Gard tossed his braids over his shoulder with a sniff. 'Somebody's feeling masterful. Do I not get a choice in the matter?' 'Certainly,' Tarn agreed. 'You may choose to come with us, or you may choose to stay here, alone and naked, and wait for the dead to claw themselves out of the sand to feast on your flesh. I would advise the former, but you are a free man.'

'Oh, no,' Heilyn said, sidling a little closer. 'If I was being shameless, I would have said I was like a wishbone and you needed to spread my legs to make your dreams come true.'

You’re supposed to tell me,” he blurted out as soon as he crossed the threshold the next evening, “when I’m being a selfish brat. People normally tell me!”“Did you start this conversation without me?” Emyr asked, looking puzzled.

'Yes. He was happy. He said, on that last visit, that some things were worth the wait. The world changes in unexpected ways, and all we can do is live in it and take joy in how it surprises us.'

There are some fights none of us can win.

He wasn't entirely surprised to wake up the next morning with Sjurd pressed against his back, but was still cross enough to roll straight out of bed and go down to a solitary breakfast (because trying to stab his new husband through the throat with the butter knife would not have convinced anyone that the match was secure).

'I thought you were an atheist,' Sjurd commented to hide the clench of his gut. He couldn't be stuck here while his country burned. 'Nobody's an atheist in a storm,' Celyn said absently, still frowning at the sky.

I thought you weren’t going to do that sort of thing.”“I’m not going to seduce you without invitation,” Heilyn clarified, “but I’m still allowed to flirt, and that was flirting.”“I think you’re changing these rules as we go along.”“More fun that way, isn’t it?

Aren't they worried about the hydra?""They don't believe." Arden's tone was sad[...]"Humans are strange that way. Once they have set their minds on a thing, sometimes all the evidence in the world will not sway their opinion

Dragons are among the most ancient spirits. Their origins are not known, but they significantly predate the rise of man. [This author advises the reader never to ask a dragon about the early days of humanity, as they tend to remark that we were much more entertaining as a species before we climbed down from the trees.]