“Name one hero who was happy. You can’t.” He was sitting up now, leaning forward. He lifted an eyebrow. “I’ll tell you a secret. I’m going to be the first.” He took my palm and held it to his. “Swear it.” “Why me?” “Because you’re the reason. Swear it.” “I swear it,” I said, lost in the high color of his cheeks, the flame in his eyes. “I swear it,” he echoed. We sat like that for a moment, hands touching. He grinned. “I feel like I could eat the world raw.”

“Name one hero who was happy. You can’t.” He was sitting up now, leaning forward. He lifted an eyebrow. “I’ll tell you a secret. I’m going to be the first.” He took my palm and held it to his. “Swear it.” “Why me?” “Because you’re the reason. Swear it.” “I swear it,” I said, lost in the high color of his cheeks, the flame in his eyes. “I swear it,” he echoed. We sat like that for a moment, hands touching. He grinned. “I feel like I could eat the world raw.”

— Madeline Miller