Mark of the Fool 3 Quotes

“No such thing as a stupid question. Only stupid people who never ask questions.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“rats?” Alex leaned forward in disbelief. “Of course! Why not?” the chancellor held a look of honest confusion. “Now mind you, it wasn’t a very strong demon, but demons can make exceedingly gifted pest exterminators. They are perhaps the second most naturally gifted killing agents in all the planes.” Alex swallowed. “What’s the most gifted? Dragons? War-spirits?” “The common housecat.” “What? That can’t be right.” “Several extinct species of bird, small mammal, and reptile would beg to differ were they not, of course, extinct,” he said.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“where did my cute daughter go, and who gave me this living weapon instead?”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“But the world is mad, my friend. Madder than anyone I have ever met, even a caged demon. Some have called me mad… And I have outlived them all. That tends to take the sting out of those words after a time.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“It had been a full day for everyone. It began with paying respects, sorrow, and recognition, and ended with a much-needed celebration. Wounds had begun to heal into scars, and some folks could think about moving forward to brighter tomorrows. All in all, it had been a bittersweet day. Alex looked forward to getting his sling off. Though he was worried about what his arm would look like under the magically treated bandage. Wounds might heal, but scars tended to stay.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“She pat Alex gently on his shoulder. “Just a couple of weeks until you turn nineteen too.” “Yep,” he said. “And I expect you all to absolutely spoil me. I can even come up with a gift list. An expensive one!” “Pfeh,” Thundar grunted. “So much for ageing gracefully. You didn’t even get me anything for my birthday!” “You didn’t tell anyone when your birthday was!” Alex protested. “Excuses, excuses,” the minotaur snorted like he was offended. “I think we should get him the greatest gift of all,” Khalik began. “Oh no,” Alex groaned. “—Expulsion.” “Oh, come on!” “Perhaps we should frame him for a crime,” Isolde tapped her chin in thought. “He probably already did something. You know how much of a hardened criminal he is. I heard they even dragged him down to the station. Shady, if you ask me,” Thundar glared at him suspiciously. “You’re all traitors!” Alex shouted. “Oh dear, Theresa, I didn’t know you were dating a hardened criminal.” Mrs. Lu looked at Alex with feigned worry. “Ugh, with friends like you, who needs the Ravener?” he said mournfully.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“Sorry I’m late,” Kybas approached with his familiar at his side. “Is there room for Harmless and me?” “Will be once we get another chair.” Grimloch turned around, grabbed an empty seat at the next table, startling the guests sitting there. “Grimloch!” Nua-Oge chastised him. “You should’ve asked if they were using that!” He growled. “You using this?” he said to the people at the table. “Even if we were, we aren’t anymore,” one of them said. “Good.” Grimloch dragged the chair over then pointed at it. “Sit.” “Grimloch, I—” Nua-Oge started to say, then just pressed her mournful face into her hands. “Nevermind. Just nevermind.” “Alright, I never minded.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“Hunches were what once convinced an entire society that not washing the body was more sanitary than bathing in rivers and streams,’ the white-haired alchemist had told him one day. ‘Of course, the plague that rolled through their realm fixed that notion veeeery quickly.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“So,” Mrs. Lu said as she scooped up a pat of butter with a teasing note in her eyes. “How long have you two been together?” Alex froze mid-bite. Scrrrrp. Theresa’s fork scraped across her plate. “Wait…” Mrs. Lu paused, looking at the two of them carefully. “I was just making a joke…” Silence. “Gross,” Selina said. “They’ve been icky together ever since we got attacked by those monsters at Isolde’s cousin’s party.” Mr. Lu choked on his stew. “Monsters!” “And then they were together the whole time I was staying at Abela’s house. They even took Brutus and left him with Khalik,” the treacherous, evil little sister of Alex Roth continued to talk, unaware of the doom she was creating. “Khalik said they got back home late and then went hunting monsters the next morning.” Alex slowly looked at Theresa for help. His cool, calm girlfriend would surely know what to⁠— The brave huntress had checked out. She’d gone as white as a sheet and was staring at nothing. Oh, by the Traveller, she hadn’t told them! Alex had been wrong. The time for running had not come to an end.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“This would place you close to your daughter, which is what she and your daughter’s… friend have arranged. I trust this will be suitable?” “Yes, it wou—By Uldar, did that bench just move!” Mr. Lu cried. “No, no, no!” Hobb half-rose from his chair. “Rebellious seat! Back to your post or it is off to the carpenter for you! I will see to it that you are cobbled into a fine pair of wooden shoes!” The bench—which had been halfway out of the hall—scuttled back to its place. “Apologies.” The devil grinned. “The furniture needs discipline sometimes. Is there anything else you might need?” “Whiskey,” Mr. Lu said, not sounding like he was remotely joking. Mrs. Lu quickly nodded in agreement.