Crooked Kingdom Quotes

“What you want and what the world needs are not always in accord, Kaz. Praying and wishing are not the same thing.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Matthias,” Nina said breathlessly, and then they were kissing again.
She was sweet as the first rain, lush as new meadows. His hands curled along her back, tracing her shape, the line of her spine, the emphatic flare of her hips.
“Matthias ,” she said more insistently, pulling away.
He opened his eyes, certain he’d made some horrible mistake. Nina was biting her lower lip—it was pink and swollen. But she was smiling, and her eyes sparkled. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Not at all, you glorious babink , but—”
Zoya cleared her throat. “I’m glad you two found a way to spend the time while you waited.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“The world was made of miracles, unexpected earthquakes, storms that came from nowhere and might reshape a continent.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“What you want and what the world needs are not always in accord, Kaz. Praying and wishing are not the same thing.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“She realized he'd stopped to change his coat and it clung to him in perfectly tailored lines. He stood leaning on his cane, hair neatly pushed back from his pale brow, a black glass boy of deadly edges.
The look of surprise on Haskell's face was nearly comical. Then he started to laugh. "Well, I'll be a son of a bitch, Brekker. You have to be the craziest bastard I ever met.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“I can’t believe we broke out of the Ice Court but we’re trapped in our own town,” Wylan said.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Wylan hadn’t realized it then, but Kaz had known his true identity all along. Dirtyhands kept tabs on anyone who took up residence in the Barrel, and he’d placed Wylan under Dregs protection, certain that one day a rich mercher’s son would come in handy.

He had no illusions about why Kaz had looked out for him, but he also knew he never would have survived this long without his help. And Kaz didn’t care if he could read. Kaz and the others teased him, but they’d given him a chance to prove himself. They valued the things he could do instead of punishing him for the things he couldn’t.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Nina sat down next to Alys. “Would you um … like some tea?”
“With honey?” Alys asked.
“I, uh … I think we have sugar?”
“I only like tea with honey and lemon.”
Nina looked like she might tell Alys exactly where she could put her honey and lemon, so Matthias said hurriedly, “How would you like a chocolate biscuit?”
“Oh, I love chocolate!”
Nina’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember saying you could give away my biscuits.”
“It’s for a good cause,” Matthias said, retrieving the tin. He’d purchased the biscuits in the hope of getting Nina to eat more. “Besides, you’ve barely touched them.”
“I’m saving them for later,” said Nina with a sniff. “And you should not cross me when it comes to sweets.”
Jesper nodded. “She’s like a dessert-hoarding dragon.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Jesper struck a match and one, two, three, four, five of the rockets Wylan had prepared were screaming toward the sky, exploding in crackling bursts of color. The last was a shimmer of pink. Strontium chloride, Wylan had told him, working away on his collection of fireworks and explosives, flash bombs, weevils, and whatever else was needed. In the dark, it burns red.
Things are always more interesting in the dark, Jesper had replied. He hadn’t been able to help it. Really, if the merchling was going to offer those kinds of opportunities, he had a duty to take them.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“There were two Shu with wings, and a man and a woman who were … not normal.”
“Nina’s power had no effect on them,” said Wylan.
“Hmm,” Nina said noncommittally, nibbling daintily at the edge of a biscuit. Inej had never seen Nina nibble daintily on anything. Her appetite clearly hadn’t returned, but Inej wondered if there was more to it.
Matthias joined them at the table. “The Shu woman we faced was stronger than me, Jesper, and Wylan put together.”
“You heard right,” said Jesper. “Stronger than Wylan.”
“I did my part,” objected Wylan.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Kaz had wriggled out of his coat and managed to yank off his shirt, leaning on the sink in the bathroom.
“For Saints’ sake, let us help you,” said Nina.
Kaz gripped the end of a bandage in his teeth and tore off a piece. “I don’t need your help. Keep working with Colm.”
“What is wrong with him?” Nina grumbled as they went back to the sitting room to drill Colm on his cover story.
“Same thing that’s always wrong with him,” said Jesper. “He’s Kaz Brekker.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“She was going to leave a trail of blood over the skyline.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Why had he called Jesper by Jordie’s name? When he looked into the past, he saw his brother through the eyes of the boy he’d been: brave, brilliant, infallible, a knight bested by a dragon dressed like a merch. But how would he see Jordie now? As a mark? Another dumb pigeon looking for a shortcut? He leaned his hands on the edge of the sink. He wasn’t angry anymore. He just felt weary.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“I've taken knives, bullets, and too many punches to count, all for a little piece of this town," said Kaz. "This is the city I bled for. And if Ketterdam has taught me anything, it's that you can always bleed a little more.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Simple as that,” said Nina. “Did you know I’m next in line for the Fjerdan throne? They call me Princess Ilse of Engelsberg.” “There is no princess of Engelsberg,” said Matthias. “It’s a fishing town.” Nina shrugged. “If we’re going to lie to ourselves, we might as well be grand about it.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“We were all supposed to make it.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“That boy had betrayed his weakness in a single glance, had ceded the war for the sake of a single battle, and put Inej--all of them--in danger.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“In the space of a breath, Kaz had shoved Wylan against the tomb wall with his forearm, the crow head of his cane wedged beneath Wylan's jaw. "Tell me my business again." Wylan swallowed, parted his lips. "Do it," said Kaz. "And I'll cut the tongue from your head and feed it to the first stray cat I can find.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“You’re the one getting ready to bolt, Jesper. You just want me to run with you so you don’t have to feel so bad about it. For all your love of a fight, you’re always the first to talk about running for cover.”
“I made a mistake. I let my bad get the best of my good, but for Saints’ sake, Kaz, how long are you going to make me pay for a little forgiveness? [...] How many times have I had your back in a fight? How many times have I gotten it right? Doesn’t that count for anything?” Jesper threw up his hands. “I can’t win with you. No one can.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Wylan ran his tongue over his lips and spat in his father's face.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“It matters,” said Nina. “I’ll find a way to make it matter. What will you do with your shares?”

