“Pounce had it easier than any of us. No one noticed a black cat in the street. He stopped here and there to sniff aught of interest. Wherever our Rat stopped, Pounce was there, close enough to see up the Rat's nose. I was so proud. Now there was a proper god, making himself useful!Since my thought might be deemed blasphemy, I said silent prayers to the Goddess and to Mithros. I begged forgiveness and asked them not to misunderstand. Since I wasn't blasted where I stood, I guess they forgave me, or they hadn't heard my blasphemy.”

“Ersken gathered the dice, put them in the cup they had used for play, and tucked it inside one bound Rat's shirt."Let that be a lesson to you not to gamble," he told the Rat soberly. "The trickster asks you pay for any luck you may have, one way or another." "Bless the boy, he's a priest with it," one of the Goddess warriors said with a grin. "After this, laddie, what's say I take you home and rub some of that off yez?"Ersken actually winked at her! "Forgive me, gracious warrior, but my woman would turn me into something unnatural if I took you up on your kind offer," he replied as if he truly regretted it. "She's a mage and I'd best stay devoted.”

“If her rump were any stiffer, she'd break it every time she rides', I thought to Pounce.'If she fell on the steps, they would never be able to put her together again', he replied.”

“Sandry: "I am silly, now and then. My mother said I was, anyway."Daja: "If you know, you can stop it."Sandry: "Then you've never been silly or you'd know it just creeps up without any warning.”

“What trouble have you brought to my doorstep, Beka?" she asked."I don't see where blaming me for things that began months ago will be useful," I replied.”

“Faithful: When will you learn to leave well enough alone?Alanna sighed. "When I want to stop learning, I guess.”

“Why does this mean so much to you, Jon?"The Prince turned. "Because he's my friend. Because I always know where he stands, and where I stand with him. Because I think he'd die for me and--and I think I'd die for him. Is that enough?”