“Lavender Lady not go again," Kiki said in my mind."I'll try to avoid it. No promises, though."She huffed. "Next time Kiki go.""A Horsefinder?""Help Lavender Lady.”

“Trust, Kiki said, Trust is peppermints.”

“In fact, there was a sort of satisfaction and pride in knowing that Kiki was his. Other men could look, they could envy, they could even covet, but she was going home with him. Every. Time.”

“Lavender used to be my favorite color in the box of sixty-four crayons - you know, the one with the sharpener built into the side...It seemed like it could draw anything. It was the right color for everything. I drew lavender flowers and my father's lavender eyes, my mother's lavender smile. They were the same to me, mother, father, flowers. All good. All lavender. And I was lavender, too.”

“Before Kiki and I headed toward the Keep, I thanked my friends.“For what? We didn’t do anything,” Janco grumbled.“For caring enough to follow my guards. And the next time, I might need the help.”“There better not be a next time,” Ari said, giving me a stern look.“How touching,” Janco said, pretending to wipe his eyes.“Get going, Yelena. I don’t want you to see me cry.” He faked a sniffle.“I’m sure your ego can handle it,” I said. “Or will you need to beat up some trainees to feel like a man again?”“Very funny,” he said.”

“Besides that, she's a fine young lady.""I'll be sure to remind her of that next time she starts yelling at us.”