“Find a ship,” said Inej. “Put together a crew.”

“Help run an empire,” said Jesper.

“Try not to run it into the ground,” said Wylan.

“And you, Kaz?” Nina asked.

“Build something new,” he said with a shrug. “Watch it burn.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“She raised the long glass and peered back down at the harbor, at the passengers disembarking, but the image was blurry. Reluctantly, she released his hand. It felt like a promise, and she didn’t want to let go. She adjusted the lens, and her gaze caught on two figures moving down the gangplank. Their steps were graceful, their posture straight as knife blades. They moved like Suli acrobats.

She drew in a sharp breath. Everything in her focused like the lens of the long glass. Her mind refused the image before her. This could not be real. It was an illusion, a false reflection, a lie made in rainbow-hued glass. She would breathe again and it would shatter.

She reached for Kaz’s sleeve. She was going to fall. He had his arm around her, holding her up. Her mind split. Half of her was aware of his bare fingers on her sleeve, his dilated pupils, the brace of his body around hers. The other half was still trying to understand what she was seeing.

His dark brows knitted together. “I wasn’t sure. Should I not have—”

She could barely hear him over the clamor in her heart. “How?” she said, her voice raw and strange with unshed tears. “How did you find them?”

“A favor, from Sturmhond. He sent out scouts. As part of our deal. If it was a mistake—”

“No,” she said as the tears spilled over at last. “It was not a mistake.”

“Of course, if something had gone wrong during the job, they’d be coming to retrieve your corpse.”

Inej choked out a laugh. “Just let me have this.” She righted herself, her balance returning. Had she really thought the world didn’t change? She was a fool. The world was made of miracles, unexpected earthquakes, storms that came from nowhere and might reshape a continent. The boy beside her. The future before her. Anything was possible.

Now Inej was shaking, her hands pressed to her mouth, watching them move up the dock toward the quay. She started forward, then turned back to Kaz. “Come with me,” she said. “Come meet them.”

Kaz nodded as if steeling himself, flexed his fingers once more.

“Wait,” he said. The burn of his voice was rougher than usual. “Is my tie straight?”

Inej laughed, her hood falling back from her hair.

“That’s the laugh,” he murmured, but she was already setting off down the quay, her feet barely touching the ground.

