“It was a trap after all,” Alric said. He turned to Royce. “My apologies for doubting your sound paranoia.”

“After everything I've been through, the last thing I'm going to apologize for is my paranoia.”

“Alric looked up at the thief with a scowl. “I just want to say for the record that as far as royal protectors go, you’re not very good.”“It’s my first day,” Royce replied dryly.“And already I’m trapped in a timeless prison. I shudder to think what might have happened if you had a whole week.”

“All that mattered was that Boyd was there. He was there for Sin, and when Sin opened his eyes to look at Boyd once more, Sin ignored all the self-doubt and paranoia. Because at that moment he somehow knew that Boyd always would be.”

“Come back!" the Caterpillar called after her. "I've something important to say."This sounded promising, certainly. Alice turned and came back again."Keep your temper," said the Caterpillar.”

“Bah!” Magnus scoffed. “Humans always blame dwarves. A baby goes missing and it was a dwarf that stole it. A princess runs off with a second son of a king and it was a dwarf who lured her to a deep prison. And when they find her with the prince—lo, she was rescued!“A king is stabbed in the back in his own chapel, and a princess’s toweris turned into a death trap,” Royce called back to them. “Friends arebetrayed and trapped in a prison—yes, I can see your surprise. Where do they get such ideas?”“Damn his elven ears,” Magnus said.”