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786 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2010
“Power rises to the top like cream and dominates the weak with cruelty disguised as -- and often even believed to be -- benevolence.”
“There are no honorable causes. There is no good or evil. Evil is only what we call those who oppose us.”
“Breathe the air, taste the wine, kiss the girls, and always remember that the tales of another are never as wondrous as your own.”
“That’s why you shouldn’t make vows. The moment you do, fate starts conspiring to shove them down your throat.”
“There are no honorable causes. There is no good or evil. Evil is only what we call those who oppose us.”
“You must choose between darkness and light,a nd your choice will affect many.”
"You ready?" Royce asked.
"For what?"
"Turn around. Let's go back-to-back and link arms."
"You're kidding. We aren't going to do that again, are we?"
Hadrian said miserably. "I've been sitting in cold water for hours. I'll cramp."
"You know another way to get up there?" Royce asked, and Hadrian shook his head. Royce looked up. "It isn't even as high as the last time and it's narrower, so it'll be easier. Stand up and stretch a second. You'll be fine."
"What if the guard is up there with a stick to poke us with?"
"Do you want to get out of here or not?"
Hadrian took a deep breathe. "I'm still mad at you," he said, turning and linking arms back-to-back with Royce.
"Weapons?" Hadrian asked.
"I'll check the house. You see about getting horses."
"Don't kill anyone," Hadrian mentioned.
"I'll try not to, but if I see Luret--"
"Oh yeah, kill him."
"Just a few questions I thought you would be able to shed some light on," Royce told him. "Why don't we talk in your study while Hadrian and Arista get out of their wet things? Is it all right if we spend the night here?"
"Certainly. I'll have dinner brought up, although you picked a bad day; the kitchen is serving meat pies." He made a grimace.
Arista stood stiffly, feeling her heart still racing. She narrowed her eyes and glared. "I hate all of you."
“There are no honorable causes. There is no good or evil. Evil is only what we call those who oppose us.”
“You think you’re a very clever fellow, don’t you?” Saldur challenged.
“No, Your Grace,” Merrick replied. “Clever is the man who makes a fortune selling dried-up cows, explaining how it saves the farmers the trouble of getting up every morning to milk them. I’m not clever—I’m a genius.”
“There are no honorable causes. There is no good or evil. Evil is only what we call those who oppose us.”
“Royce defined right and wrong by the moment. Right was what was best for him - wrong was everything else. He stole, lied, and even killed when necessary. This was his craft and he was good at it. There was no reason to apologize, no need to pause or reflect. The world was at war with him and nothing was sacred.”
“I‘ve never killed anyone before. … I don’t know how you do it, Royce. I just don’t know.”
“You do it by realizing that if the situation was reversed and they succeeded, they wouldn’t be crying.”
“I see a baby, a descendant of yours, crying in the dark. Born on a cold night in a despicable city very near here. His parents have been murdered, and he is forgotten and ignored. The woman who takes him from his dead mother’s arms will abandon him in a gutter less than a week after he takes his first breath. He has no chance of survival, and the fate of the world rests with him. […] I swear I will be there on that cold night when he cries out in the gutter. […] I will watch over that child when he faces his most difficult challenges. […] The man I speak of will not be great. He’ll be a terrible person, detestable, murderous, cruel, and untrusting.”
"Have you ever been in love, Hadrian?”
“I’m not sure. How do you tell?”
“Love? Why, it’s like coming home.”
Hadrian considered the comment.
“What are you thinking?” Bulard asked.
Hadrian shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Yes, you were. What? You can tell me. I’m an excellent repository for secrets. I’ll likely forget, but if I don’t, well, I’m an old man in a remote
jungle. I’m sure to die before I can repeat anything.”
Hadrian smiled, then shrugged. “I was just thinking about the rain.”
"There are no honorable causes. There is no good or evil. Evil is only what we call those who oppose us."
"Regret was a curse without a cure, except to forget."
"That's why you shouldn't make vows. The moment you do, fate starts conspiring to shove them down your throat."
“She’s becoming more human every day,” Hadrian said, smiling at her.
When I was young, I used to think I was … well … special. I imagined that I would triumph in some great purpose, win the girl, and save the kingdom, but I suppose every boy feels that way.”
“You aren’t going to tell me, are you?”
“What would be the fun in that? This will give you something to do. You can try to guess, and I can amuse myself by insulting your intelligence.”