“Getawayfrommeyoumiserablelittlecreep.”

“So you questioned him?" Raisa prompted. "What did he say for himself?""Well, the first thing Gillen does is steal his purse and beat him with a club." Amon said.”

“Just a rat, she repeated to herself. After all, there were rats in the palace. Human and otherwise. Could be worse.”

“Raisa felt relieved, yet oddly disappointed. She was the blooded princess heir, yet in servants' clothes she was apparently unrecognizable. In the stories, rulers had a natural presence about them that identified them as such, even dressed in rags.What's the nature of royalty, she wondered. Is it like a gown you put on that disappears when you take it off? Does anyone look beyond the finery? Could anyone in the queendom take her place, given the right accessories? If so, it was contrary to everything she'd ever been taught about bloodlines.”

“Just tell me you don't love me, and I'll let the matter drop.""What?""What I said. Just say, 'Rai, I don't love you and I never will'. It's that simple.""Raisa, this is getting us nowhere.""Say it!”

“You touch me again, you arrogant Ardenine swine, and I swear on the blood of Hanalea the warrior, I will geld you. Do you understand?”

“And it's not just a matter of you hurting me. I will hurt you too, even if I don't want to, I'm not the girl you think I am. And you will remember this conversation , and wish that you'd listened to me.”