“Mama!” she called out. “Papa!”

Inej saw them turn, saw her mother grip her father’s arm. They were running toward her.

Her heart was a river that carried her to the sea.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Wylan cleared his throat. “The chemistry is complicated. I was hoping Kuwei would help.”
Nina said something to Kuwei in Shu. He shrugged and looked away, lip jutting out slightly. Whether it was the recent death of his father or the fact that he’d found himself stuck in a cemetery with a band of thieves, the boy had become increasingly sullen.
“Well?” Jesper prodded.
“I have other interests,” Kuwei replied.
Kaz’s black gaze pinned Kuwei like the tip of a dagger. “I suggest rethinking your priorities.”
Jesper gave Kuwei another nudge. “That’s Kaz’s way of saying, ‘Help Wylan or I’ll seal you up in one of these tombs and see how that suits your interests.’ ”
Matthias was no longer sure what the Shu boy understood or didn’t, but apparently he’d received the message. Kuwei swallowed and nodded grudgingly.
“The power of negotiation,” Jesper said, and shoved a cracker in his mouth.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“They said nothing, caught in an eddy of silence, not touching, her knees on either side of him. Inej’s eyes were wide and dark, lost planets, black moons.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Periodically, the Tailor would stop and stretch and give Wylan a mirror so that he could consult on what looked right or wrong. An hour later, Wylan’s irises had gone from gold to blue and the shape of his eyes had changed as well.
“His brow should be narrower,” Jesper said, peering over Genya’s shoulder. “Just a little bit. And his lashes were longer.”
“I didn’t know you were paying attention,” murmured Wylan.
Jesper grinned. “I was paying attention.”
“Oh good, he’s blushing,” said Genya. “Excellent for the circulation.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Maybe I should have come alone. You could go wait by the boat.”
He stiffened. “Absolutely not. You have no idea what might be waiting for you. The Shu may have already gotten to your friends.”
Nina did not want to think about that. “Then you need to calm down and try to look friendly.”
Matthias shook out his arms and relaxed his features.
“Friendly, not sleepy. Just … pretend everyone you meet is a kitten you’re trying not to scare.”
Matthias looked positively affronted. “Animals love me.”
“Fine. Pretend they’re toddlers. Shy toddlers who will wet themselves if you’re not nice.”
“Very well, I’ll try.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“I suppose you’ve got your future all figured out?”
“No. I just know I’m going to get my mother out of that place and try to build some kind of life for us.” Wylan nodded to the posters on the wall. “Is this really what you want? To be a criminal? To keep bouncing from the next score to the next fight to the next near miss?”
“Honestly?” Jesper knew Wylan probably wasn’t going to like what he said next.
“It’s time,” Kaz said from the doorway.
“Yes, this is what I want,” said Jesper. Wylan looped his satchel over his shoulder, and without thinking, Jesper reached out and untwisted the strap. He didn’t let go. “But it’s not all that I want.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Sugar," said Kaz.
Jesper nudged the sugar bowl down the table to him.
Kaz rolled his eyes. "Not for my coffee, you podge.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“I guess we need to find a way to the quarry?” Jesper said.
Wylan coughed. “No we don’t, just a general store.”
“But you told Kaz the mineral—”
“It’s present in all kinds of paints and enamels. I wanted to make sure I had a reason to go to Olendaal.”
“Wylan Van Eck, you lied to Kaz Brekker.” Jesper clutched a hand to his chest. “And you got away with it! Do you give lessons?”
Wylan felt ridiculously pleased—until he thought about Kaz finding out. Then he felt a little like the first time he’d tried brandy and ended up spewing his dinner all over his own shoes.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“I need you to save the others.”
“What others?” she asked desperately.
“The other drüskelle. Swear to me you’ll at least try to help them, to make them see.”
“We’ll go together, Matthias. We’ll be spies. Genya will tailor us and we’ll go to Fjerda together. I’ll wear all the ugly knitted vests you want.”
“Go home to Ravka, Nina. Be free, as you were meant to be. Be a warrior, as you always have been. Just save some mercy for my people. There has to be a Fjerda worth saving. Promise me.”
“I promise.” The words were more sob than sound.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom