Sturmhond Quotes

“Watch yourself, Nikolai,” Mal said softly. “Princes bleed just like other men.”
Nikolai plucked an invisible piece of dust from his sleeve. “Yes,” he said. “They just do it in better clothes.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“You’re mad,” I said. “You know what he can do. No prize is worth that.”
Sturmhond grinned. “That remains to be seen.”
“The Darkling will hunt you for the rest of your days.”
“Then you and I will have something in common, won’t we? Besides, I like to have powerful enemies. Makes me feel important.”
Mal crossed his arms and considered the privateer. “I can’t decide if you’re crazy or stupid.”
“I have so many good qualities,” Sturmhond said. “It can be hard to choose.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“Thanks for the rescue."

"Everyone needs a hobby."

"I thought yours was preening."

"Two hobbies.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Sturmhond had a way of talking that made me want to shoot someone. Preferably him.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“Do you answer a question directly?"
"Hard to say. Ah, there, I've done it again”
― leigh bardugo, Siege and Storm

“You never know," said Nikolai. "I've been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet."

"Please tell me you plan to dress up as a volcra and jump out of a cake."

"Well, now you've ruined the surprise.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Anything worth doing always starts as a bad idea.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“I don't want lies between us, Alina."

"How many lies have you told me, Sturmhond? How many secrets have you kept until you were ready to share them?"

"Prince's prerogative?"

"If a mere prince gets a pass, so does a living saint."

"Are you going to make a habit of winning arguments? It's very unbecoming."

"Was this an argument?"

"Obviously not. I don't lose arguments.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“My mother was an oyster,” he said with a wink. “And I’m the pearl.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“You'll still make a great king."

"Of course I will," he scoffed. "I'm melancholy, not daft.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Alina, I'll be back to fetch you for dinner, but should you grow restless, do feel free to run screaming from the room or take a dagger to her. Whatever seems most fitting at the time."

"Are you still here?" snapped Baghra.

"I go but hope to remain in your heart," he said solemnly. Then he winked and disappeared.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“What are you two doing barefoot and half naked in the mud?" asked a familiar voice. "Looking for truffles, I hope?”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Do good works or commission an opera house or just take it out and gaze at it longingly when you think of the handsome prince you might have made your own. For the record, I favor the latter option, preferably paired with copious tears and the recitation of bad poetry.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Why does your weak king send a filthy pirate to do his bidding?” sneered the Fjerdan ambassador, his words echoing across the cathedral.

“Privateer,” corrected Sturmhond. “I suppose he thought my good looks would give me the advantage. Not a concern where you’re from, I take it?”

“Preening, ridiculous peacock. You stink of Grisha foulness.”

Sturmhond sniffed the air. “I’m amazed you can detect anything over the reek of ice and inbreeding.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Ravka is grateful for your service," Sturmhond said as they turned to go. "And so is the crown." He waved once. In the late afternoon light, with the sun behind him, he looked less like a privateer and more like... but that was just silly.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Has she at least done it before?" said Kaz. "For this purpose?" asked Sturmhond. "I've seen her do it twice. It worked splendidly. Once".”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“Being around Nikolai was always like this, watching him shift and change, revealing secrets as he went. He reminded me of the wooden nesting dolls I'd played with as a child. Except instead of getting smaller, he just kept getting grander and more mysterious.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“I’m also Sturmhond, commander of the Volkvony, scourge of the True Sea.’
'Scourge?’
'Well, I’m vexing at the very least.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“Who are you, and what are you playing at?”
“Nikolai Lantsov, but please don’t make me recite my titles again. It’s no fun for anybody, and the only important one is ‘prince.’”
“And what about Sturmhond?” I asked.
“I’m also Sturmhond, commander of the Volkvolny, scourge of the True Sea.”
“Scourge?”
“Well, I’m vexing at the very least.”
I shook my head. “Impossible.”
“Improbable.”
“This is not the time to try to be entertaining.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“I don’t think—”

“Clearly. Why start now?”

Ivan’s face flushed in anger. “You don’t—”

Sturmhond leaned in close, the laughter gone from his voice, his easy demeanor replaced by something with a sword’s edge. “I don’t care who you are on land. On this ship, you’re nothing but ballast. Unless I put you over the side, in which case you’re shark bait. I like shark. Cooks up tough, but it makes for a little variety. Remember that the next time you have a mind to threaten anyone aboard this vessel.” He stepped back, his jolly manner restored. “Go on now, shark bait. Scurry back to your master.”

“I won’t forget this, Sturmhond,” Ivan spat.

The captain rolled his eyes. “That’s the idea.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“Why hunt the sea whip if you only meant to turn it over to Alina?”
“I wasn’t hunting the sea whip. I was hunting you.”
“That’s why you raised a mutiny against the Darkling?” I asked. “To get at me?”
“You can’t very well mutiny on your own ship.”
“Call it what you like,” I said, exasperated. “Just explain yourself.”
Sturmhond leaned back and rested his elbows on the rail, surveying the deck. “As I would have explained to the Darkling had he bothered to ask—which, thankfully, he didn’t—the problem with hiring a man who sells his honor is that you can always be outbid.”
I gaped at him. “You betrayed the Darkling for money?”
“‘Betrayed’ seems a strong word. I hardly know the fellow.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“Who are you?” Mal asked furiously.
“That’s a complicated question.”
“Actually, it’s pretty straightforward,” I said, springing to my feet. “But it does require telling the truth. Something you seem thoroughly incapable of.”
“Oh, I can do it,” Sturmhond said, shaking water from one of his boots. “I’m just not very good at it.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“If there weren't an all-powerful dictator and his monstrous horde to get to, I'd be opening a bottle of champagne.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“Don’t waste your breath, lovely.”
“But you don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“You were about to plead your case, tell me you need my help, you can’t pay me but your heart is true, the usual thing.”
I blinked. That was exactly what I’d been about to do. “But—”
“Waste of breath, waste of time, waste of a fine afternoon,” he said. “I don’t like to see prisoners mistreated, but that’s as far as my interest goes.”
“You—”
He shook his head. “And I’m notoriously immune to tales of woe. So unless your story involves a talking dog, I don’t want to hear it. Does it?”
“Does it what?”
“Involve a talking dog.”
“No,” I snapped. “It involves the future of a kingdom and everyone in it.”
“A pity,” he said, and took me by the arm, leading me to the aft hatch.
“I thought you worked for Ravka,” I said angrily.
“I work for the fattest purse.”
“So you’d sell your country to the Darkling for a little gold?”
“No, for a lot of gold,” he said. “I assure you, I don’t come cheap.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“I have so many good qualities," Sturmhond said, "It can be hard to choose.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“What did you see?" I asked. "When-"
"When I died?"
I gave him a gentle shove, and he winced.
"I saw Ilya Morozova on the back of a unicorn, playing a balalaika."
"Very funny.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising

“If you want to lie to me, go ahead. But I'm not going to pretend to believe you."
"Why not?" asked Sturmhond, stepping into the tent. "It's only common courtesy.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“It would be a marriage in name only," Sturmhond insisted. Then, as if he couldn't help himself, he flashed Mal a taunting grin. "Except for the matter of producing heirs.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

“Do you really have a flying ship?" blurted Jesper.
"No"
"Oh."
"I have several."
"Take me with you.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“I'm melancholy, not daft.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Ruin and Rising