Maria V. Snyder Quotes

The creator had nothing to do with her rescue." "Yeah, he should have cried, thank the Flea!" Quain said. "Ooh, I like. We should use it all the time," Loren added. They tried out variations of it as they headed inside with Flea trotting behind them. "Guess

Why did Mother ask you to help me rescue Gelsi?" 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.' I hear they have six
members in good standing.
Valek is president since he had wanted to kill me twice."
Yelena to Leif

Ghost?" I asked.
Moon Man pointed to Valek. "Kiki's name for him. It makes sense," he said, seeing the look of confusion on my face. "To magical beings, we see the world through our magic. We see him with our eyes, but cannot see him with our magic. So he is like a ghost to us."
Valek listened to Moon Man. Although expressionless, I could tell by the rigid set to Valek's shoulders that he was prepared to strike.
"Another relative?" Valek asked.
A broad smile stretched Moon Man's lips. "Yes. I am her mother's uncle's wife's third cousin.

Moon Man pointed" title="Maria V. Snyder Quotes: Ghost?" I asked.
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I offer my heart, entrust my soul and give my life to you.

Oh, you made an impression. Like a stone caught in my boot.

Pushing magic toward the candle, I willed it to light. Nothing happened.
Irys made a strangled sound and the candle burned. "Are you directing your magic to the candle?"
"Yes. Why?"
"You just ordered me to light the candle for you," Irys said in exasperation. "And I did it.

Well, Valek, any new promotions?" the Commander asked
"No. But Maren shows promise. Unfortunately she doesn't want to be in my corps or even be my second.She just wants to beat me." Valek grinned, delighted by the challenge.
"And can she?" the Commander inquired. His eyebrows rose.
"With time and the proper training. She's deadly with her bow; it's just her tactics that need work."
"Then what do we do with her?"
"Promote her to General and retire some of those old wind-bags. We could use some fresh blood in the upper ranks."
"Valek, you never had a good grasp of military structure."
"Then promote her to First Lieutenant today, Captain tomorrow, Major the next day, Colonel the day after, and General the day after that."
"I'll take it under advisement.

I shook my head at Janco. "I've got the situation under control. Go back to the Keep, I'll meet you there."
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?

It's incomprehensible to me why a magician would create something that can be used against him. It's like giving your sword to your previously unarmed enemy, and then being surprised when he stabs you with it!" Bruns

Dark shadows of grief haunted his expression. More than any one person should be asked to bear. But that was the problem with grief. No one ever asked for it. It arrived with its bags packed for an extended stay. It settled into your best guest room and demanded to be waited on all day long, and which it finally shuffled out the door, it left behind permanent scratches on your furniture.

Oscove?" Valek paused. "He didn't have the stomach for it.

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.

Your path is clear," said Moon Man. "You need to find it."
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.

Your fear remains strong. You are not ready to face your story, preferring instead to surround yourself with knots. Someday, they will strangle you.

Whiskey Wendi," Kerrick said.
"Oh, yes," Loren said. A slow smile spread on his lips. "That was Grzebien? Wow that was ... a wild time."
"That was also over a year ago before Estrid and when the Booze Baron ruled the town. Do you really think the people would remember us?" Quain asked.
"Whiskey Wendi," Loren repeated, looking at Quain with a gleam in his eyes.
"Oh, yeah." Quain grinned. "Yeah, they'd remember.

"Oh, yes,"" title="Maria V. Snyder Quotes: Whiskey Wendi," Kerrick said.
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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.

I do know I felt as if my heart had been shredded when I found you in our storeroom, unconscious and bleeding. And leaving you with Vinco in the holding cells was the hardest thing I've ever done.
- Riley to Trella

What we do with our free time is none of your business. Now, why don't you shuffle off to Parffet. I saw him heading toward the latrines. He'll need you to wipe his ass soon. It's the one skill you're most suited for. - Ari, pg. 188.

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.

Kade: Life is rarely fair.
Opal: I know that now. Parents teach their children to share, to play fair, to be honest. But ... surprise! Life isn't fair. And it takes a while to transition from the childhood lies to the adult reality. I probably clung to the part of me that still expected fairness longer than most.

