“Seminaked men!” Jacky trilled.“With swords,” Kat purred. “It is a romance novel!”

“Mercy is stronger than your sword.”

“A lot of men wouldn't like being called a romantic. It's not macho enough.'Quite often men are fools.”

“The ability to accessorize is what elevates us from lower-life forms," I said in my lecture voice, choosing a pair of diamond-studded drops for my ear. "Like men.”

“How the hell could Rhiannon keep people loyal to her if she was such a bitch?”Alanna gave me a knowing look.“I mean female people. It’s obvious how she kept her men happy.” My hands were planted on myhips and I was tapping my foot in time with my anger. (I looked very teacherish—as a matter of fact, I felt the sudden desire to reprimand a teenager. But there’s never one around when you need one.)”

“She's really amazing," Darius said as he gazed lovingly after her. "If by amazing you mean a total pain in the butt, then I'll agree with you.”

“I've bespelled this locket, for you; my own, my mate. The day has come when death forced us to part. You must know that I for you, forever, I shall wait. So until we meet again I hold your love safely within my heart.Remember, your oath was to temper strength with mercy. No matter how long apart we shall be, I hold you to that oatheternally... eternally...”