Nina Kiriki Hoffman

“He thought about spiders, twisting thread into beautiful symmetry, taming chaos with ordered nets that greeted the dawn, hung with globes of dew that caught and held cores of sunlight, and tiny images of the world.”

““I should have killed or confused you when I had the chance. You are destruction. You are corrosion. You are death to order. Family, cast him out before he infects the rest of us as he has these.”“You may speak in your own defense, Tom,” said Aunt Agatha.“She’s right, though; I embody those things.” He held out his hands, open. “I bring you change.””

“After a moment she let go of him and rubbed her eyes. “Sorry,” she said to both of them.“Don’t be, child,” said Trixie. “Sometimes crying is the best medicine you can give yourself.”“I never cry,” Maggie said, hearing the tears in her voice, and the anger. “Crying’s for people who are helpless.”“Who told you that?” asked Trixie.“Learned it from looking around.”“Well, it’s not true. You can’t always judge by appearances. Crying’s a power tool to cleanse the soul, if you use it right. I think you used it right. Do you feel helpless?”“No,” said Maggie.”

“Any established power system grows decadent over time, if there is nothing with the strength or motivation to challenge it, and if it refuses to challenge itself.”

“Never rush into anything—unless into is the direction you want to go.”