My dear Irene, there are two sorts of collectors. One is satisfied by simply owning the treasured item and doesn’t care whether or not the rest of th… - Genevieve Cogman

“May I be frank?” Sherrington asked.
Irene sighed. This was always the sign of a fast-approaching insult.

Nothing lasts," he said, his voice guttural with age and remembered pain. "Neither knowledge, nor skill, nor family, nor the bond between master and student. In another thousand years I will be gone. And in time you both will pass as well, and this place will be dust. For all that we pride ourselves on our power and our length of years, Prince Kai, ultimately dragons too are as fleeting as fireflies. There was a time when we never existed; there will also come a time when nobody will remember us. War changes to peace. But, ultimately, peace collapses into war and the cycle continues."
"I've told you before, sir, you will be remembered as long as my fathers kingdom lasts." Shan Yuan spoke with affection, clearly repeating an old reassurance.
"That's not as reassuring as you might think.

If my friends—my brothers and sisters—have sacrificed themselves, then it was their choice. You, on the other hand, have lied to us and kept us in the dark and used us. You’re probably going to tell me that you did it for a higher cause, that you were just protecting us. But true higher causes don’t have everyone deserting them when they find out the truth, grandmother. Genuine ethical purposes don’t have everyone walking out once they know what’s really going on. And causes that people care enough to die for…”