Princeps' Fury (Codex Alera, #5)

by Jim Butcher

“If there’s a lick of trouble, Tavi will set something on fire—it’s easy to set something on fire, believe me—and I’ll see the smoke, knock down all the buildings between him and the dock, come get him, and we’ll leave. Nothing simpler.” Kitai gave Maximus a steady look. Then she shook her head, and said, “And the truly incredible part is . . . you actually believe it.” “Ambassador,” Max said, “in the course of my life, I have more than once been too ignorant to know that something was impossible before I did it anyway. I see no reason to jeopardize that success.”

“Do not look so astonished, Aleran,” Kitai said. “It was not difficult to anticipate what kind of strategy you would favor. You have something of a history of successfully negotiating with your enemies. Even making friends of them.” Her green eyes sparkled. “In some cases, very close friends.” Tavi shook his head. “You used me.” “Yes.” “You used me,” Tavi said. Her smile widened. “And it worked. You are a marvelous stalking cow.” “Horse,” Tavi corrected wearily. “Stalking horse.” Kitai tilted her head. “What idiot would so endanger a perfectly good horse?”