“He must love you very much,' Gavril said once I had my footing.
I couldn't look at him. 'What makes you say that?' Gavril sighed. 'I've known Maxon since he was a child. He's never stood up to his father like that.”
What Gavril tells America shows her how much Maxon actually cared about her, in a moment where she was unsure of his love for her. It also tells America a lot about the king and Maxon's relationship. It is evident that it is quite rocky, which means that she will appreciate the gesture a lot more. It is one of the many things that made America fall deeper in love with Maxon.
“America, there’s no question that you’ve had my heart from the beginning. By now you have to know that.”
Even if America knew that Maxon had loved her since the beginning, the readers certainly didn't. The revelation was a very welcome and delightful one. It festered and hardened the romance in the book, and left the readers wanting more, as the quote is picked from a the last chapter of the book.
For a while I lay still, listening to the sound of Maxon’s breathing.
The readers will forever be unsure of what happened that night, but it was for memorable. All the sweet moments with Maxon are worth quoting, and this is one of the few. It was one of the moments America sat and watched him, embracing his life as hers.
