“Ewan had shown her ways for a man to take a woman that she wouldn't have thought possible. But never once had he hurt her.Nay, her bear was ever tender.”

“She reached up to place her fingertips to his lips as she stared up at him with a warm, tender expression. "I wish you had come home to me so that I could have helped you."He pulled the cloth away from her face and stared at her for a hard second. "Had I known what was waiting for me, my lady, I would have."-Christian and Adara”

“Staring at the floor, she didn't even look up as the final contestant entered.Not until she heard a deep, rich baritone that filled the hall with the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.Her heart pounding, she looked up to see Stryder holding his mother's lute.Only it wasn't a love song he sang.More like a limerick, it was a song about a woman who fancied herself a goose.And a man who gobbled her up.Laughter and applause rang out as soon as he strummed the last note.Breathe, breathe.It was the only thing Rowena could think. And even that couldn't get her to take a breath as Stryder approached her.He smoothed her hair and straightened her feathered crown. "Methinks my goose has molted."Rowena laughed as more tears streaked down her face.”

“Especially given the severity of some of her curses. God help him if any of them ever came true. Why, he’d be a two-headed, three-toed, monkey-nosed, blind son of a cesspit-licking lackey if she had her way. (Braden)”

“God help him if any of them ever came true. Why, he'd be a two-headed, three-toed, monkey-nosed, blind son of a cesspit-licking lackey is she had her way.”

“Clumsy? Why, I’ve had more women than you, you whelp. Well. Maybe not more than you, but certainly more than Ewan. (Lochlan)That’s not saying much. My left boot has had more women than Ewan. (Braden)”

“Have you always been so large? (Nora)Aye. I came from my mother’s womb at full height. The shock of it almost killed her. (Ewan)”