The king, the master of the fates of men, before their eyes was reduced to a man, very young himself, and in love. - Megan Whalen Turner

And now we wait," she said, not bothering to hide her smile of delighted anticipation as her guards conveyed the messenger out of the door.
"Wait for what?" the Mede asked.
"Hmm?" Attolia focused herself on the present. "Good heavens, I don't know," she said. "Eddis produces such lovely threats when her Thief is concerned.

"I didn't come to Sounis to blow up His Majesty's warships. I told you someone else had to do that."
"What did you come for if not to murder my king?"
"I came to steal his magus."
"You can't," said the magus in question.
"I can steal anything," Eugenides corrected him. "Even with one hand." He took a step forward into the moonlight and waggled his fingers. The smile on his face made the magus feel worse, not better.

Your Majesty," he asked innocently, "is it true that your cousins once held you down in a water cache?"
Ornon, in the act of putting down his wine cup, paused.
"Is it also true that they wouldn't let you out until you agreed to repeat insults about your own family?