Quotes from Nicola Griffith

Not all were Anglisc, but they drank and shouted and boasted alike.

It is time to give your light to the world.

Arturus looked at Peretur as though looking at an enemy, through his visor.

Hild held Begu's hand, because Begu hadn't been walking this path for years and at night the world was different. Smells, sounds, shapes loomed from the shadow and were gone, moonlight turnd the shadows sharp and sleep. It was a bleached world of bone and stone and tin where magic walked.

Old ways are not always the best ways.

She watched her mother, and Begu, and Gwladus, and felt, for the first time in an age, at home and ordinary.

At this time of night, anything was possible.

She had no idea what path her mother's thoughts might be taking.

I ached for them. Most of them would not be able to cling to their bubble world; one day someone, something would thrust it. I wished it could be different.

You're mine. You'll grow old in my household, die warm and well fed. You're my bodywoman. Some services I'll require, from time to time. But I won't…I won't.

A moth fluttered over the reflection of the moon in the water. She spoke quietly in the still, scented air.

My lord." Gwenhwyfar's voice was gentle. "You have given no word here for any to either trust or distrust.

It was obvious." "Maybe to you.

Breguswith taught her the gathering and drying of herbs, and began to spirit Hereswith away for mysterious lessons that, when her sister tried to share them with Hild, made no sense.

The lack was more in his soul than his body.

Who would have me? The Crow took everything. For his church, he said." He looked about the rough empty space. "The king smiled and watched.

After the white wax light, bright as moonlight, the broad flame flaring and dying in the rough clay dish felt like something from the beginning of the world. The water gleamed, ocher and black.

Most women learned very young to play the roles expected of them. Girls' games were built on the notion: play Mom, play nurse, play teacher. They played and played and played until they learned to inhabit the roles.

While she watched, she let her own feet find their way; she knew every root, every rut and hare scrape, every fallen bough in this glade.

Hild remembered her mother's words exactly-the light of the world must remember everything.

An intrusive leap, an apparently inexplicable impulse, can save your life or someone else's, but it's rare to find a person who can trust their instincts to that degree. You have to be able to get out of your own way. It's always fascinating to watch.

The healing bite on his jaw darkened very slightly; he leapt in the air, sword high, but Hild wasn't there when he landed.

They both turned to look at me and I wondered how a person could become the outsider so fast.

Breguswith, distaff tucked under her left arm, rolling her fine-yarn spindle down her thigh with her right, stared absently at the fire, though Hild knew even as her mother's fingers were busy, busy teasing out the yarn, testing its tension, her attention was focused on Ceredig king, who laughed and leaned from his stool and let firelight wink on the thick torc around his neck.