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“Are you going to tell your professor Jules and Baelin of your concern?” “You bet your ass, I am,” Alex said. “The worst thing they can say if I do tell them is, ‘you’re being crazy, Alex’ and maybe laugh at me a little. But the worst thing that can happen if I don’t tell them—just imagine smashed buildings, and fire, and screams.” “Mmm, true.” The prince patted Alex on the shoulder. “Well, if you are crazy, then this is still likely to end in smashed buildings, and fire, and screams. But I shall be there to put you down!” “Wait what?” Khalik grinned. “Think about it! The young, promising wizard turns to dark arts⁠—” “I don’t like where this is going.” “—while his good friend, the handsome brave prince must—regrettably—slay him⁠—” “I really don’t like where this is going.” “—and as you lay dying⁠—” Alex’s face screwed up in suspicion. “You’ve seriously put a lot of thought into this.” “You lament: ‘Oh, if only the Dark Wizard Alexander Roth had seen the light before! My only regret is that I only see a better way now as I lay dying! If only I had more time!’ And then, of course, you perish while I lament your loss and wish there was more time to⁠—” “There could be, just call a healer! Patch me up if I’ve seen the light, you bastard!” Khalik laughed. “Ah, but that would ruin the moment and the drama!” “The moment and drama are pretty ruined for me, cuz I’m dead!” “But think of all the young wizards that will avoid your dark path whenever they walk by the statue I have built to honour your memory.” Khalik faked a sniffle. “A memory of better times.” Alex glared at him. “You know, I tend to enjoy the stories where the plucky, underestimated hero beats the shit out of the arrogant prince and leaves him unconscious in some botanical garden. Even, you know, has a large, smashy friend do the same.” “That would be cheating.” “I’m supposed to be a dark wizard, right?” Alex lifted his chin as if defending his honour. “I don’t care about cheating!” “I thought you were a plucky, underestimated hero?” “I’m both! Life is full of greys!”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“For all of the editors’ efforts, some chapters were engaging, others overdramatic, and then those written in that dry way of many academic papers, where it seemed the authors were both trying to prove how many specific terms they knew and confuse the reader to death at the same time.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“rebels often kill their neighbours long before their kings.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“Wait, hold on, you summoned a demon to kill rats?” Alex leaned forward in disbelief. “Of course! Why not?” the chancellor held a look of honest confusion. “Now mind you, it wasn’t a very strong demon, but demons can make exceedingly gifted pest exterminators. They are perhaps the second most naturally gifted killing agents in all the planes.” Alex swallowed. “What’s the most gifted? Dragons? War-spirits?” “The common housecat.” “What? That can’t be right.” “Several extinct species of bird, small mammal, and reptile would beg to differ were they not, of course, extinct,” he said.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“All your birthdays are around the same time, so it’s just wall to wall feasts.” “Indeed, but my waist is not going to be very happy with me by the end of all of this gorging,”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“Do you want something else then? A new dress? Some new books? I’m not getting you a pet.” “Aw.” She frowned. “Maybe a dagger.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“I’m gonna abuse that to no end.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“She returned her attention to Alex’s group.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“The ancient wizard hadn’t referred to the years of his youth as some magical positive time, he’d merely said they were unique. And that was true.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“Right…” Mrs. Lu said, glancing at her husband. “Well, that’s good. Very good. And… uh… Is this the goll-lum you talked about in your letter?” “Goal-lem,” Theresa said. “And yes, this is Claygon. We’ve got so much to show you!”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“Most people meant well, but got uncomfortable around grief and wouldn’t know what to say. Instead of saying that, they’d make assumptions about what the other person was or should be feeling.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“In many societies—such as clan societies that earn their fortune through raiding other clans—battle and killing becomes natural, for it is part of their culture from the time they are born. It is easier for people to engage themselves in armed-struggle when they know they have their deities’ edict and a nice reward awaiting them in the afterworld. Some deities even reward only those who die in battle for this very reason.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“And that is another reason why names are so important. To give your name is to allow yourself to be called, and to say a name properly is to show respect. This is of course why sometimes refusing to give a name is protective, and in some ways, even hostile.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3

“Alex frowned. “This empire doesn’t sound like a very nice place…” His professor gave him a look. “There are few places that are, Mr. Roth. Especially if you look long enough.”
― J.M. Clarke, Mark of the Fool 3