Another relative?" Valek asked.
A broad smile stretched Moon Man's lips. "Yes. I am her mother's uncle's wife's
third cousin."
Valek and Moon Man

A broad" title="Maria V. Snyder Quotes: Another relative?" Valek asked.
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Lief. That's not nice, considering all your sister has done for you," admonished Perl.
"Oh right. How could I forget that she made me bait for a snake, left me on house arrest in Ixia, and smuggled me into the Keep in a coffin.

Janco smiled with a predatory grin. If anyone beats us. And I'm feeling disinclined to allow that to happen.

THAT'S PATHETIC, YELENA," Dax complained. "An all-powerful Soulfinder who isn't all-powerful. Where's the fun in that?" He threw up his long thin arms in mock frustration.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not the one who attached the 'all-powerful' to the title.

No, love. You're the only one who has caused me to do the oddest things. You have truly poisoned me.

Many have tried to kill us. All have failed.
-Valek

My cheek stung and throbbed. I remained on the floor of the cave. Belen stood between me and Kerrick.
" ... temper in check. She's a sweet girl," Belen said.
"She's a healer, Belen. And no longer a girl. Healing Ryne is all I care about. All you should care about, as well. You know-"
"Yes, I know what's at stake." Belen spat the words. "But if you raise your hand to her again, I'll rip your arm from its socket.

I reached out blindly, clasped a warm hand, faded from life and into peace.
Well, that was what was supposed to happen ... Except an annoying, distracting tug kept pulling and yanking ...
When I woke, I thought I had overcome the pull and stayed in the afterlife. Whiteness billowed over me in soft waves. My body was cushioned and cocooned in warmth. I stretched my legs and then tried to raise my arms, but my left arm wouldn't budge. Rolling over, I encountered a number of very unpleasant realities.
I was alive. I was in a room. I was naked except for a blood-stained bandage wrapped tight around my stomach. Kerrick lay beside me. And his hand trapped mine.
Kill. Me. Now.

Your mother sounds like a formidable woman," Valek said into the silence.
"You have no idea," Leif replied with a sigh.
"Well, if she's anything like Yelena, my deepest sympathies," Valek teased.
"Hey!"
Leif laughed and the tense moment dissipated.
Valek handed Leif his machete. "Do you know how to use it?"
"Of course. I chopped Yelena's bow into firewood," Leif joked.

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.

Ah, Kerry. You've found your heart. Who is she?"
...
"A healer, but she's ... gone.

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."
"And how's that different from now?" 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.

They were my family, yet they were strangers.

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." His sapphire eyes held a promise. - Valek

Good food, fresh water, and an occasional sweet and someone to care for. That's what everyone should have. A simplistic and unrealistic view I knew, but it soothed me.

Valek: You know a death sentence hasn't kept us apart before.
Yelena: Is that an order Valek?
Valek: No, it's a promise!

Right before I was escorted to the jail, Fawn waved bye bye to me. I smiled. My empty, pointless life for hers. Not bad.

When we reached the door, Belen stepped in the way. 'If any harm - '
'Comes to her, you'll rip out my arms. Got it,' Kerrick said.
'I'm serious,' Belen said.
'I know. Do you really think I'd put her in danger?'
'Not on purpose, but things happen that are out of your control.'
Kerrick gave him a tight smile. 'You mean I'm not omnipotent?'
'You're not even semi-potent.'
'Is that even a word?' Kerrick asked.
'He probably means you're impotent,' I offered.

You missed the point completely! You're acting ... " The word stuck in my throat.
He didn't hesitate to say it. "Jealous?" When I nodded, he continued. "Now you're missing the point. It isn't jealousy. It's fear."
"Fear?" Not the emotion I expected.
"Yes. Fear. I'm afraid you'll be hurt or killed. I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you. I'm afraid I'll lose you to another man.

Reviewing our fight, I asked Janco, Why do you rhyme when you fight?

Every person has the latent ability to read minds and influence the physical world without touching it, but they don't have the ability to connect with the power source.

