Tyrant's Throne (The Greatcoats #4)

by Sebastien de Castell

There’s a trick to fighting on the deck of a ship. I don’t know what it is, but I fully intend to find out one day.

The wedding barge was beginning to look like one of those terribly complicated board games King Paelis used to make me play while expounding on military theory until I threatened to arrest him for violating his own prohibitions on torture.

Kest’s obsessive need to know the answer to completely pointless things vastly outweighs his survival instincts.

‘Never trust a man who brings a hundred soldiers to a wedding.’

When the bad days come, I want you to remember that there can still be bright and playful moments, even in the darkest of times.’

‘Any man who uses the words “politics” and “trust” in the same sentence has disqualified himself from talking about either.’

sometimes the right thing to do happens to be the wrong thing.’

Her skin was warm against mine as she kissed me, and my troubles lifted away from my shoulders like ravens frightened off by her presence. Surprised as I was, I held that kiss for as long as I could, because I knew those ravens would return soon enough.

‘Hate is a heavy load to carry around with you. Rangieri are travellers by trade and by nature, and a traveller cannot afford to carry wasted burdens.’

The truth will set you free, the lie will cost you blood”.’

a dream unchecked by conscience, unrestrained by the law? That’s the first step towards tyranny,

One by one those who had come to Aramor willing to sacrifice themselves in a hopeless war held their hands up high, gold coins pressed between thumbs and forefingers, catching the sunlight like a thousand stars shining in the dawn. This, I thought, overcome by the sight of them all. This was Paelis’ dream! Not some paltry hundred and forty-four magistrates with our swords and our coats, but the jurors: ordinary men and woman armed with nothing.

“Fuck anyone who ever doubts the purpose of daring acts of heroism”.’