Quotes from John Flanagan

In the desert you always need water,' [Selethen] told [Horace]. 'A wise traveller never goes past a chance to refill his water skins.' 'Is there nowhere else they could do this?' Halt asked. Selethen tapped another mark into the sand with his dagger. 'There are the Orr-San Wells, he said. 'They're smaller and not as reliable.

When we get to Macindaw,' he said, 'let's just send him up the ladder with those planks. He'll clear the defenders out in no time.

Mind you, with the number of ale barrels that had been broached already, they would probably have bellowed their agreement if Erak had declared that from now on, the sun would rise in the west and everybody must walk on their hands when it rained.

Don't annoy me, little dog, Tug seemed to say. I know your mother.

so she let him have the last word. Again.

They'd still be outnumbered by the pirates, he thought. But then a savage grin lit his face. Being outnumbered didn't worry him. They were Skandians, after all.

Why not?" Then she thought further. "I wonder what Halt will say when we put it to him." Alyss shrugged. "Well, it's such a logical idea, he can hardly say no, can he?" "No!" said Halt. "No, no, no—and, just in case you missed it the first time, no.

More delicious aromas rose. He sprinkled in a

I see," said Will. But Halt shook his head. "No. All too often, you don't see, because you don't maintain your concentration. You'll have to work on that." Will said nothing. He merely accepted the criticism. He'd learned by now that Halt didn't criticize without reason. And when there was reason, no amount of excuses could save him.

WILL COULDN'T HELP SMILING TO HIMSELF. ANYTHING LESS like a ferocious, charging wild boar, he couldn't imagine.

If you wait till you think you are ready, you'll wait all your life.

Before you shoot your arrow, see it fly a thousand times in your mind.

Maybe we'll catch a dragon in a tadpole net.

The question is," said Halt, glancing at Alyss, "what should we do with him?" She hesitated, then that wonderful smile spread over her face. "I wonder," she said. "Does this castle have a moat?

haven't seen hide nor hair of her

Is that dog of yours likely to cause trouble?" he asked suspiciously. Hal smiled winningly at him. "Bless you, no. She's as peaceable as your old granny." The waiter's frown deepened. "My old granny is always starting fights," he said. "She set off a riot in here last month. Cracked the skull of one of the watch with a chamber pot." "Well, Kloof is hardly likely to do that. She doesn't have a chamber pot

He ate what his men ate. No more.

What is this?' he asked. 'Are you all conspiring against me? Even my horse?' It was the last three words that made Will smile. 'We figured you mightn't listen to a healer, a Ranger or a knight of the realm,' he said. 'But if your horse agreed with them, you'd have no choice but to pay attention.

I'm his first mate," he said firmly. From the crowd below, they heard a cackle of laughter. "Good for you, boy! A first mate should always stick up for his skirl!" "Shut up, Svengal," Erak said, without looking.

High on the battlements, on one of the many turrets situated along the walls, Queen Deborah, the Queen Mother, handed the crossbow back to the sergeant standing beside her. He looked at her in admiration. She was gray-haired, and her face was lined and wrinkled. But she had just pulled off a remarkable shot at pretty much maximum range.

When Erak was safely out of earshot, Stig turned to his friend. "Of course, she'll sail rings around Wolfwind," he said. "Then why didn't you tell him that?" Hal asked, grinning. "I like my head where it is.

Kloof barked excitedly and Stig hurried to grab her collar before she could go after Wulf and fetch him.

Halt glanced down at his friend's belt quiver. Like his own, it was empty. "Lost your arrows somewhere, did you?" he said, and the two of them laughed.

There was a small screened-off space in one corner. Will poked his nose into it and saw a bucket. "What's this for?" he asked. Horace smiled. "It's a privy," he said. "In case I need a nervous wee.