“City people. They may know how to street fight but they don't know how to wade through manure.”

“We're an Ag college," I explain to them. "Not as good as the one in Yanco but we have livestock.""Cows?" Anson Choi asks, covering his nose."Pigs, too. And horses. Great for growing tomatoes.The Cadets are wanna-be soldiers. City people. They may know how to street fight but they don't know how to wade through manure."I'm going to throw up," one of the guys says."Don't feel too bad," I explain. "Some of our lot did while they were laying out this stuff. Actually, right there where you're standing.”

“When I turn around, he cups my face in his hands and he kisses me so deeply that I don't know who is breathing for who, but his mouth and tongue taste like warm honey. I don't know how long it lasts, but when I let go of him, I miss it already.”

“Everyone had told him to be strong for her, but Finnikin didn't know how to be strong for himself.”

“There's not much you need to know about the world. Except how to use a sword and trust very few.”

“I would rather die than ever see you suffering this way. I don't want you or any child I ever have or any woman I ever love to go through or feel what you're going through, but it's happened and I don't know what to do.”

“Worse still, he doesn’t know how to follow the piper anymore because it’s a path Tom has lost faith in.And the piper knows it. Tom can see it in his father’s eyes now. And the more he stares, the clearer it becomes.”