--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never returned to the mortal…" description: "\"“I have never returned to the mortal realms. Those who make frequent trips do so at great personal sacrifice.” I looked at Reth, who still stood next t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/kiersten-white-398_anger-and-bitterness_i-have-never-returned-to-the-mortal-real_3138410.jpg" --- # I have never returned to the mortal realms. Those who make… ![“I have never returned to the mortal realms. Those who make frequent trips do so at great personal sacrifice.” I looked at Reth, who still stood next to me, had been standing next to me this entire time, silent and watching. Reth who never needed to come back to Earth after I freed him from IPCA…” quote by Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/kiersten-white-398_anger-and-bitterness_i-have-never-returned-to-the-mortal-real_3138410.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/kiersten-white-398_anger-and-bitterness_i-have-never-returned-to-the-mortal-real_3138410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/kiersten-white-398_anger-and-bitterness_i-have-never-returned-to-the-mortal-real_3138410.jpg) > ““I have never returned to the mortal realms. Those who make frequent trips do so at great personal sacrifice.” I looked at Reth, who still stood next to me, had been standing next to me this entire time, silent and watching. Reth who never needed to come back to Earth after I freed him from IPCA. Reth who was looking dimmer by the hour after taking the midnight faerie’s attack in my place. The Light Queen followed my gaze. “My golden son has given much because of his love for you and his devotion to me. He may yet give up all.” Well, bleep. It was so much simpler to hate him. “I know you hold depths of anger and bitterness toward the fey, child, but please understand our desperation. And please know my deep respect for humans and human life. Such beautiful, fragile animals, so fleeting and easily broken yet powerful beyond anything faeries can ever hope to be. We cannot create but live forever, unchanging. You change with every breath, dying even as you live, but your thread to eternity and immortality is reborn with every new generation.” I was bust avoiding Reth’s eyes, not wanting to think that, as someone who was nobly sacrificing to be around me and protect me. Not wanting to accept that he really loved me the way he was always saying he did.”” [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character reflects on sacrifice, mortality, and the paradox of immortality, expressing reverence for human fragility and resilience despite cosmic struggles. **In simple terms:** Immortality is costly; human frailty is powerful. Key Takeaway Value human life and its fleeting strength. Themes sacrifice immortality humanity resilience loss Mood somber thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical reflective fantasy When to use this quote - confronting a dying ally - pondering the cost of eternal life - honoring human vulnerability Key Concepts existentialism mythic lore ethical dilemmas Questions to Reflect On - What does true sacrifice mean? - How can we honor humanity without glorifying pain? A Different Perspective The narrative may idealize suffering as noble. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger and bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger-and-bitterness/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Faerie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faerie/) [Faeries Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries-hope-5581007/) [Golden Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-son-226105/) [Great person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-person/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Immortality Reborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality-reborn-4331354/) [Live forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-forever/) [Midnight Faerie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midnight-faerie-5581008/) [Personal sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-sacrifice/) [Please Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please-understand/) [Returned Mortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/returned-mortal-5581009/) ## Related quotes > [Please know my deep respect for humans and human life. Such beautiful, fragile animals, so fleeting and easily broken and yet powerful beyond anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/please-know-my-deep-respect-for-humans-and-human-life-such-beautiful/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“What do you think?” She turned to Reth, who avoided her eyes, staring determinedly into the sparkling pink distance. “You are the queen. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/what-do-you-think-she-turned-to-reth-who-avoided-her-eyes-staring/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Fallen leaves on the ground are the golden song of immortal creativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/fallen-leaves-on-the-ground-are-the-golden-song-of-immortal-creativity/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [“Fate has her golden sons, and her bastards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-mardoll/fate-has-her-golden-sons-and-her-bastards/) [Jennifer Mardoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-mardoll/) > [Triumphant hours are the Lark's Who circles skywards from his home each day: World's early riser, with bubbling golden song, Towards the firmament, guardian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dafydd-ap-gwilym/triumphant-hours-are-the-lark-s-who-circles-skywards-from-his-home/) [Dafydd ap Gwilym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dafydd-ap-gwilym/) > [The person you're mad at might moved on and they're not thinking about you. 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When you believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-broger/anger-and-bitterness-are-two-noticeable-signs-of-being-focused-on/) [John C. Broger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-broger/) > [They promised me that this would be my home. That girls like you would always be my sisters. But they weren't my sisters, were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/they-promised-me-that-this-would-be-my-home-that-girls-like-you-would/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/a-gentle-answer-turns-away-wrath-but-a-harsh-word-stirs-up-anger/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) > [When I first got into the studio once again, and I started hearing the beats, the anger and bitterness was coming out of me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-sunshine/when-i-first-got-into-the-studio-once-again-and-i-started-hearing-the/) [Tony Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-sunshine/) > [The more we hold on to our hurts, anger and bitterness, the more we become slaves to unforgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-leigh-demoss/the-more-we-hold-on-to-our-hurts-anger-and-bitterness-the-more-we/) [Nancy Leigh DeMoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-leigh-demoss/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) ## More by Kiersten White > [Be careful. