How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
[Akiva] felt as if his life to that point had been spent wandering in a labyrinth, and on the battlefield [...] he'd finally found its center. (37.44)
Akiva's feelings for Madrigal are complicated. 1. She's his mortal enemy. 2. She's a babe. 3. She saves his life. 4. She's a babe. Perhaps his love for her, that blossoms in all of four minutes we might add, comes from a combination of her attractiveness and his desire for peace? We're not exactly sure.
Quote #8
[Akiva] caught himself thinking of [Madrigal] as his, and it didn't even seem strange. (39.38)
There's a possessive quality to Akiva's love for Madrigal, as evidenced by his pronoun choice here. Is love always about ownership?
Quote #9
Not for an instant had [Madrigal] considered doing what anyone else in the entire city would have done without a thought: unmasking him and screaming, "Seraph!" (52.6)
This might be the moment when Madrigal realizes she loves Akiva back, even though she barely knows him. There's something between them that keeps her from allowing him to be executed in the streets. How romantic.