The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)

by Joe Abercrombie

When he’d made it thirty strides or so Logen turned around and looked back. The pot was sitting forlorn by the lake, already filling up with rainwater. They’d been through a lot together, him and that pot.

Now that the fight was over, the Dogman was about ready to burst, so he turned round and pissed against a tree.

The tree is only as strong as its root, and knowledge is the root of power.”

“Call me coward, would you?” growled Dow. “You who’s killed children for the sport of it? You had a blade and you let it drop. That was your chance and you should have took it.