Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentleman Bastard, #2)

by Scott Lynch

“If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.”

‘Difficult’ and ‘impossible’ are cousins often mistaken for one another, with very little in common.”

“As for history, we are living in its ruins. And as for biographies, we are living with the consequences of all the decisions ever made in them. I tend not to read them for pleasure. It’s not unlike carefully scrutinizing the map when one has already reached the destination.”

“What an interesting choice of words. ‘Not real, and never were.’ Could there be any more appropriate literature for men of our profession? Why are you always so averse to fiction, when we’ve made it our meal ticket?”

I don’t want you to agree with me; I want you to use your misplaced acorn of a brain before the squirrel comes looking for it again.

Now fuck off in the direction of your choice, so long as it isn’t back toward our carriage.”

But you might remember that my opinion of you will ultimately be a great deal more final than your opinion of me.”

feeling like you wanted desperately to die was fine evidence that you had yet to do so.

“Mew,” the kitten retorted, locking gazes with him. It had the expression common to all kittens, that of a tyrant in the becoming. I was comfortable, and you dared to move, those jade eyes said. For that you must die.

“but when a woman has your heart, she doesn’t have poor moods. Only interesting moods … and more interesting moods.”

So this is what a command is. Staring consequences in the eye and pretending not to flinch.