“No, no, no, no,no,' he gasped. 'You can't bring up your mum and dad while your hand is down there, Finke”

“If he goes for my nose again, I fink I'll hang him up by his little balls,' one of the Guard said, getting to his feet. Froi tried to ignore the mockery.'Nothing little about me,' he grunted. 'Don't take my word for it, Hindley. Ask your wife. She seemed happy last night, you know, with the size and all.”

“This hand says you spend the rest of your life with me," he said, holding out his left hand, "and this one says I spend the rest of my life with you. Choose."She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. She took both of his hands in hers and he shuddered. "I will die protecting you," he says.There was a look of dismay on her face. "Just like a man of this kingdom, Finnikin. Talking of death, yours or mine, is not a good way to begin a-"Isaboe gave a small gasp when he leaned forward, his lips an inch away from hers. "I will die for you," he whispered.She cupped his face in her hands. "But promise me you'll live first. Because nothing we are about to do is going to be easy and I need you by my side.”

“Later, when they were almost asleep he had called out to her.'Finke?''Yeah?''We'll make a great team. You plant. I build,”

“Coffee?" Santangelo calls down to us. We both look up. He,Ben, and Raffy are hanging over the side."Is it espresso?" Anson Choi asks behind us."Freshly percolated," Ben answers. "You should see the gadgets they have up here."Anson Choi aims a begging look at Griggs."You want to sell out over a coffee?" Griggs asks him with disgust."They've got muffins as well," I tell them. "Double chocolate chip. His mum made them."Griggs gets up and holds out a hand to me. "Truce.”

“What about the contacts your mum had?” his dad asked.“I rang and spoke to four very polite computers who gave me all these options and then cut out on me. Then I tried the post office, because they were advertising, and I spoke to another computer. Very rude, that one. Don’t think it recognized ‘Are you shitting me?’ as an option.”“You know why that is?”“Why is that, Dominic?” Tom had asked drolly, because he knew he was going to be told why.“Because we don’t live in a society anymore, Tom. We live in an economy. We’re not citizens. We’re customers. That’s what this government’s done to us.”

“Ned?' he says, after a while. 'Oi, Ned?''What?''If someone says to you that the guy they're going out with doesn't have to prove how smart he is, what's your response?''That he's dumb.''And if he has a sixpack?''Dumb jock.''Not too intense.''Dumb jock with no personality.''And they see eye to eye?'Ned pauses. 'With the spitfire from Dili?''Same,' Tom corrects.Ned holds up a hand to where Tara would reach him in height.'Dumb jock with no personality and short-man syndrome.''Thanks, Ned.''Anytime.”