Each killing steals a bit of humanity until a murderer is nothing more than an animal. A hunger replaces the spirit. A want for what was lost, but as with innocence, the soul can never be replaced. Joy, love, and peace flee such a vessel and in their stead blooms a desire for blood and death.
Michael J. SullivanSo,โ Royce said, โyou want us to escape from this prison, kidnap the king, cross the countryside with him in tow while dodging soldiers who I assume might not accept our side of the story, and go to another secret prison so that he can visit an inmate?โ Arista did not appear amused. โEither that, or you can be tortured to death in four hours.โ โSounds like a really good plan to me,โ Hadrian declared.โRoyce?โ โI like any plan where I donโt die a horrible death.
Michael J. SullivanWhen you are so ashamed of your actions, thoughts, or intentions, you lie rather than accepting yourself for who you really areโor, in this case, pretend something happened when it didnโt. The idea of how others see you becomes more important than the reality of you.
Michael J. SullivanAโrisโta?โ Degan asked, sounding horse. โWhat is it?โ โA rat bit me,โ she said, once again shocked by her own rasping voice. โJasper does that ifโโ Gaunt coughed and hacked. After a moment, he spoke again. โIf he thinks youโre dead or too weak to fight.โ โJasper?โ โI call him that, but Iโve also named the stones in my cell.โ โI only counted mine,โ Arista said. โTwo hundred and thirty-four,โ Degan replied instantly. โI have two hundred and twenty-eight.โ โDid you count the cracked ones as two?โ โNo.
Michael J. SullivanThis book is entirely dedicated to my wife, Robin Sullivan. Some have asked how it is I write such strong women without resorting to putting swords in their hands. It is because of her. She is Arista. She is Thrace. She is Modina. She is Amilia. And she is my Gwen. This series has been a tribute to her. This is your book, Robin. I hope you don't mind that I put down in words How wonderful life is while you're in the world. --ELTON JOHN, BERNIE TAUPIN
Michael J. SullivanArenโt you going to say, I told you so?โ Hadrian whispered. โWhat would be the point in that?โ โOh, so youโre saying that youโre going to hang on to this and throw it at me at some future, more personally beneficial moment?โ โI donโt see the point in wasting it now, do you?
Michael J. Sullivan