Udinaas had known many for whom certainty was a god, the only god, no matter the cast of its features. And he had seen the manner in which such belief made the world simple, where all was divisible by the sharp cleaving of cold judgement, after which no mending was possible. He had seen such certainty, yet had never shared it. But he had always believed the world itself was…unquestionable. Not static—never static—but capable of being understood. It was undoubtedly cruel at times, and deadly…but you could almost always see it coming. Creatures — 139: 2730-2734
‘If all who worship did so without need. If all came to their saviour unmindful of that title and its burden, if they came as friends—’ she glanced back at him, ‘what would happen then, do you think? I wonder…’ — 181: 3806-3807
It is the curse of believers that they seek to second-guess the one they claim to worship.’ ‘In your silence what choice do they have?’ The Redeemer’s smile broadened. ‘Every choice in the world, my friend.’ — 472: 10201-10204
‘Bless you, that you not be taken. Bless you, that you begin in your time and that you end in its fullness. Bless you, in the name of the Redeemer, in my name, against the cruel harvesters of the soul, the takers of life. Bless you, that your life and each life shall be as it is written, for peace is born of completion.’ — 812: 17654-17657
Because true worship was, in its very essence, a game. “ ‘There is no bargain when only one side pays attention.’ — 285: 7107-7109
side. To witness is to approach comprehension, — 397: 10085-10086
‘Highness. There is one way, but it risks much.’ ‘Who will bear that risk?’ ‘Everyone aboard this ship.’ — 707: 18409-18411
Guilt is the first weed we pluck, to keep the garden pretty and smelling sweet. — 17: 388-388
I am the Mistress of Thieves, Lord. I know every path. I have walked them all. And I have seen what there is to be seen. If you and your people hide here, Lord, you will all die. And so will Mother Dark. Be her breath. Be cast out.’ — 26: 556-558
horses”. Sometimes — 186: 3769-3769
The fact is, that tale’s moral is “don’t trust horses”. — 186: 3769-3769
Contradiction. In the rational realm, the word was a blistering condemnation. Proof of flawed logic. To expose it in an adversary’s position was akin to delivering a deathblow, and she well recalled the triumphant gleam in his eyes in the instant he struck. But, she wondered now, where was the crime in that most human of capacities: to carry in one’s heart a contradiction, to leave it unchallenged, immune to reconciliation; indeed, to be two people at once, each true to herself, and neither denying the presence of the other? What vast laws of cosmology were broken by this human talent? Did the universe split asunder? Did reality lose its way? No. In fact, it seemed that the only realm wherein contradiction had any power at all was the realm of rational argument. And, Krughava admitted, she had begun to doubt that realm’s self-proclaimed virtue. — 370: 7446-7452
‘Bonecaster Bitterspring, of the Second Ritual, do you hear me?’ ‘I do, First Sword.’ ‘You are named a seer. Can you see what awaits us?’ ‘I have no true gift of prophecy, First Sword. My talent was in reading people. That and nothing more. I have been an impostor for so long I know no other way of being.’ ‘Bitterspring, we are all impostors. What awaits us?’ ‘What has always awaited us,’ she replied. ‘Blood and tears.’ — 707: 14162-14167
‘Had a friend once, tried warning an eager little boy away from the soldier’s life.’ ‘And did your friend succeed?’ ‘Doesn’t matter if he did or didn’t. That’s not the point.’ ‘So, what is the point, then?’ ‘You can’t steer anyone away from the path they’re going to take. You can show ’em that there’s plenty of other paths – you can do that much – but past that? They’ll go where they go.’ — 790: 15858-15862