Kushiel's Dart (Phèdre's Trilogy #1)

by Jacqueline Carey

Alcuin, it transpired, spoke Skaldic with some long-imprinted skill, for it had been his milk-tongue, spoken to him in the cradle by a Skaldic wetnurse.

For this too I learned, that a storyteller’s tale may end, but history goes on always.

It is a human failing, to attribute the best of motives to those we know the least, and the worst to those we love best;

While I learned how to kneel uncomplaining for hours at a time and the proper angle of approach for serving sweets after a meal, Ysandre was learning how greed and jealousy corrupt the human soul.