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“What have I earned from you, Valek? Loyalty? Respect? Trust?"

"You have my attention. But give me what I want, and you can have everything.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“Why did Mother ask you to help me rescue Gelsi?â€� I asked Leif.

“She thought I could assist you in some way. Instead, I had tried to—�

“Kill me? You can join the ‘I Want to Kill Yelena Guild.â€� I hear they have six members in good standing. Valek is president since he had wanted to kill me twice.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“You're right. And so was my snake."
Snake?"
He pulled my arm out to expose my bracelet. "When I carved this my thoughts were on you, love. Your life is like this snake's coils. No matter how many turns it makes, you'll end up back where you belong. With me.”
― Maria V. Snyder

“I want you to have this.â€� He extended his hand. On his palm sat the beautiful butterfly he had carved. Silver spots on the wings glinted in the sunlight, and a silver chain hung from a small hole drilled into its body.
Valek looped the necklace around my neck. “When I carved this statue, I was thinking about you. Delicate in appearance, but with a strength unnoticed at first glance.â€� His eyes met mine.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“Yelena.â€� I halted in the doorway, looking back over my shoulder.
“You once said I wasn’t ready to believe your reason for killing Reyad. I’ll believe you now.�
“But I’m not ready to tell you,â€� I said and left the room.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“Don't feel ashamed for having those feelings and those memories. What happened in the past can't be changed, but they can be a guide for what happens in the future.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“It's a dirty way to fight, but I'm late for lunch."
- Valek to Yelena”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“How did you—â€�
“Fool your guards? They’re not very good. They forgot to check the ceiling for spiders.� Valek grinned. His angular face softened. Startled, I realized he wasn’t in disguise. “This is dangerous.�
“I knew falling for you was dangerous, love.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“Valek leaned back in his chair and said to me, “I don’t think I would have made it past the audition,Yelena. I probably would have set my hair on fire by this point.â€�
“What’s a singed head for the sake of art?â€� I teased. He laughed.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“I balled my hands into tight fists to keep them from wrapping around Mr. I-Know-Everything's superior neck.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“You look like hell,' he said to me in a low voice.

'Gee, Dax, don’t coat it with honey. Tell me what you really think,' I said.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“Anything else you want to tell me?â€� I asked Valek as we stopped a few feet short of the castle’s south entrance. “Did Ari and Janco set me up for Nix’s attack? Do you have another test of loyalty for me up your sleeve? Maybe the next time, I’ll actually fail. A prospect that seems appealing!â€� I pushed away Valek’s supporting arm. “When you warned me that you would test me from time to time, I thought you meant spiking my food. But it seems there is more than one way to poison a person’s heart, and it doesn’t even require a meal.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“Before Kiki and I headed toward the Keep, I thanked my friends.
“For what? We didn’t do anything,� Janco grumbled.
“For caring enough to follow my guards. And the next time, I might need the help.�
“There better not be a next time,� Ari said, giving me a stern look.
“How touching,� Janco said, pretending to wipe his eyes.
“Get going, Yelena. I don’t want you to see me cry.� He faked a sniffle.
“I’m sure your ego can handle it,� I said. “Or will you need to beat up some trainees to feel like a man again?�
“Very funny,â€� he said.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“In the end, only Leif believed that you were still alive. He thought you might be hiding somewhere, playing a game. As the rest of us grieved, Leif searched the jungle for you day after day.â€�
“When did he finally stop?� I asked.
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― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“Besides, thinking kind thoughts about Valek could be extremely dangerous. I could admire his skills, and be relieved when he was on my side in a fight. But for a rat to like the cat? That scenario ended only one way. With one dead rat.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“I gave him a bored look. I had been threatened many times before and had learned that the men who didn’t make verbal threats were the most dangerous.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“I’d better get going or Valek will be wondering where I am.â€�
“Yes, by all means go. I noticed you and Valek have become close. Tell him, for me, not to kill anybody, will you?� Sarcasm rendered Rand’s voice sharp.
I lost control and slammed the oven door shut. It echoed in the quiet kitchen. “At least Valek has the decency to inform me when he’s poisoning me,”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“If you don’t come back to the Keep, then I’ll be right. And every time you see me, I’ll be insufferably smug.â€�
“And how’s that different from now?â€� He laughed and I could see the young carefree boy he had been in his eyes. “You’ve only had a small glimpse of how insufferable and annoying I can be. As the older brother, it’s my birthright.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“Pretty stupid,â€� I called after his retreating form. “To give up before all possible solutions have been tried.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“My mind’s screaming went unvoiced. Logic grabbed the panic and wrestled it to the ground.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“Run,â€� he whispered. “Run.â€�
“No, Rand,� I said, brushing the dirt from his face. “I’m tired of running.�
“Forgive me, please.� He clutched my hand as his eyes beseeched me through tears of pain.
“You’re forgiven.�
He sighed once, then stopped breathing. The shine in his brown eyes dulled. I pulled his hood over his head.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“I wanted to dissolve into the floor, mixing myself with the hard stone. A stone had a single purpose: to be. No complicated promises, no worries and no feelings.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“Do you really want to know why you lost?â€� I asked.
“Do you really have an answer?� he countered.
“You need to get off your horse and run with your men. You don’t have the stamina for a long fight. And find a lighter sword.�
“But it was my uncle’s.�
“You’re not your uncle.�
“But I’m the King, and this is the King’s sword,� Cahil said. His brows creased together. He seemed confused.
“So wear it to your coronation,â€� I said. “If you use it in battle, you’ll be wearing it to your funeral,â€� I said.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“Reviewing our fight, I asked Janco, “Why do you rhyme when you fight?”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“Unfortunately, diplomacy was a dance I needed to learn.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“Valek coalesced from the shadows and wrapped me in his long lean arms. I soaked in his musky smell, listening to his heart beat. Strong and steady. No indication that he had been sneaking around.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Ice Study

“I shook my head at Janco. “I’ve got the situation under control. Go back to the Keep, I’ll meet you there.â€�
Janco stared at me in astonished silence. Ari, though, trusted me. “Come on, she doesn’t need our help.� Ari sheathed his sword. Janco recovered. He flashed me one of his mischievous grins. “I’ll bet you a copper that she’ll be free in five minutes,� he said to Ari.
Ari grunted in amusement. “A silver on ten minutes,� he countered.
“I’ll bet you both a gold coin that she kills him,� Valek said
from behind them. They moved aside and he entered, still dressed in his Adviser Ilom disguise. “The only way to take care of your problem. Right, love?”
― Maria V. Snyder

“Your path is clear,â€� said Moon Man. “You need to find it.â€�
And the best way to find something you had lost was to return to the last place you remembered having it. In my case, I needed to start at the very beginning.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study

“Rand rubbed his hands over his face. His anger had dissipated. “I’m sorry, Yelena. I was backed into a corner and I couldn’t get out without hurting someone.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Poison Study

“I found Esau’s field guide at the bottom of my pack. Taking a candle into the bedroom, I read his book until my eyes grew heavy. From his vast notes, it seemed that almost every plant and tree in the jungle had a reason for existing.
I caught myself wishing there was a page in his guide that had my picture on it with the reason for my existence written underneath in Esau’s neat hand.”
― Maria V. Snyder, Magic Study