Dawn of Wonder (The Wakening, #1)

by Jonathan Renshaw

Aedan had never felt embarrassed about his imagination. Without it there was no magic.

Without imagination, things were only as they appeared – and that was blindness.

Dresbourn’s look did more than expect disappointment, it demanded disappointment, and reaped it every time.

Keep your weapons at the ready; these are not principled men. If you intend to show mercy, stay at home.”

“Don’t talk when you hear something. Keep listening. Be patient and very quiet.”

“I’ll respect that you were man enough to accuse me to my face, but if you think my son either a coward or a fool then your wits are beyond the reach of the thrashing you deserve. The only man in this town to match my son for courage was Lanor, and the only folly Aedan knew was to love your daughter more than his own life.”

Aedan smiled at the memory, and it was like fresh water, the first drops just beginning to wash away some of the salt. And it felt good, it felt right, for nothing grows in salt.

Nessa sighed. “No mother would have the military as her first choice,” she said, “but I suppose if all mothers kept their sons from the army, we would all fall victim to those like Quin.”

Without realising it, she was repeating the fault she had so recently lamented. Too fearful to intervene and hold back the tormenter, she was pleading instead with the victim to be more submissive. It was a solution that would resolve the conflict while entrenching the problem.

He strode forward, dipping and hoisting his shoulders, thrusting his chin, jerking from side to side. This time there was no mistaking it. The half-dancing gait was a studied and perfected expression of raw hostility – threat, challenge, defiance all combined and embodied. It was almost as if belligerence had been turned to art and then made to walk.

“Hmm, yes. That lines up. Aedan, try not to discover anything more until the administrators are ready.

He could not afford to indulge misery, to live in the past and stumble through life facing backwards.

You tried to establish a fact from a lack of evidence. Unless the inquiry has been so exhaustive as to explore every possibility, the lack of evidence should never be used to ground a statement of fact. Unlikelihood certainly, but no more. A prematurely assumed fact blocks further inquiry.”

“She’s what I wanted Ilona to be. She really is the kindest and sweetest person I know –” “Huh!” Peashot interrupted. “So where does that put me?” “Last. Idiot.” Peashot smirked.

How do you describe something indescribable? I read somewhere that the best word for things that are bigger than words is wonder.