Quotes from Elizabeth Bear

Riel considered Elspeth, and was considered in turn.

Her name was Niyara, and she had green eyes, and she said she loved me. She said she was my best friend, that I was family to her. She said a lot of things.

I don't need you to give me a life, you old fool. Or haven't you noticed that I've got my own?

Baines jerked his hands as if tugging reins; the web of light around Will tightened. Will staggered woodenly like jagged marionette.

I'm an M.D. A shitty one, but sometimes shitty is better than nothing. I'll do what I have to do.

She smelled of clotted blood: iron and salt. I thought about iron and salt, and bindings and chains.

I chose to trust, because my hormones were surging, and I was limerent and infatuated, and I wanted with all my heart and soul to believe. In us.

Wrack and waste, the Kleptocracy actually did it.

When we love, it is hard to forgive the beloved for not being the person we imagined them.

If beaks could smirk, she would have sworn him to be smirking.

Agreeing with Conns was what you did with them.

Her face was concealed behind a black velvet mask strewn with diamonds, and diamonds gleaned in the candlelight among the gauzy black silk of her veils.

Baines smiled, voice like a velvet glove across the back of Kit's neck.

Will thought of Hell, and a quiet garden, and tried not to let the troll see the cold sweat that dewed his forehead.

went up to the dressing room and got kitted, all crinolines and kilted skirts and my tits about falling out the top of my daffodil taffeta dress whenever I grabbed a breath.

I'll say this Wainwright. When she chooses a side, she doesn't screw around.

She leaned into the embrace for a long, quiet moment, listening to the pounding of his heart.

I knew she was a political radical, but when you're nineteen that's sexy.

He plays the white and black pieces both, a double game that defies all understanding.

Mingan's disbelief couldn't have been more polite, or more archly evident. Strifbjorn loved him with all his heart.

It was possible to throw a little fold of space-time around yourself like a vampire vanishing into his swirl of cloak.

This is the last moment of the world we know, isn't it? This is history.

Beyond magic, the trick to going unnoticed is to look like you belong. And magic always works the better when it's assisted with symbolism and a little subterfuge.

Punishing Benedick because she didn't like his honest answers got them no closer to healing.