Fool's Assassin (The Fitz and the Fool, #1)

by Robin Hobb

Time is an unkind teacher, delivering lessons that we learn far too late for them to be useful.

that stone-dropping-into-a-well plunge of my heart. I kept it from showing on my face or in my eyes.

We always loved the hunt. An ancient echo of the wolf I had been and the wolf who was still with me. The hunt for meat is best, but any hunt is always the hunt, and one is never more alive than during the hunt. “And I am alive.” Riddle shot me a

A secret is only yours so long as you don’t share it. Tell it to one person, and it’s a secret no more. —Chade

I almost laughed aloud. I did. And each time I’ve done so, I’ve found that the story changed as my perspective on life changed. There were a few years where I fancied myself

I found I was staring at the Fool’s last gift to me, the carving of the three of us, him, me, and my wolf, Nighteyes. I

“As ever, sir,” he said, and added his stiff little bow that meant, You idiot.

When one has been disappointed for so long, hope becomes the enemy. One cannot be dashed to the earth unless one is lifted first, and I learned to avoid hope.