“I pause at the door, wishing I could find a corner and sleep until my head clears, but the sailor said the abbess is expecting me, and while I do not know much about abbesses, I suspect they are not fond of waiting.”

“I stare at him coldly. "I do not care for needlework." I pause. "Unless it involves the base of the skull.”

“God's Teeth,' he says. 'I was only trying to wake you. You were crying out in your sleep.''I was not,' I say, then look from his neck to my knife.'When I tried to wake you, you stabbed me.' He sounds sore put out. and I cannot blame him.”

“Do you need anything before I go?I want you to return my wits, I long to say.”

“Every time he glances at me I feel it just as surely as if he has reached out and run his finger along my soul. It is all I can do not to smile at the sheer wonder of it.”

“And just as love has two sides, so too does Death. While Ismae will serve as His mercy, I will not, for that is not how He fashioned me.Every death I have witnessed, every horror I have endured, has forged me to be who I am -- Death's justice.”

“I will sit here but an hour or two, then leave."I yawn. "So very long as that?"When he answers, there is a wry note in his voice. "I do have my reputation to protect.”