“Stay back, old man. It isn't your business. This is the Prince of Vere.' 'But---I only paid three coppers for him,' said… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“By this time, the camp was cleared, and the newly pitched tents looked like softly glowing globes, the light from lamps inside… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“A golden prince was easy to love if you did not have to watch him picking wings off flies.” — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I don't have sleeves to carry handkerchiefs in,' said Damen. 'I wouldn't mind being given a knife.' 'Or a fork?' said Laurent.” — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen's understanding of Laurent rearranged itself, in order that he might despise him more accurately.” — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“They agreed on a rendezvous, and Laurent took off with the restrained urgency of a man who has to find some way… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“She was intelligent, accomplished, beautiful. She was everything I could have asked for in a woman. But she was a king maker.… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen had half expected a gaudy parade costume, but Laurent had always defined himself against the opulence of the court. And he… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Torveld favoured Laurent with another of those long, admiring looks that were starting to come with grating frequency. Damen frowned. Laurent was… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I lack," said Laurent, "the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with," you could see him pushing the words out, "a lover."… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“To Laurent, in the same voice, he said, 'Calm down.' Laurent said, 'I wasn't finished.' 'Finished what?' Reducing every man in the… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent wasn't loved. Laurent wasn't liked. Even among his own men, who would follow him off a cliff, there was the unequivocal… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“You broke a man today. Doesn't that affect you at all? These are lives, not pieces in a chess game with your… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“It was true; it was somehow not even a surprise, more like a truth that had grown for some time on the… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“ To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up. Never had he… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He didn't reprimand Damen. He didn't seem particularly displeased with barbaric behavior, as long as it was directed outward. Like a man… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The Regency,' said Laurent, addressing the troop, 'thought to take us outnumbered. It expected us to roll over without a fight.' Damen… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Let him come to Charcy, with his hithertos and his wherefores, and there he will find me, and with all the might… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Laurent stopped. Damen could see the moment when Laurent decided to continue. It was deliberate, his eyes meeting Damen's, his tone subtly… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“A minute or two more and Orlant disengaged, and swore. 'Are you going to fight me or not?' You said we were… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He killed, his sword shearing, shield and horse a ram, pushing in, and further in, opening a space by force alone for… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“It was a kind of fire dance in which the stick was thrown and caught, and the flame, tossed and twirled, created… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Talik said, 'His contract with Lord Berenger ends soon. Ancel will seek a new contract, a high bidder. He wants money, status.… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I'm twenty years old,' said Laurent, 'and I've been the recipient of offers almost as long as I can remember.' 'Is that… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The embroidery came later, in the retelling, as the story was told again and again by the men, taking on its own… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen felt Laurent start shaking against him, and realised that, silently, helplessly, he was laughing. There came the sound of at least… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Nicaise had picked up a gilt three-pronged fork, but had paused before sampling the dish in order to speak. The fear he'd… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“If you bind your men to you with deception, how can you ever trust them? You have qualities they will come to… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“My scorn and contempt,' said Laurent, 'are not in need of your leniency. Lord Touars, you face me in my own kingdom,… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The collar came first, and when Guerin drew it from his neck he felt the collar's absence like a lightness, his spine… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Can you stand? We need to move out. It's not safe for you here. Too many people want to kill you.' After… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Red. Red, the colour of the Regency, scrawled over with the iconography of the border forts, growing, fluttering. These were the banners… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“I didn't send them after you,' said the cool, familiar voice. 'I sent them after the Regent's Guard, who were making enough… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The Veretian palace, afroth with ornament, paid only lip service to defence. The parapets were purposeless curving decorative spires. The slippery domes… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The guard said, 'Our orders are no one in or out.' 'You can tell the Prince that,' said Damen, 'after you tell… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“When laced into his clothing, Laurent's dangerous grace lent him an almost androgynous quality. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He thought of Laurent's delicate, needling talk that froze into icy rebuff if Damen pushed at it, but if he didn't--if he… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“He was under no illusion that he was going to be taken to the campfire to roll around with Laurent. If anything,… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“The Crown Prince was camped at Nesson this very minute, on his way to the border to stand up to Akielos. He… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“They are surely gods who speak to him With steady voices A glance from him drives men to their knees His sigh… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share Image
“Damen's understanding of Laurent rearranged itself, in order that he might despise him more accurately.” — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“Damen bridged the nine chilly inches at the first opportunity. 'What are you doing? You were the one who warned me about Nicaise.' He… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“This place sickened him. Anywhere else, you simply killed your enemy with a sword. Or poisoned him, if you had the honourless instincts of… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“As the heavy latticed iron beetled above their heads, Damen found himself wanting it, wanting disruption, a cry of outrage, or of challenge, wanting… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“I'm not sure that's quite what I asked," said Laurent. His voice had the same quality as his gaze. "This is close quarters." "Close… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“When laced into his clothing, Laurent's dangerous grace lent him an almost androgynous quality. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that it… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“ Ride! ' went the call, and the individuals of the troop became a single lurching, streaming mass of horseflesh pounding toward the trees.… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“Stay back, old man. It isn't your business. This is the Prince of Vere.' 'But---I only paid three coppers for him,' said Volo, sounding… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“It was a kind of fire dance in which the stick was thrown and caught, and the flame, tossed and twirled, created sinuous shapes,… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“It was with a shock that he felt the touch of Laurent's fingers against the back of his wrist. [...] Laurent was shifting the… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“Nicaise had picked up a gilt three-pronged fork, but had paused before sampling the dish in order to speak. The fear he'd shown of… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“When Laurent turned to face him, his eyes were dark. His lips were parted uncertainly. He had lifted his hand to his own shoulder,… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“You have to admire it,' said Laurent, in a detached voice. 'It's the perfect time to attack Akielos. Kastor is dealing with factional problems… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“I'm not going to use the knife," said Damen, "but if you're willing to put it in my hand, you underestimate how much I… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
“Talik said, 'His contract with Lord Berenger ends soon. Ancel will seek a new contract, a high bidder. He wants money, status. He is… — S.U. Pacat Copy Share
