4.5-4.75

“I want to kill you. I don’t want to kill you. I want to kill you. I don’t want to kill you.”
And so the book begins


“I don’t think I know what jealous means.” I shrugged as I lit another cigarette.
The blonde’s breath fanned across my ear. “Angry that someone covets what you’re coveting.”
I laughed. “You think I covet you?”
“I think you do,” Jade whispered. Her teeth grazed my earlobe and an involuntary moan fell from my lips. She chuckled at my response, her laugh infuriatingly sensual.
I bit back the flutter in my stomach and ignored the shiver running down my spine. “You’re delusional if you believe I’m capable of that.”
“Maybe.” Her tongue flicked against my lobe. “I’ve been called worse.”
They’re just so, so superior I’m

“What an annoying git. I couldn’t wait to be an only child again. I eyed my parents. Or better yet. An orphan.”
SHES SÓ FUCKING FUNNY

“How many more poisonous flowers are in this Maze?” The blonde pulled her own scarf over her head and hid in the shade of the hedges.
I smiled, pleased to have regained the upper hand again. “Around three hundred.”
“Right… And how big is this Maze again?”
“If you get lost, nobody will hear you scream,” I supplied sweetly. I wrapped my arm around hers and intertwined our hands. “You’re not worried, are you?”
Jade took a moment to look at our clasped hands, a strange look flitting through her eyes.
I suddenly feared she was going to pull away, but instead, she tightened her grip. The same strange feeling curled through my stomach as I pulled her deeper into the Maze. Whatever Oumar was trying to do, he just got me more time with Jade. And that was exactly what I wanted.
She stared up at me, her look so stately it could’ve passed for royal. “I’m not worried at all.”
Without batting an eye, I replied. “Maybe you should be.”
The way I Stan zarfina like omg

Okay I loved them both in this book, the way zafira comes into her feelings is something that was just so cute cuz she was like wait I like her no I wanna kill her but like she’s so pretty but like I want her dead and I was like ahhh. Umm jade was again hot asf and them together omg their partner and crime stuff OMFG I LOVED IT. I fuckimg hated zafiras brother like the little sexist bitch can die tbh. The over all plot wasn’t like amazing or anything but the book made up for it in just really fucking good description writing and just like characters that were so good.

Quotes:

“I heard your engagement to my brother has been made official. Congratulations.” I searched for the hidden packet of cigarettes and lit one to hide the blatant lie. Surprisingly enough, I didn’t need to lie much around Jade. Frank truths seemed to suit us both better and yet, I couldn’t say I was happy about her bethrotel.
Satisfied that I was one step closer to disposing of the Crown Prince? Yes.
Delighted that she’d be soon married to my brother? No. Not really.
“Your information is correct.” Jade’s hand trailed down my arm and stole the fag from my fingers. She took a long drag and let the smoke dance from her lips. “Are you jealous?”
“I don’t think I know what jealous means.” I shrugged as I lit another cigarette.
The blonde’s breath fanned across my ear. “Angry that someone covets what you’re coveting.”
I laughed. “You think I covet you?”
“I think you do,” Jade whispered. Her teeth grazed my earlobe and an involuntary moan fell from my lips. She chuckled at my response, her laugh infuriatingly sensual.
I bit back the flutter in my stomach and ignored the shiver running down my spine. “You’re delusional if you believe I’m capable of that.”
“Maybe.” Her tongue flicked against my lobe. “I’ve been called worse.”
Like the way they interacted is so superior

“What an annoying git. I couldn’t wait to be an only child again. I eyed my parents. Or better yet. An orphan.
“My sweet boy!” Mother cooed, draping herself along his arm like a towel. “You look so handsome today.”
“Thanks, Mama.” He kissed her hand, his dark eyes filled with arrogance. He loved having a doting mother and ever since we were children, couldn’t resist pointing out how much closer he was to his Mama. The one time I tried to call her that, I got a slap around my ears. Such a foolish mistake from my younger self.
“You won’t forget your dear Mama when you’re married, will you?” She pinched his cheek as if he was still a child. Why people insisted on these shows of affection was baffling.”
She’s literally just funny asf

“The small flower fluttered to the ground where it fell between our feet. The contrast of red on the dark earth was almost like a drop of blood on a battlefield. So innocent and yet, so tainted.”
The book had so many of these just amazing lines

“I wanted to punish her with a thousand whips, to destroy her until her spirit broke, to annihilate her so the wind could steal her ashes.”

