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

— Maria V. Snyder

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.

— Maria V. Snyder

Hasn’t stopped us before. And besides, if they wanted to kill us, we’d be dead by now and would be having an entirely different conversation. I wonder if I’d still be mad at you, or if we would talk in words or pictures. Maybe in smells. That would be cool.” -Banco

— Maria V. Snyder

He pulled back on the bridle, stopping in disbelief. “Your love for him has damaged your senses.”“And your hunger for power has affected you intelligence

— Maria V. Snyder

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.

— Maria V. Snyder

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

I mulled over the implications and decided not to waste my time worrying about what everyone else thought, or to bother attempting to change their perceptions. My time at the Keep was just a stopover. Let them wonder.

— Maria V. Snyder

In the war room, love? What if someone comes in?” I stood and removed his shirt. “Then they’ll have a good story to tell.”“Good?” He adopted the pretense of being offended.“Prove me wrong.

— Maria V. Snyder

I peered deeper and found my soul. A little tattered and with some holes, but there all the same. It had always been there, I realized with shock.

— Maria V. Snyder

I remembered my little brother, Allyn, had appeared so innocent and angelic when he slept--similar to Derrick. It must be a survival tactic. If Allyn hadn't looked so sweet, we would have killed him while he slept. He had been pure evil when he was awake--similar to Derrick.

— Maria V. Snyder