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the worst Spanish student in the history of the language.” I laughed. “No problemo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/be-careful-i-wouldn-t-want-anything-to-happen-to-the-worst-spanish/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“I shuffled my weight from foot to foot, trying to relieve some of the soreness and wondering how long it would take Reth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/i-shuffled-my-weight-from-foot-to-foot-trying-to-relieve-some-of-the/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“It’s about Fia. Everything always is, even when she is nowhere near, even when she left all of us. We still orbit the brilliant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/it-s-about-fia-everything-always-is-even-when-she-is-nowhere-near/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Where did you find that one?" "I have no idea. I'm a magnet for crazies, I guess." "They must be able to sense a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/where-did-you-find-that-one-i-have-no-idea-i-m-a-magnet-for-crazies-i/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [...sometimes I get tired. Sometimes I get bored. And sometimes all I want, more than anything else in the world, is to go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/sometimes-i-get-tired-sometimes-i-get-bored-and-sometimes-all-i-want/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Fun-run" indeed,what a misnomer. That'd be like saying "calm gremlin" or "pleasant hag." Or 'entertaining history textbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/fun-run-indeed-what-a-misnomer-that-d-be-like-saying-calm-gremlin-or/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“You bet I'm trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/you-bet-i-m-trouble/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Yes, I have a driver's license." I leaned back against the wall, sighing. "Man, that must be so cool." "It ranks right up there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/yes-i-have-a-driver-s-license-i-leaned-back-against-the-wall-sighing/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Sir, yes, sir!' Tyler jumps up mock-saluting. 'I love when you get bossy, it's kind of adorable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/sir-yes-sir-tyler-jumps-up-mock-saluting-i-love-when-you-get-bossy-it/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Jack, who apparently always had to be moving in some way, had made up for the missing knife by grabbing a half loaf of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/jack-who-apparently-always-had-to-be-moving-in-some-way-had-made-up/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Reth reached out and took my fingers in his own, his touch light but comforting. “I’ve found that sacrifice is called that for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/reth-reached-out-and-took-my-fingers-in-his-own-his-touch-light-but/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Heaven and hell,your hands are cold." "I never thought I'd prefer the dead silence of the Paths over anything,but it had to be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/heaven-and-hell-your-hands-are-cold-i-never-thought-i-d-prefer-the/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“What about our souls?' Mehmed whispered. Before Lada walked out, she paused at the door. 'Souls and thrones are irreconcilable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/what-about-our-souls-mehmed-whispered-before-lada-walked-out-she/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Give me a mirror.Or holy water. I'll drink it,even!" I gasped as someone threw water on the side of my face. "A little warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/give-me-a-mirror-or-holy-water-i-ll-drink-it-even-i-gasped-as-someone/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Ignorance was bliss. Or at least less painfull”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/ignorance-was-bliss-or-at-least-less-painfull/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) [Explore all 593 Kiersten White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## More Anger and bitterness quotes > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. 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That girls like you would always be my sisters. But they weren't my sisters, were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/they-promised-me-that-this-would-be-my-home-that-girls-like-you-would/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [Anger and bitterness are two noticeable signs of being focused on self and not trusting God's sovereignty in your life. When you believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-broger/anger-and-bitterness-are-two-noticeable-signs-of-being-focused-on/) [John C. Broger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-broger/) > [I wished I died in that attack with my cousin, with my south Vietnamese soldiers. 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So you're anger and bitterness is not hurting them ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/the-person-you-re-mad-at-might-moved-on-and-they-re-not-thinking/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Don't let the sun go down on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/don-t-let-the-sun-go-down-on-me/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [Acrid bitterness inevitably seeps into the lives of people who harbor grudges and suppress anger, and bitterness is always a poison. It keeps your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/acrid-bitterness-inevitably-seeps-into-the-lives-of-people-who-harbor/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [“To truly try means to accept God's love, his healing, to accept the world can be ugly, but your heart doesn't have to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-b-jones/to-truly-try-means-to-accept-god-s-love-his-healing-to-accept-the/) [Jenny B. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-b-jones/) > [“Bitterness \* Broken men Walk away from broken sons Who stab them in the gut In anger And bitterness For crimes they are both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/bitterness-broken-men-walk-away-from-broken-sons-who-stab-them-in-the/) [rassool jibraeel snyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/) > [“Anger and bitterness are normal feelings, but they’re like cancer if you can’t control them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-peterson/anger-and-bitterness-are-normal-feelings-but-they-re-like-cancer-if/) [Andrew Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-peterson/) [Browse all 21 Anger and bitterness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger-and-bitterness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have never returned to the mortal realms. Those who make frequent trips do so at great personal sacrifice.” I looked at Reth, who still stood next to me, had been standing next to me this entire time, silent and watching. Reth who never needed to come back to Earth after I freed him from IPCA. Reth who was looking dimmer by the hour after taking the midnight faerie’s attack in my place. The Light Queen followed my gaze. “My golden son has given much because of his love for you and his devotion to me. He may yet give up all.” Well, bleep. It was so much simpler to hate him. “I know you hold depths of anger and bitterness toward the fey, child, but please understand our desperation. And please know my deep respect for humans and human life. Such beautiful, fragile animals, so fleeting and easily broken yet powerful beyond anything faeries can ever hope to be. We cannot create but live forever, unchanging. You change with every breath, dying even as you live, but your thread to eternity and immortality is reborn with every new generation.” I was bust avoiding Reth’s eyes, not wanting to think that, as someone who was nobly sacrificing to be around me and protect me. 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