“Then, driven by the same impulse, they kissed him--Aylss on the let cheek, Evanlyn on the right.And then they glared daggers at each other.”

“Very well," he said now. "Fighting positions, please, ladies..." "That's debatable," Halt said in an undertone to Will as they stood watchingn. A number of the off-duty crew had gathered to watch as well. There was a certain enjoyment to be had in watching two extremely attractive girls trying to split each other's skulls open with wooden swords."The 'fighting' part or the 'ladies' part?" Will replied with a grin. Halt looked at him and shook his head. "Definitely the 'ladies,'" he said. "There's no debate about the fighting.'"~Halt & Will about Evanlyn and Alyss”

“It's called a sea anchor,' [Evanlyn] explained. 'It'll stop us drifting too far.'Alyss was impressed. 'And you said you were pig-ignorant when it came to boats.''I don't remember saying that,' Evanlyn replied with a frown.Alyss shrugged. 'Oh? Well, it must have been me.”

“Halt eyed them balefully. They were all being so obvious about not mentioning his sudden reappearance that it was even worse than if they had commented on it...'Oh, go on!' he said. 'Somebody say something! I know what you're thinking!''It's good to see you up and about, Halt,' Selethen said gravely...Halt glared at the others and they quickly chorused their pleasure at seeing him back to his normal self. But he could see the grins they didn't quite manage to hide. He fixed a glare on Alyss.'I'm surprised at you Alyss,' he said. 'I expected no better of Will and Evanlyn, of course. Heartless beasts, the pair of them. But you! I thought you had been better trained!'...'Halt, I'm sorry! It's not funny, you're right... Shut up, Will.' This last was directed at Will as he tried, unsuccessfully, to smother a snigger.”

“Horace, fit, and athletic and light on his feet, gave their guards the fewest opportunities to beat him, although on one occasion an angry Tualaghi, furious that Horace misunderstood an order to kneel, slashed his dagger across the young man’s face, opening a thin, shallow cut on his right cheek. The wound was superficial but as Evanlyn treated it that evening, Horace shamelessly pretended that it was more painful than it really was. He enjoyed the touch of her ministering hands. Halt and Gilan, bruised and weary, watched as she cleaned the wound and gently pated it dry. Horace did a wonderful job of pretending to bear great pain with stoic bravery. Halt shook his head in disgust.“What faker,” he said to Gilan. The younger Ranger nodded.“Yes. He’s really making a meal of it isn’t he?” He paused, then added more ruefully, “Wish I’d thought of it first.”

“Bear with me on this, Evanlyn. I know you're anxious about Horace."WIll was a little puzzled by Halt's words. "No more anxious than the rest of us, surely," he said.Halt turned away and raised his eyebrows as his gaze met Selethen's. Sometimes, he thought, his former apprentice could be remarkably slow on the uptake. He saw the Arridi's slow nod of understanding.~Halt & Will about Evanlyn and Horace”

“It’s a big raised platform at the end of the square, with steps running up to it.”Like a stage?” Evanlyn suggested. “Maybe they’re planning to put on a play?”Or an execution,” Horace said.”