“But within all that hate and anger, I wanted to kiss her. More than anything else, I wanted to run my fingers along her smooth spine or thread them through her hair. To colour her skin red with blushes and lashes, to bring submission to her eyes, to taint her with my words, to corrupt her with my touch. And I wanted her to like it.
I ground my teeth in the unladylike manner that Father and my teacher used to scold me for, but the annoyance just wasn’t leaving and I didn’t know how to get rid of it without either killing or kissing Jade.”
Bruh the way she like took so long to understand her feelings and the way she was just so confused was so ohm I loved it.


“Her irresistible smile had me bathing in intrigue, the shimmer in her green eyes encouraged my obsession, and the swing of her step fanned on my desire.”
These lines these linesssss

“In this devil, I met my match. Twisted corrupted by more of the very same, dancing in a symphony of darkness and immorality. Or at least, that was how we started out.”
I don’t even have words bruh

“Her soft hand found my cheek as she leaned in for a new kind of kiss. One that had no flames or fire, without spice and desire. The electricity hummed, the sparks dulled. The passion and lust made room for something entirely else. Something that was cool and gentle like the first drop of rain, but quickly escalated into a raging storm that ripped through everything and anything coming in its way. Forcefully gentle and terrifyingly tender.
Soft on soft, the hypnotising intimacy captured me in a cage of content and satisfaction.”
Tell me you don’t stan them, tell me you don’t stan them

“There was no way I could get away with not taking a husband if I wanted to rule. I'd need to produce an heir and have a man as a puppet for the people. And yet... A small part of me suddenly wondered what it would be like to have a queen next to me instead of a king.”
The subtle way she slowly slowly started accepting her feelings and like she would have thoughts like that was ahh

“I thought white girls were supposed to be slutty."
"Right..." If only I had the power to tell him that was racist, but one didn't anger the crown prince lightly.”
THIS WAS SO FUNNY, NOT RACIST TO WHITES BYEEE. IM LITERALLY LEAVING I CANNOT

“I wanted her. I coveted her in a way I never desired anyone before. Irrationally, against better judgement, I really wanted her.”
If you don’t love them, die.

“She caught me in a strange gaze, her eyes ever changing. From dark to light, from warm to bright. They flamed with passion and danced with tenderness. She brushed her thumb over my cheek and smiled. "Make me forget."
My breath stocked in my throat, my voice barely a whisper. "Make you forget what?"
"Who I am, why I came here, what I want… Make me forget everything that isn't you.”
THIS THIS TJIS

“Guess I'm not very humble either."
"Why would we be?" Jade reached across me for the cigarette smouldering on the nightstand and took a long drag. "We're extraordinary."
"Maybe, but we're not allowed to be." I stole the smoke from her and tapped the ashes on the little tray. "The world is not ready for us."
"That's because we possess true power." Jade looked up at me, her eyes swimming with something I didn't recognise. "You and I, we're the same."
"I'm not sure if that's a relief or an insult."
"Not sure either."
"I always thought I was special. Unique. Different. And then you came along."
The blonde chuckled. "Like looking in the mirror. Two sides of the same twisted coin."
"Maybe so..." I trailed my fingers through her hair, loving how the tresses slipped through them. "You're certainly not like anyone else I've ever met."
"Neither are you." Jade smiled. "You're the first real challenge."
Flattered, I perked up and admired the playful look on her face. She never showed this expression to the outside world, or as I suspected, to anyone else. It made her look vulnerable, weak, human. And I loved it, but for very different reasons than I thought I would.
It wasn't like a predator looking at a prey, delighted at finding the weak spot in the neck. No, it was a lone wolf realising that the nights didn't have to be so cold anymore. That there was someone to howl with and chase the sheep of the world. A companion in the dark, a partner in crime.”
Just seeing her get her feelings bruh I cant

“You're evil." Jade chuckled and pulled me into her. "It's hot."
"Kiss me then," I whispered back.”
The way they made out while torturing someone is so hot and superior

Overall I Stan jade and zafrina so hard I love them.