“We stepped back and looked at the king of the gods, slumped in his chair snoring, and cradling his crook like a teddy bear. I placed the war flail across his lap, hoping it might make a difference—maybe complete his powers or something. No such luck."Sick weasels," Ra muttered."Behold," Sadie said bitterly. "the glorious Ra.”

“Hello Ra," he said in a kindly voice. "It's been a long time." A feeble voice from behind the chair said,"Can't play. Go away." "would you like a treat?" Apophis asked. "we used to play so nicely together. Every night, trying to kill each other. Don't you remember?"Ra poked his head above the throne. "Treat?""How about a stuffed date?" Apophis pulled one out of the air. "You used to love stuffed dates, didn't you? All you have to do is come out and let me devour— I mean entertain you."" Want a cookie," Ra said."What kind?""Weasel cookie."I'm here to tell you, that comment about weasel cookies probably saved the known universe.”

“One Minister dared to remark on why Tobey could not simply be given a chair and the High King laughed, and said his brain processed information better when Tobey sat on his lap.”

“I hoped he'd take his dog and drive down to the ocean. I hoped there was still time. I pictured him sitting on the gray rocks with the waves crashing and spraying white foam. Maybe he'd hear something in the roar of the ocean, feel some limitless power, believe that there's something greater. Something more. Maybe his heaven was at the coast, with a dog's head in his lap, with nothing but water and depth from there to the horizon." -Delaney”

“I will feast on enemies of Ra until my belly is full!”“Charming,” Sadie whispered.”

“Behold the Drojim Palace," King Urgit said extravagantly to Sadi, "the hereditary home of the House of Urga.""A most unusual structure, You Majesty," Sadi murmured."That's a diplomatic way to put it." Urgit looked critically at his palace. "It's gaudy, ugly, and in terribly bad taste. It does, however, suit my personality almost perfectly.”