“In the rational light of day, he could tell himself that it was better this way, for both of them. The past was the past, nothing but memories buried, and the pain of losing something precious was but brief. Most of the time he could make himself believe it, but sometimes in the night, with no company but his own echoing thoughts, the past would sneak up on him.”

“Everyone has an ulterior motive. Everyone wants something, and everyone is willing to do whatever they haveto in order to get it. Regardless of who winds up hurt in the process.”

“It dawned on me then that I didn’t understand anything half as wellas I thought I did.”

“Either you’re with me or you’re against me. I can’t afford to be looking over my shoulder all the time waiting for you to stick a knife in my back.”

“You aren’t exactly best friends with the truth yourself.”

“Yet beauty is a shallow thing. So fleeting. Strength, intelligence, spirit, these things can be far more appealing than what lies on the surface of a thing. And power, of course. For power, true power, can last forever.”

“I like plain old you.”