"“So, those stories of Mages’ ability to read truth and lies are accurate?” the older woman from Julesport commented with a sharp glance at the others present. “What a useful skill to have in a gathering of politicians!”"

"“Soldiers and healers have that much in common,” Major Danel said. “When we are busy at our trades, it means others are suffering.”"

"“There has been an unfortunate misunderstanding.” Alain answered. “Is unfortunate misunderstanding the term used in Syndar for a surprise attack?”"

"Perhaps we can build a world where there is more wisdom and less suffering."

"Doubt about your wisdom can be the clearest sign of wisdom."

"You haven’t made a better world. You’ve unilaterally surrendered that world to the people you disagree with."

"“I’m going to have nightmares about this, guys.” “It is gone,” Asha said. “Do not give the dead power over yourself.” “This doesn’t bother you?” “It is the record of horror in the past, not the horror itself,” Asha said. “It creates the illusion within us that we are viewing the actual awful events instead of the aftermath of what happened long ago.”"

"“It’s just common sense,” Mari objected. “Help people realize that what they do matters, that their efforts count and that everyone needs to work together, and they’ll work and fight better.” Patila shook her head. “Such sense is far from common.”"

"“My apologies for doubting you.” “You questioned me,” Mari said. “If I can’t handle that, I don’t deserve to be giving orders.”"

"My point is, things keep happening whether I want them to happen or not! Are all of my decisions already carved in stone somewhere and I’m just some puppet living out the script?"

"Wisdom this day seemed to involve telling someone else something that they did not want to hear."

"“You manipulated the illusion very well.” “Yeah, that’s me. A natural when it comes to convincing people I’m a vain, blood-sucking, undead monster.”"

"I don’t do what’s necessary. I do what’s right."

"Blazes, girl, did you ever meet a rule you didn’t want to break?"

"You may be wrong, but they are not right."

"Mari looked at him. “Don’t you dare die.” “Don’t you.” “All right. I guess we’ll both have to live through this.”"

"Wisdom does not lie in accepting what the illusion shows us. It lies in trying to change the illusion in favor of what is real."

"Have you heard that the sea is like a woman? There’s truth to that. One moment tranquil, the next moment furious, and all men can do is try to read the weather, ride the storm, and hope for the best."

"“You know so much,” Mari said softly. “You have kept so much knowledge safe. And yet there is still so much more to learn.” Coleen smiled. “Those things are the definition of happiness for a librarian. That and sharing the knowledge we have.”"

"But Mari was quickly reminded that plans were what people made before they found out what the real world had in store for them."

"“You’ve every right to feel proud of this victory. You’ve helped ensure the safety of this town and eliminated a warlord who has done great harm.” Mari let her distaste show. “And all I had to do was kill a lot of people.” “I see. You don’t like causing deaths.” “No. Even when it’s totally justified. Even when it’s the only good option.” “But you do it anyway,” Sien observed. “I don’t have any choice, Princess. How else do we stop people like that? If you know another way, please tell me.”"

"Alain realized that Mari looked unusually attractive when she was contemplating the results of major sabotage she had committed against people trying to imprison her. That probably ought to concern him, but it did not."

"“You blame your mother for your nightmares?” “Why not? That’s what mothers are for. Daughters blame them for their problems.”"

"“Oh. Mari has a temper?” “In the same way that the sea has water, yes.”"

"“No one else could be just like you,” Alain said. “That had better be a compliment, but even if it isn’t I have to admit you’re probably right.”"

"I wonder if every group of managers who becomes used to being in charge, who is dedicated to nothing more than keeping things the same and themselves in power, ends up acting in the same ways even if they use different justifications? They don’t want anyone questioning their decisions or their authority."

"“How will we do all these things? What is the plan?” “The plan?” Mari hesitated. “We don’t really have a plan. We’ll have to improvise.” “Improvise?” “That means making things up as you go along,” Mari explained. “But you told me earlier today that we need to have a plan before we begin anything complicated,” Alain objected. “Yes, I did, but— Fine. Our plan is to improvise.”"

"I think an unquestioned sense of entitlement and superiority is more likely to make someone inferior in spirit. No one should be certain that they are better than everyone else."

"Our world is facing the problems it is because some people decided they were more special than other people."

"I believe that we are given choices, places where decisions may be made to walk one road or another. We do not know what provides these choices, but we may call it destiny to give a name to that which is unknowable. Destiny offers the choices, but we choose the road."

"“It does not appear to be too difficult,” Alain agreed. “But I remember being cautioned that maps carry their own illusions, often making appear simple a journey which is actually far more difficult in practice.”"

"I’m not one of those fools who think that by ignoring reality you can make it go away."

"The hardest part of being in my Guild is having so many rules and restrictions and people telling me what to do. Some of the rules make sense. You can see why they’re necessary. But a lot of other rules feel like they’re just there because someone wanted to control Mechanics who were lower in rank."

"Perhaps that is the only wisdom there really is, young Mage: that our choices matter."

"“We really have to work on your social skills.” “What are social skills?” “They’re…um…how people avoid saying what they really think.”"

"Maybe what this world needs is someone who won’t do whatever they think is necessary to make things be the way they want."

"He may be a Mage, but he’s also a guy, so he has to have plenty of stuff wrong with him."

"Sometimes denying reality is all that keeps a person going, isn’t it?"

"“Should we tell them about these abrasions, or do they already know everything that needs to be known?” The other Mechanic rolled his eyes. “You know the type, I guess. Go through the motions of researching the problem when they’ve already decided what the problem is and what they’re going to do.” “I usually end up having problems with Mechanics like that.” “Don’t we all.”"

"How did the other Mechanics miss this? Or maybe they didn’t. Maybe they chose to miss it. Maybe they didn’t see anything that didn’t match their own predetermined theories."

"It’s like forbidding horses to learn algebra. What’s the point?"

"Those who study legends never expect to actually meet one."

"Once he had begun to experience actual adventures—which Mechanic Professor S’san called “bad things happening to other people”—Alain had begun noticing the differences between those epics and genuine “adventure.” Journeys such as this, in which a long day was spent just covering part of the distance from one place to another. Or horses, which in epics were untiring, even-tempered, and always perfectly obedient, but in actual use tended to wear out, bite, balk, and otherwise act like creatures with minds of their own."

"As a journalist, he was used to being lied to."

"There are times when you’re incredibly sensitive and insightful. This isn’t one of them."

"“Let me guess. Las Vegas had time machines as well.” “No,” said Price, “but they had something just as troublesome: the Treasury Department.”"

"You’ve heard of “Rocks for Jocks,” the gimme course that departments of geology often offer? The physics department offering was called—among the faculty, anyway, “Quarks for Dorks.” Lucky me, I got to teach it."

"College, after all, was a place where one had most of the privileges of adulthood and very few of the responsibilities. Who wouldn’t want to stay there forever if one could?"

"“You’re a theoretician. I’m more at home in applied physics.” He reached for his pipe and tobacco pouch. “Ah yes, the great divide in physics. It’s like the nature versus nurture arguments the biologists and psychologists have.” “I wonder what they argue about in the chemistry department,” I wondered. “Probably who has to pick up the check, if they’re anything like the professors I know. If it doesn’t smell or blow up, they seem more interested in mixing drinks than chemicals.”"