I don’t want to love you if you’re only going to die.

Love is stupid. It has nothing to do with reason. You love whomever you love.

He considered her seriously. “Well. And that’s easy,” he said. “My Grace will protect me from him, And I’ll protect you. You’ll be safe with me, Katsa.

The kingdoms’ people were at the mercy of the natures of those who rose to be their rulers. It was a gamble, and the current generation did not make for a winning hand.

Still doing your best to ruin the horses, I see.

Get some sleep in here, will you? Both of you, girl and horse. And I hope you’ll tell me someday, Fire, why you did it.” With a swirl of skirts and a click of the latch, Roen was gone. Fire closed her eyes and considered the question. She’d done it because she’d had to. An apology for the life of her father, who’d created a world of lawlessness where towns like Gray Haven fell under the attack of looters. And she’d done it to show Roen’s son that she was on his side. And also to keep him alive.

You won’t even take your bow? Are you planning to throttle a moose with your bare hands, then?

In the saddle again, Fire mulled over the commander’s trust, prodding it around, like a candy in her mouth, trying to decide whether she believed it.

Po looked at her, but he didn’t see her. His eyes snapped, silver ice and gold fire.

It’s hard to wake from a nightmare when the nightmare is real.