The gods' most savage curses come upon us as answers to our own prayers, you know. - Lois McMaster Bujold

I’ve always thought—tests are a gift. And great tests are a great gift. To fail the test is a misfortune. But to refuse the test is to refuse the gift, and something worse, more irrevocable, than misfortune. Do you understand what I’m saying?

"No, amusing me only, I wonder if they realize how they are used?"
"Not a bit. They think they are the emperors of creation."
"Poor lambs."
"That's not how I'd describe them."
"I was thinking of animal sacrifice."
"Ah. That's closer."

He didn’t exactly have a plan, yet. More of a stab in the dark. He still wasn’t sure what his blade would connect with…