Care to explain?" Ari asked.
"Didn't you see my signals?"
"Yeah. But they didn't make sense. Five into one and it's an intrusion."
"It's an illusion! Five of them are an illusion."
"That's not the signal for illusion. This is." Ari demonstrated the proper signal.
"That's what I did."
"No, you didn't. You did a weird twisty thing with your pinky."
"I had a scimitar at my throat. I'd like to see you try signaling under those conditions."
-Janco and Ari bickering

"Didn't" title="Maria V. Snyder Quotes: Care to explain?" Ari asked.
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For the first time, I was the center of attention. Everyone watched me as if I were a bomb. Would I explode and cause a disaster or would I pop and cause a miracle?

It can't be good news," Leif said. "I'd doubt you would brave the weather just to say hello."
"You opened the door before I could knock," I said. "You must know something's up."
Leif wiped the rain from his face. "I smelled you coming."
"Smelled?"
"You reek of Lavender. Do you bathe in Mother's perfume or just wash your cloak with it?" he teased.
"How mundane. I was thinking of something a little more magical.

No problem. I know you'll want to take a closer look. It's irresistible, like candy and babies."

"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but you find candy and babies irresistible?" Ari asked.

"Hell no. They're both sticky."

His partner waited.

"Some people find them irresistible. And, you know..." Janco waved his hand. "They're easy to steal...or something like that."

"I was right."

"About what?"

"I regret asking that question.

He huffed in amusement. She had the unique ability to attract danger even when in benign situations. Perhaps he should amend his plan and just watch her.

We are searching for the same thing," Stripey said.
"How do you know?" Janco asked.
"I read his mind." The Sitian pointed to Ari. "Yours was too ... chaotic. Too many useless thoughts to wade through."
A compliment or an insult? Janco guessed compliment and preened.

Sleep? What's that? A new type of casserole?

It's a dirty way to fight, but I'm late for lunch.
- Valek to Yelena

How did you-"
Fool your guards? They're not very good, the forgot to check the ceiling for spiders."Valek grinned. His angular face softened.

Fool your guards?" title="Maria V. Snyder Quotes: How did you-"
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It was all a part of being trustworthy - of being a piece of sea glass. High tides, low tides, storms, sand and mistakes all contributed to the polishing process. Though difficult to endure at the time, the demanding elements helped smooth the surface, transforming one into a better person, not worse. A person who learned from the harsh environment, who knew the storm would end, and who felt confident she would still be in one piece.

There will always be sharks in the water. Nothing you can do about it except be careful where you swim." "Your

Riley - "Don't worry, there are many safeguards in place. Unless you want me to have Logan explain - "
Trella - "No! I trust you."
He clutched his hands to his chest. "She ... Gasp ... Trusts me! Call for medical aid stat!"
I swung at him, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet.
Snaking his arms around my waist, he said, "We need to celebrate this momentous occasion."
"What are we celebrating?" Jacob Ashon, Riley's father, asked from the doorway.

Some Queen of the Pipes, I thought. I'd believed I was better than a mindless drone. But I was the mindless one, hiding away. Even now I referred to them as if I didn't belong.

It's your fault. I was defending you!" I blurted.
He paused. "In protecting my honor, you exposed months of work. I should be flattered?

Pain jabbed Janco where the lower half of his right ear used to be. He rubbed the scar. "Now, I'm not a genius - "
"Got that right," Ari mumbled.

Back so soon?" he asked. "Too bad. I was just about to organize a search for your dead body. What happened when you knocked on the southerner magician's door to sacrifice yourself? Did they kick you out, thinking you too half-witted to waste their time on?

She put her hands on her hips and surveyed the area with a cocky smile on her face. The smirk spread when the traitor met my gaze.
"No hello for your old friend?" she asked me. "Don't be rude Baby Face."
"Go to hell, Wynn.

I'll have you know that the most delicate flowers often produce the strongest scent when crushed.

Valek would get more from me than a smile.

My cape caught fire. I dived to the sand and rolled on the ground to snuff the flames. So much for my grand entrance.

