“I would not put my little bird in the jaws of a trap without being near enough to make sure it wouldn't close on her.”

“My voice wouldn't work right. I made a tiny nod instead, because - how's this for weird? - I didn't want him to let go of me. He'd pulled back a little, with just his lower half, and I was afraid the scorch in my cheeks would set fire to the rest of me, because I had an idea why. Wow. Oh, wow.”

“I never had trouble eating or sleeping when I thought of her in danger. I didn't want to tear my heart out when she looked sad. I'm tainted, I know as much. Just let me stay near you, Dru. Please." - Christophe”

“No,” he agreed. “You’re not. She never caused me this agony.”What could I say to that? The way he was looking at me was making my head feel funny. Was making me feel funny and not just in that oh God I just almost died way.Christophe leaned in. His mouth was a mere centimetres from me. “She never made me think I would die of heart failure. She never, never made me fear for her this way.”

“He was so close it was hard to breathe. It was exactly like being next to an oven baking a really spicy apple pie.”

“I wished Graves would look at me. But he just stood there, glaring out from under his hair. I'm sure he could have painted fuck-off on his forehead and it would have been more subtle.”

“And that must be Mr.Graves. My, aren't you the handsome one? If I had space free on my guards I might almost break the tradition and offer you a Trial challenge.""That's assuming I'd take it."[...]"Oh, Kir. Relax. Mr. Graves has a sarcastic sense of humor. It's something to apreciate in a man. Boy humor is so juvenile.""It wasn't sarcasm. It was pointiong out a fallacy in your logic, babe."Anna's jaw actually dropped.”