Assassin's Quest (The Farseer Trilogy, #3)

by Robin Hobb

“You but put your finger on the spot where I had been pressing myself the most. Sometimes a man doesn’t know how badly he’s hurt until someone else probes the wound.”

“No doubt of it. But a living is not a life,” Burrich pointed out.

“A tower seldom crumbles from the bottom up,” she told more than one, and claimed to have the saying from Prince Chivalry.

“Is he all right?” Molly demanded. Her voice shook. “Is something wrong? Why doesn’t he cry?” “She’s fine,” Burrich said softly. “She’s fine. And as beautiful as she is, what would she have to cry about?” He was silent for a long time, a man transfixed.

But for now, let me show you something else. No, step back, please, so you can see it all. Here it comes.” I heard the slam and the latch. “The outside of my door,” the Fool announced gladly. “I painted it myself. Do you like it?”

“Sometimes all the choices are poor ones, Fool, and still a man must choose.”

Children, I have found, are much more swift to accept the unusual. They admit their curiosity, you see, rather than disdaining the object that arouses it.”

things. Fool, there is no sense in trying to play that game with the past. Here is where we are today, and we can only make our moves from here.”

The Fool caught my eye, glanced meaningfully down at himself. “Green manhood? I really should have showed her,” he said quietly. And despite everything, despite even the glowering of my queen, I burst out laughing.

Abruptly, another joined us. Ah, little brother, you find your ears at last! My kill is ever your kill, and we shall be pack forever! The Fool recoiled at the wolf’s friendly onslaught. I thought he would break the circle. Then suddenly he leaned into it. This? This is Nighteyes? This mighty warrior, this great heart?

Did you see how she stood and faced them down? I demanded with pride. A most excellent bitch, Nighteyes agreed.

“And better care of yourself than I did. I did love you, you know,” he said brusquely. “Despite all I’ve done to you, I loved you.” At first I could think of no answer to that. Then, as he reached his dragon and placed his hands on its brow, I told him, I never doubted it. Never doubt I loved you.