“I love when you stand close to me. I can feel your breath fall against my neck and it sends chills and fire all over my body. (Jack)”

“She broke the seal to find the flowing, masculine script that had come to mean the world to her.Courage, my love. I need you to possess the same fire that led you from Scotland to Normandy that first day when we met. Whatever the day brings, know that I will always love you. You carry with you, my heart, my soul, my very being. Be strong for me, Kenna.Ever your knight,SPostscriptumS doesn't stand for Stryder.She laughed at that, even though her eyes were filled with tears.-Simon in a letter to Kenna”

“Down in the valley, leaves fall from trees, the branches are bare. All the flowers have faded, their blossoms once so beautiful. The frost attacks many herbs and kills them. I grieve. But if the winter is so cold, there must be new joys. Help me sing a joy of a hundred thousand times greater than the buds of May. I will sing of roses on the red cheeks of my lady. Could I win her favor, this lovely lady would give me such joy I would need no other. (Jack)What are you saying? (Lorelei)Noble lady, I ask nothing of you save that you should accept me as your servant. I will serve you as a good lord should serve, whatever the reward may be. Here I am, then, at your orders, sincere and humble, gay and courteous. You are not, after all, a bear or lion, and would not kill me, surely, if I put myself between your hands. I love you, my lady, Lorelei. Marry me and I swear I shall never again do or say anything to harm you and I will slay anyone who does. (Jack)”

“You’re not like other people and it pains me to see you do something so common when I know there’s much more to you than that. (Jack)How do you know? (Lorelei)I see it every time I look at you. You have a passion for life that burns so bright it almost singes me to be near it. Every time I see you suppress that fire it pains me. I don’t want anything to extinguish that fire. (Jack)”

“If you never reach out, no one will ever take your hand. (Lorelei)If I never reach out, then no one can ever bite my hand. (Jack)”

“I happen to like being sad over nothing at all. I find it suits me. (Ewan)A smile would suit you better. My mother always says that a smile is dressing for the face. (Nora)And I always say the face, much like the body, is best left naked. (Ewan)”

“Merewyn was a little more rational. “Perhaps we should whisper amongst ourselves and make them wonder what we speak of?” Blaise wagged his eyebrows at her before he pulled her into his arms. “Works well for me. Put your arms around my neck, and I’ll breathe in your ear.” Varian put the blade of his sword between them. “You can whisper from there.” Blaise appeared appalled. “What are you? An old maid?” “I promised her my protection.” The mandrake shook his head. “You’re gay, aren’t you?” Varian raised the blade to rest against Blaise’s Adam’s apple. He carefully pressed it close. Not so much that it drew blood, but enough to let him know that he wasn’t amused. “Or not.” Varian used the blade to push him away from Merewyn. His gaze met hers, and he felt the heat of his desire for her all the way through his body. At the moment, he wished he were gay. Then she wouldn’t tempt him so. “Or not. Definitely or not.”