Megan Whalen Turner

“If I am the pawn of the gods, it is because they know me so well, not because they make my mind up for me.”

“I am not sure I trust you.""You can trust me with your life, My King.""But not with my wine, obviously. Give it back.”

“Would you like to hear more romance of the evening? He told me that the Guard should be reduced by half, and I threw an ink jar at his head.""Is that when he cried?""He ducked," Attolia said dryly.Grown more confident of the queen's humor, Relius said, "I had not pictured you for a fishwife.""Lo, the transforming power of love.”

“Mother why does the River not riseIt is not the River's timeWhy does the seed not sproutIt is not the seed's timeWhy does the rain not fallthe leaf not unfurl itselfWhere is the hind and why does she not graze the fields before usit is not their timeThe River knows its timeThe seed knows its time The rain the leaf and the hindThey know their timeThe River will rise the seed will sproutThe rains come down and the leaves unfurlThe hind will bring her children to graze before usAll in their time”