Maria V. Snyder

“He pulled back on the bridle, stopping in disbelief. “Your love for him has damaged your senses.”“And your hunger for power has affected you intelligence”

“Nothing like having a warrant for your execution to get a girl motivated.”

“Your fear remains strong. You are not ready to face your story, preferring instead to surround yourself with knots. Someday, they will strangle you.”

“Positive thoughts lead to positive results.”

“They were my family, yet they were strangers.”

“Old soul." I laughed. "You're Thirty.""It's not the years, it's the experience," he paused.”

“Pushing magic toward the candle, I willed it to light. Nothing happened.Irys made a strangled sound and the candle burned. “Are you directing your magic to the candle?”“Yes. W”

“Fear causes the dog to bite and Roze was one bitch.”

“Another relative?" Valek asked.A broad smile stretched Moon Man's lips. "Yes. I am her mother's uncle's wife'sthird cousin."--Valek and Moon Man”

“In the war room, love? What if someone comes in?”I stood and removed his shirt. “Then they’ll have a good story to tell.”“Good?” He adopted the pretense of being offended.“Prove me wrong.”

“Yelena, you've driven me crazy. You've caused me considerable trouble and I've contemplated ending your life twice since I've known you." Valek's warm breath in my ear sent a shiver down my spine."But you’ve slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.”“That sounds more like a poison than a person,” was all I could say. His confession had both shocked and thrilled me.“Exactly,” Valek replied. “You have poisoned me.”

“There's always another storm. It's the way the world works. Snowstorms, rainstorms, windstorms, sandstorms, and firestorms. Some are fierce and others are small. You have to deal with each one separately, but you need to keep an eye on whats brewing for tomorrow.”

“We are searching for the same thing,” Stripey said.“How do you know?” Janco asked.“I read his mind.” The Sitian pointed to Ari. “Yours was too…chaotic. Too many useless thoughts to wade through.”A compliment or an insult? Janco guessed compliment and preened.”

“But you've slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.”

“Don't judge what you don't know.”

“The heart is a strange beast and not ruled by logic.”

“Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust, even harder.”

“Living is a risk,' I snapped at him. 'Every decision, every interaction, every step, every time you get out of bed in the morning, you take a risk. To survive is to know you're taking that risk and to not get out of bed clutching illusions of safety.”

“Good food, fresh water, and an occasional sweet and someone to care for. That's what everyone should have. A simplistic and unrealistic view I knew, but it soothed me.”

“Is there anything else you haven't told me?"My head spun. So much had happened and we still needed to stop a powerful magician. Death was a real possibility. I needed Valek to know how I felt."I love you"Valek wrapped me in his arms. "My love has been yours since the fire festival. If those goons had killed you, I knew then that I would never be the same. I didn't want or expect this. But I couldn't resist you.”