Scepter of the Ancients (Skulduggery Pleasant, #1)

by Derek Landy

“Stephanie, I’m not altogether sure you’re respecting my authority.” “Yes, I’m not.” “I see. Okay then.”

“If you hear any screaming,” he said, “that’ll be me.”

“That’ll teach him to underestimate stupid people.”

“There’s no such thing as winning or losing. There is won and there is lost, there is victory and defeat. There are absolutes. Everything in between is still left to fight for. Serpine will have won only when there is no one left to stand against him. Until then, there is only the struggle, because tides do what tides do—they turn.”