Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive, #4)

by Brandon Sanderson

Singer, Lirin told himself. Not parshwoman. Use the right term even in your head, so you don’t slip when speaking.

You don’t have to smile. You don’t have to talk. But if you’re going to be miserable, you might as well do it with friends.”

Syl took off to begin poking through the room, looking at each table. Though he’d once seen her fascination as childlike, he’d evolved on that idea. She was just curious, desirous to learn. If that was childlike, then everyone needed more of it.

“How can you tell?” Syl asked. “I don’t think he ever gets excited. Not even when I tell him I have a fun surprise for him.” “Your surprises,” Kaladin said, “are never fun.” “I put a rat in his boot,” Syl whispered. “It took me forever. I can’t lift something so heavy, so I had to lead it with food.” “Why in the Stormfather’s name,” Lirin said, “would you put a rat in his boot?” “Because it fit so well!” Syl said. “How can you not see how great the idea was?”

“I talk to my sword too,” Adolin told them. “Funny thing is, she eventually talked back. Never be afraid to show a little respect to those you depend upon, friends.”

“Fine,” Navani said. “I hope when you die—knowing your homeland is doomed, your families enslaved, your queen executed—you feel satisfied knowing that at least you maintained a slight market advantage.”

“Everyone has holes in their knowledge. There is no shame in ignorance.

“When I’m at my worst, I feel like I can’t change. Like I’ve never changed. That I’ve always felt this way, and always will.”

Didn’t they understand? He made their lives difficult. But he lived the difficulty. He wasn’t trying to be a problem.

I’d rather not be killed, as I have seven more people I wanted to insult today.”

I promise you, Kaladin: You will be warm again.”

“You. Cannot. Have. My. SACRIFICE!”

“But I promised to unite instead of divide. I don’t do that by giving my book only to those who agree with me.

You can kill me, but you can’t have what I have. You can never have it. Because I die knowing I’m loved.”