"I should rather have you than a heap of gold, even if it were very comfortable to sleep on."
- Naomi Novik
"Temeraire said, 'It is very nice how many books there are, indeed. And on so many subjects!"
"Elsie eyed him puzzledly, and then offered, "Would you like to see my plate?"
"Enough of that, you damned conspirators, you will have us hanged a great deal sooner than we will."
"I am of the opinion", Tharkay said, "that you ought not assign to free will something more likely the consequence of a sharp blow to the skull."
"I do not know that the Chinese system is any worse; there is a limit to the evil one despot alone can do, and if he is truly vicious he can be overthrown; a hundred corrupt members of Parliament may t..."
"I grabbed back at him just as incautiously with my hand and my magic both, even as he pressed magic on me from his side as well. His breath huffed out sharply, and our workings caught on one another, ..."
"I didn't properly think about what was happening even as I kissed him back, my laughter spilling into his mouth and making stutters of my kisses. I was still bound up with him, our magic snarled up in..."
"The river flows to the sea, whatever the wind says about it"
"And we must still try or we would be leaving our friends to fight without us. I think this is what you have meant by duty, all along; I do understand, at least this much of it."