One eye is open to all truth, the other closed to all deception.

— Brandon Mull

Please," Kendra said. "Think of all the lives that will be destroyed."" I have," Mark said. "Believe me, darling, I grasp all aspects of this, I really do. But how much has the public I'm protecting worried about me? My sanity, my happiness, my right to find peace?"" They made no promises," Bracken said. "They are not preventing the end of the world. Those who know about your sacrifice appreciate you immeasurably. Your life may not be fair, but it is absolutely necessary.

— Brandon Mull

Rachel opened her mouth to respond, but the head cut her off.

— Brandon Mull

Rolling flat onto his back, Drake shuddered. Then he inhaled deeply. He stared up at the night sky. "We're going to win," he said, his voice calmer, less strained. "This is nothing. Keep going. They can't stop us. Jason, give Rachel the necklace. Tell her. . . Tell her I'm sorry. Tell her. . . I wanted. . . To show her. . . My little valley. Tell her I tried." His voice was growing weak. Warfare smoothed a hand over his brow. "Shhh," she whispered. "Be still, Drake. You can rest now. You did it. Rest. We'll take it from here."" Failie," he whispered, his hand twitching toward the back of his neck with little jerks. "Where's my seed?" His head tipped sideways. The breath went out of him.

— Brandon Mull

Smart people learn from their mistakes. But the real sharp ones learn from the mistakes of others.

— Brandon Mull

The curse of mortality. You spend the first portion of your life learning, growing stronger, more capable. And then, through no fault of your own, your body begins to fail. You regress. Strong limbs become feeble, keen senses grow dull, hardy constitutions deteriorate. Beauty withers. Organs quit. You remember yourself in your prime, and wonder where that person went. As your wisdom and experience are peaking, your traitorous body becomes a prison.

— Brandon Mull

The good stupid is the brave kind. When there's a real reason behind. Bad stupid is everything else.

— Brandon Mull

The man unwilling to brave the test has already shown himself to be much more craven than the man who fails.

— Brandon Mull

The only furniture in the dank space was a flimsy cot. Water dripped steadily in one corner. A hole in the floor appeared to serve as a latrine. What most caught Kendra's eye were the messages scratched on the wall. She roamed the cell, reading the crudely inscribed phrases." Seth rules! Welcome to Seth's House. Seth rocks! Seth was here. Now it's your turn. Seth Sorenson forever. Enjoy the food! If you're reading this, you can read. All roads lead to Seth. Is it still dripping? Seth haunts these halls. You're in a Turkish prison! Seth is the man! Use the meal mats as toilet paper." And so forth. Cold, hopeless, and alone, Kendra found herself giggling at the messages her brother had scrawled. He must have been so bored!

— Brandon Mull

The pendulum swings between Light and Darkness

— Brandon Mull