Living is a risk,' I snapped at him. 'Every decision, every interaction, every step, every time you get out of bed in the morning, you take a risk. To survive is to know you're taking that risk and to not get out of bed clutching illusions of safety.

Liv held out her right index finger. "I've got a splinter that I can't get out. It's killing me and affecting my duty."
"Uh-huh." I examined the minuscule speck that could be dirt.

Without warning, he sprawled forward, doing a face-plant in the snow.
At first, we laughed and teased. the normally surefooted Kerrick brushed snow off his cape, grumbling good-naturedly.

Sieges weathered.

Good food, fresh water, an occasional sweet and someone to care for. That's what everyone should have.

When we reached the beach, Leif fell to his knees with a dramatic cry. "Solid ground! I'll never take you for granted again."
"Are you going to kiss the sand?" I asked.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Now I'M the one being silly?"
"Yes.

You keep things interesting, love. It would be boring without you.

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.

Mixing myself with the hard stone. A stone had a single purpose: to

Yes, I thought I'd try electrocution next. Since a bomb, a fire, Vinco's knife and a brief encounter with outer space didn't kill me.

You can't let the past ruin your future.

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.

It's a good thing you can't read my mind, love.

Anything else you want to tell me?" 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!" 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.

Kerrick the weed.

only one way to find out

Trella! You're here," he said with glee.
"Even though I'm not as smart as you, I do know where I am.

Mr. Kerrick wants your hair one color so you don't stand out so much.
Mr. Kerrick could kiss my ass.

I am Trella the victorious leader of the Force of Sheep rebellion. Yes the name sounds ridiculous, and I still can't believe we named a major life changing event after livestock - or actually a stuffed animal - but it made sense at the time.

Exactly. You can shoulder all the blame and become a martyr. Provided anyone knows what or who you're martyring for. Or you can accept that some things are important enough to fight for and realize there will be sacrifices along the way.

A full-out rebellion would take a major amount of luck and coordination. The Tech Nos and Domotor looked at me, waiting. No one else would be able to organize both sides. I drew in a deep breath. We had the technology, the intelligence and the people - put enough sheep together and you have a herd, a force to be reckoned with. We needed a leader.

... Yelena? Hello?" Leif poked my arm.
"I'm here."
"What are we going to do?" Leif asked me.
"It's too late to go anywhere else. Kiki and the horses will watch the outside of the building and alert me if anyone approaches."
"Ooh, guard horses. How quaint.

I doubt I would ever be missed. Noted absent, charged delinquent, reprimanded but never missed.

I'd better get going or Valek will be wondering where I am."
"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,

And what did you give him in return?"..."My heart.

The Queen Seeker was back!

My sanity threatened to take a holiday without me.

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."
"What's a singed head for the sake of art?" I teased. He laughed.

Your life is like this snake's coils. No matter how many turns it makes, you'll end up back where you belong.

Leif: Getting killed would have been easier. No guilt. No worries. No fear. Caring for someone is terrible and wonderful. I don't know if I have the strength to do it for another. How do you deal with it?
Yelena: I focus on the wonderful parts and suffer through the terrible parts, knowing it will end eventually.

There might be plenty of rainy days, but those perfect ones will make all the memories of rain disappear.

Sorry. An overdeveloped nurturing instinct comes with being a healer.

You have slipped under my skin, invaded my blood, and seized my heart. You have poisoned me.

The past shouldn't be forgotten. It should be used as a guide for future situations and not used as a reason to avoid making difficult decisions. There was always a choice.

And it's always better to check than be sorry," Quain added. "'It worked' could be code for the dead are invading."
"Wow, that's ... really random, Quain. Aside from you , who would ever put those two things together?

Run," he whispered. "Run."
"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.

"No, Rand,"" title="Maria V. Snyder Quotes: Run," he whispered. "Run."
"No, Rand,"" width="913px" height="515px" loading="lazy"/>

Fourteen years without a mother had me believe I could be stoic when I finally met her.

It's a good thing you're not my Story Weaver. You're easily distracted by the pattern of the cloth and can't see the quality of the threads." "Well

Knife fighting was his forte, but he wouldn't have time to have a proper match. Pity.