Melina Marchetta

In an instant he forgot Joe's poem about Japan except the part about 'you are the bell, and I am the tongue of the bell, ringing you,' and a new sound entered his life, like when he was a kid and he first heard the sound of horses clip-clopping and he asked his mother in wonder, "What's that sound, because I've never heard it before?

If there was one weapon he had against these savages, it was not acknowledging their existence.

Mama says that satisfaction isn't what I should search for. Respect is. Respect?I detest that word. Probably because in this world you have to respect the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

He hesitated, remembering something Finnikin had said to him on their journey. That somehow, even in the worst of times, the tiniest fragments of good survive. It was the grip in which one held those fragments that counted.

Then I choose to drown. In hope. Rather than float into nothing.

Sir Topher finally looked up. __ecause any hope beyond that, my boy, would be too much. I feared we would drown in it._"Then I choose to drown,_ Finnikin said. __n hope. Rather than float into nothing.

Do you miss being friends with Santangelo?" I ask her after the lights are out and we're almost asleep."What makes you think were friends?""Everything."I hear her yawn."Being enemies with him is better." she tells me. There's a long pause and I think she's going to say something more but she doesn't and it's just silence for a long while.

He took my hand, made me stand on the branch and asked, "What can you see from here?" "Nothing" I said,"Know what I can see? From this distance everything is so bloody perfect".

So what does the winner get in the end?" Tate asked."They get to sit around with the losers and say, 'I am King Xavier of the world.' Repeat after me.""And me?" Tate asked."You get to be my queen.""How come you're the leader of the community?" Narnie asked, almost smiling. "Why can't Tate be?"Webb looked at his sister, grinning. "Why can't you, Narnie?"Fitz leaned his head on Narnie's shoulder. "And I'll be your queen?""You can be the eunuch," Jude said, shoving him out of the way, "and I'll be her prince." He bowed and took Narnie's hand, kissing it, and their eyes met. It was awkward for a moment until Narnie looked away.

When one is silent, those around speak even more, my lord.

We have a dilemma, then,_ Finnikin said fiercely. __ecause I prayed that you would grow old and hold my children in your arms as you held me. My prayers have not been answered yet, Trevanion. So whose prayer is more worthy? Yours or mine?

Sometimes you don't let us talk about how we're feeling. If we feel scared, you say, 'Nothing to worry about, guys,' but that doesn't make it go away. It makes it grow.

It's like you have a plan and someone comes along and makes you want to change it all, but you still like your first plan, no matter how fantastic the second one makes you feel.

For reasons he couldn__ understand a sadness came over him and it was then he saw the girl standing on the other side of the dirt road, her eyes pools of absolute sorrow, her light brown hair glowing in the splinters of sunlight that forced their way through the trees.

He's my father!" she bellowed, pointing to Trevanion."Vestie!" Beatriss said firmly, stopping to stare up at her. "I'll snip at the tongue if I ever see it in such a way again! Trevanion, speak to her."Vestie hung her head, shamefaced."Vestie," he said, his voice still gentle."Yes, Father.""Shout it out louder, my love. Shout it out louder.

Maybe memories should be left the way they are.

Just ask how I'm feeling, I want to say. Just ask and I may tell you.But no one does.

You can't go around feeling too much.