“Disturber shuffled his scroll. 'You have used magi for evil purposes, including twenty-three murders--''Self-defense!' Setne tried to spread his hands, but the ribbons restrained him.'--including one incident where you were paid to kill with magic,' Disturber said.Setne shrugged. 'That was self-defense for my employer.”

“Ray's voice echoes in my head from one of his many self-defense lectures."It's the panic that's gonna kill you or get you seriously hurt, Annie.”

“Self-defense was an accepted motive for murder.”

“I just had his hand in a vise,” I protested indignantly. “It wasn’t like I had a dagger in his ribs. ‘Hand in a vise’ is simple assault or, in my case, self-defense. ‘Dagger in the ribs’ is attempted murder. My family did teach me the difference.”

“...I'd killed my self-defense instructor. Shit.I ran to where he lay and stumbled to a crouch at his side, touching his shoulder. "Craig?"His eyelids fluttered. A few panicked heartbeats later, he opened them. Then he grinned."Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! You gotta learn to hit people." He was breathing hard. He had to gasp the words out. I'd probably knocked the wind out of him. "Now, never do that to me again."-Kitty and her self defense teacher”

“Now what?” Urgit warily asked his bride-to-be.“Am I disturbing your Majesty?” Prala asked.“…You always disturb me, my beloved,” he answered her question, spreading his arms extravagantly.”