Megan Whalen Turner

All my life they had made choices for me, and I had resented it. Now the choice was mine, and once it…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“I sometimes believe his lies are the truth, but I have never mistaken his truth for a lie. If he needs me…

— Megan Whalen Turner

Sophos turned red, and I wondered about the circulation of his blood; maybe his body kept an extra supply of it in…

— Megan Whalen Turner

Ah," said the magus, understanding at once. "I see that he means to be prepared if he meets him again." "Surely that's…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“He would go east and fight the emperor’s wars, carrying out the bloody business of larger countries eating up the littler ones.…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“If she pardons people because she loves them, someday someone that she loves will betray her and all of Attolia with her.…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“The Attolian king obviously had a deep well of spite and I would've appreciated his low cunning more if I hadn't thought…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“I am so sick of people who all seem to be smarter than I am and know more than I do. I…

— Megan Whalen Turner

I'll be your minister--" "Of the exchequer? You'd rob me blind." "I would never steal from you," he'd said hotly. "Oh? Where…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“The room was full of people. “Ninety-eight days,” said the queen, folding her hands in her lap. “You said it would take…

— Megan Whalen Turner

I stayed only two days in the capital. I was welcomed by a cheering citizenry, who threw flowers at my head. It…

— Megan Whalen Turner

Your Majesty, you just-" Costis stopped. "Just what?" the king prompted wickedly. Nothing would induce Costis to say out loud that the…

— Megan Whalen Turner

The king lifted a hand to her cheek and kissed her. It was not a kiss between strangers, not even a kiss…

— Megan Whalen Turner

No," he said. "Relius was right and I was wrong. You are My Queen. Even though you cut my head from my…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“The two soldiers laughed, and even the king smiled. Reinforcing Costis's suspicion that Eugenides had been responsible for Ornon's lost sheep, Boagus…

— Megan Whalen Turner

Ornon said, "I have seen him jump across atriums four stories above the ground, a distance that would make your blood freeze,…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“I do believe that Akretenesh saw no differences between a woman who was a queen and one who was a seamstress, though…

— Megan Whalen Turner

I hate horses. I know people who think that they are noble, graceful animals, but regardless of what a horse looks like…

— Megan Whalen Turner

All I wanted to do was lie in the dry grass with my feet in a ditch forever. I could be a…

— Megan Whalen Turner

We are not philosophers, we are sovereigns. The rules that govern our behavior are not the rules for other men, and our…

— Megan Whalen Turner

I knew I would be in the story somewhere," Eugenides interjected. "Oh no," said Phresine, "This was a humble servant." "Ouch." "Though…

— Megan Whalen Turner

The queen had passed him, so close he'd felt the stir of air, and he guessed that if she had turned her…

— Megan Whalen Turner

He looked at their shabby clothes in puzzlement. “We were traveling anonymously for safety—” explained the magus. “But surely—” “—and then we…

— Megan Whalen Turner

...That he'd seen...two people, a young man and a woman, sitting on invisible furniture with their feet up, reading books and eating…

— Megan Whalen Turner

He could tell her he loved her. He ached to shout it out loud for the gods and everyone to hear. Little…

— Megan Whalen Turner

She's like a prisoner inside stone walls, and every day the walls get a little thicker, the doorways a little narrower." "And?"…

— Megan Whalen Turner

On the bed, Eugenides stirred restlessly. "Upset at the sight of blood?" he said. "Not my wife, Ornon." "Your blood," the ambassador…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“I will forgive him because I have heard him scream when someone pulled a sword out of him that could have just…

— Megan Whalen Turner

...I asked Ochto what in the name of all that was sacred he thought he was doing. "Helping you," said Dirnes. "Why?"…

— Megan Whalen Turner

The pain was as unexpected as a thunderclap in a clear sky. Eddis's chest tightened, as something closed around her heart. A…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“The gold was a gift; you said so yourself." "You are a woman," Nahuseresh said very gently. "You do not understand the…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“I inherited this country when I was only a child, Nahuseresh. I have held it. I have fought down rebellious barons. I've…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“Sophos, you sleep with a knife under your pillow? I'm hurt." "I'm sorry," said Sounis, afraid that he had made contact with…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“The magus said thoughtfully, "That lying little monster complained about everything: the food, the horses, the blankets, the company. He even found…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“Would you like to hear more romance of the evening? He told me that the Guard should be reduced by half, and…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“I know," Attolia soothed him. "I did not say that I am afraid. He is, though, I think. Afraid of his own…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“It might have been preferable," Eddis admitted, dryly, "if you had thrown off your chains of bondage solely for love of me.…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“Your Majesty, is it true that your cousins held you down in a water cache? Is it also true that they wouldn't…

— Megan Whalen Turner

If you are feeling more yourself, there is a problem best addressed immediately," said the queen. "In my nightshirt?" The king wriggled,…

— Megan Whalen Turner

“Did you send Attolia to me at the farewell?" Eddis asked. "Not I," said Gen quietly. "The magus. I thought you knew…

— Megan Whalen Turner