“Yes, we have different viewpoints represented among us," she continued. "Yes, we have a displacer in our number, and a half giant, and a seedman who publicly disgraced us.""She's talking about you," Drake muttered to Nollin, loud enough to draw a laugh."No, Drake, I'm talking about you," Farfalee corrected.”

“How do you kill something that's already dead?Nobody knows enough about them. Ask Jason. He'll have an opinion.Wait a moment. Rachel could see Corinne talking to Jason, but they were too far ahead to hear. He says you chop them up into little pieces.But what if that infects you with the disease?Jason leaned closer to answer Corinne quietly. She laughed. You let Nollin do it.”

“What if a pair of us head off on our own?" Nollin proposed, panting. "A small detachment might avoid detection.""It's a gamble," Ferrin said. "If the duo gets noticed, they'll be defenseless. Who'd you have in mind?""Some key delegates," Nollin said. "Perhaps myself and Aram."Rachel shook her head. Evidently, Nollin had noticed the critical role Aram had played during the escape.Ferrin laughed openly. "Aram, you've been promoted to essential!""I'm generally more appreciated at night," the big man grumbled. "I'm going to the table, Nollin.""Maybe we should all remain together," Nollin repented.”

“The comforts of life as a fugitive," Drake sighed. "Stumbling about in the dark without mounts.”

“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. Farfalee 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.”

“I'll not have my grandson subjected to the humiliation of his reading becoming public. We have to cope with this disgrace discreetly -- Grandma Ruth”

“You're just a character in my dream.""You wish.""I didn't mean my love interest," she replied defensively. "You'd have better hair. You're the character I dreamed up because the rest of the dream was making me homesick." "Maybe you're the character I dreamed up to scare myself awake.""That's not very nice!""You made fun of my hair. I like it this way. Short and simple."I don't mind short. Mine is short.""Then what's wrong with mine?" Jason challenged."Maybe we should talk about something else.""Like the guy on a horse coming to kill us?""It needs more style," she muttered."The horse?""Your hair.""I forgot to bring my gel when I got eaten by a hippo.”