.
This is his room-his real room.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Do you wish it was you?" He blinks, dark lashes fluttering. "Do you wish you were the future king of Ilya? The heir?"
It's not at all the question I thought I would be asking, but here we are. "No," he states simply, holding my gaze.
I raise my brows in a silent question. When he doesn't continue, I say, "That's it? 'No'?"
"You got your answer, and I got my dance. That was the deal, darling.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Before I can blink, the knife placed beside Paedyn's plate is now raised in front of her chest, its point aimed at her heart.
The sight sends a shock of anger through me, but my voice is far cooler than my sudden rage as I say, "Easy, ladies." Borrowing the Tele ability, I push the knife back down onto the table with a clatter while ignoring the glare Blair shoots me. "I'm not normally the one breaking up fights, but let's not try to kill each other before the Trials even start.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Me and my cold feet could always just sleep over there. Alone.â€�
“Like hell I’m letting you sleep alone,� I mutter.
And then I’m shaking my head, wrapping an arm around her legs, and pulling them against me.
She looks at me, shocked. And then she smiles, bright and big like the night sky hanging above us.
I fear she could rival the stars.”
― Lauren Roberts, Reckless

“i'd never thought about what my favorite color was before. it never seemed important.
not until i looked into a pair of ocean blue eyes and realized that perhaps drowning was a beautiful thing. [...] i'd never thought about what my favorite color was before because i hadn't seen one that was worthy of the title. until now, that is. "blue,”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Oh my pretty Pae, what have you done to me?”
― Lauren Roberts

“Remind me to make you smile like that again, when you aren't dying, and I have all the time in the world to memorize it.”
― Lauren Roberts

“Oh? And what else are you when you’re around me, hmm?â€� She has me swallowing, has me nervous. “I’m a fool.â€� The smile she gives me is equally amused and alluring. “Only when you’re around me?â€� “Only for you.”
― Lauren Roberts

“I place a gentle hand on the small of Paedyn's back, prodding her forward.
It's a question, a tentative test, an innocent inquiry.
Is this okay?
I briefly wonder if she's considering breaking my wrist, maybe contemplating placing a dagger to my throat-
And then, she relaxes, easing into my touch.
An answer to my question without uttering a word.
Yes.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“Oh, but you are my undoing. My deliverance. My downfall disguised as a deity.' Another slow step. 'You are my ruin.”
― Lauren Roberts, Reckless

“Even monsters can have morals.”
― Lauren Roberts, Powerless

“I'd never thought about what my favorite color was before. It never seemed important.
Not until I looked into a pair of ocean blue eyes and realized that perhaps drowning was a beautiful thing.
Not until I looked into a pair of fiery blue eyes and realized that perhaps burning was a painless thing.
Not until I looked into a pair of sky blue eyes and realized that perhaps falling was a peaceful thing.
I'd never thought about what my favorite color was before because I hadn't seen one that was worthy of the title. Until now, that is.
'Blue," I say, my voice low.”
― Lauren Roberts

“You don't regret it?"
She shakes her head, her smile sad, "No."
"Good," I murmur. "Because I've always had a thing for short hair."
"Oh, really?" She laughs as I sway us in a circle.
"It's true. Among other things, of course." I shrug a shoulder. "Short hair. Ocean-blue eyes. Twenty-eight freckles. And"- I pause, examining her with a tilt of my head-"how tall are you?"
She blinks in confusion. "Umm, about five and a half feet?"
"Five and a half feet," I continue evenly. "The terrifying ability to kick a man's ass. Stunning smile. Ridiculously stubborn. Hair like molten silver. Quick to threaten me with a dagger." I smile down at her. "Should I go on?”
― Lauren Roberts

“She is the torture I may not survive.
Eagerly, she is my undoing.
Her gaze lifts, meeting eyes that are not my own.
Eyes of the man who gets to have her-if she allows it.
She was supposed to be my forever.
Now I'll watch her become someone else's.
Because the beast doesn't get the beauty.”
― Lauren Roberts

“Tell me you hate me, and I'll still count every heartbeat, every freckle, every shiver of your body, if only you say it with a smile.”
― Lauren Roberts

“No, I'm sick of running. And I won't spend the rest of my life doing it unless it's you I'm running back to."
"Then I'll spend the rest of my life tracking you down," he says quietly. "Glimpsing you in shadows. Fighting you in the streets. Dancing with you in my dreams. Because living without you is only bearable when I know you are out there still living too.”
― Lauren Roberts