The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3 Quotes

“last friend in the”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“I guess he did leave abruptly.” “Abruptly, yes, that’s a word.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“That slimy turf kisser had cornered Lieutenant Ahn and was groping her and trying to usher her outside. She was about to slam a fist into his face herself, but I stepped in, figuring she might not appreciate your plush leather chairs the way I do.” Actually, his ace lieutenant, who had nearly as many kills on the side of her flier as he did this year, had been wearing the most conflicted expression, like she might have actually let Serenson drag her outside and paw her up, since he was such an important delegate. To the hells with that—nobody’s uniform required that kind of sacrifice.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“three hundred and sixty degrees,”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“Anyone ever tell you that you have freakishly good eyesight, Ahn?” Ridge asked, though he kept glancing through his gloves to that geyser. More spray was hitting his clothing now, and the hot water bit like acid where it struck flesh. Someone jerked away from what must have been a big splash and cursed. “Yes, they have,” Ahn said. “And I’d like to take this moment to thank you tall, looming people for protecting me from the water.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“She was taller than Captain Nowon, though—only an inch shy of Ridge’s own six-foot-one—and had the lean rangy look of an endurance runner. Her nametag read Kaika, and she wore captain’s tabs on the collar of her uniform. Ridge expected a rigid attention stance and a snappy salute when she turned toward him, figuring a woman would have to be the model of military professionalism to be considered for the elite troops, but she gave him a perfunctory salute, followed by a handshake and a sultry smile that seemed out of place on a rawboned face without a speck of makeup softening the features.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“needing”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“That’s…”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“front”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“morning…”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“If you’ve ever wondered if the smith regrets forging the sword that ends up taking an innocent man’s life, the answer is yes.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“I haven’t quite acclimated to the icicles dangling from my nostrils in the mornings yet.” Ridge pushed back the parka, unfastened his uniform jacket, and went so far as to tug his shirt out of his trousers, but he wasn’t exposing any flesh until she was hovering over him with a swab of antiseptic in one hand and bandages in the other. Already, cold whispered up his back from having his shirt loosened. “I suppose that means I needn’t worry about you wishing to engage in… convivial activities with me tonight then, activities that might require the shedding of clothing.” Sardelle shifted toward him, her rag now doused. “Shirt up, please.” “No, you needn’t worry about that.” Ridge supposed her comment proved that his earlier thought was unlikely. She wasn’t there to seduce him for information. He probably shouldn’t feel disappointed by that. “Although, for the record, men don’t need to expose a whole lot of skin to get convivial.” “I suppose that’s true. Shirt up,” she repeated. Ridge reached for the hem, but hesitated, nibbling thoughtfully on the inside of his cheek. “Problem?” Sardelle asked. “Just wondering if I need to rub my dragon before enduring this.” “Uhm, pardon?” “You know, my little charm.” Ridge eyed her doused rag. “Or maybe you should rub my dragon.” “Perhaps later,” she murmured.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“One-fourteen,” the miner supplied, gripping his hand. Ridge raised his eyebrows. “And the name your mama gave you?” The miner blinked a few times. “Kal.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“Sardelle was fortunate the guards were”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“wings and beady yellow eyes—the cursed thing had its talons locked around a bar on the frame.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“holster, and Ridge let him. “Yes, sir.” He waited for Bockenhaimer to point out that neither pilots nor colonels had the experience necessary to command army installations, but the general merely leaned forward to squint at the papers. “Retirement?” He leaned closer, a delighted smile stretching his lips. “Retirement!” Ridge resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He wondered if the general had been a drunk before they shipped him out here—could this place have been a punishment for him as well?—or if commanding a remote prison full of felons had driven him to drink. “Yes, sir,” Ridge said. “If you could tell me about the S.O.P. here and give me a few—” Bockenhaimer jumped to his feet, wobbled—Ridge caught him and held him upright despite being surprised—and lunged for the window. “Is that my flier? I can leave today?” “Yes, sir. But I’d appreciate it if you—” The general threw open the window and waved to the pilot. “Wait for me, son. I’m already packed!” Oddly, the wobbling didn’t slow Bockenhaimer down much when he ran around the desk and out the door. Ridge’s mouth was still hanging open when the general appeared in the courtyard below, a bag tucked under his arm as he raced along the cleared sidewalks. “That’s… not exactly how the change-of-command ceremonies I’ve seen usually go.” Ridge hadn’t been expecting a parade and a marching band, not in this remote hole, but a briefing would have been nice. He removed his fur cap and pushed a hand through his hair, surveying his new office. He wondered how long it would take to get rid of the alcohol odor. He also wondered how long that poor potted plant in the corner had been dead. Hadn’t that young captain been the general’s aide? He couldn’t have had some private come in to make sure the place was cleaned? Maybe the staff was too busy guarding the prisoners, and the officers had to wield their own brooms here. Ridge was looking for the fort’s operations manuals when a knock came at the door. “Sir?” Captain Heriton, the officer who had met him at the flier, leaned in, an apprehensive look on his face. His pale hair and pimples made him look about fifteen instead of the twenty-five or more he must be. “Yes?” “It’s about that woman… she said she was dropped off yesterday—we got a big load of new convicts—and that she doesn’t remember the number she was issued.” “The number?” “Yes, sir. The prisoners are issued numbers instead of being called by name. Keeps down the in-fighting. Some of them are prisoners of war and pirates, and there are a few former soldiers, and some of those clansmen from up in the north hills. It’s easier if they start out with new identities here. The general didn’t brief you?” The captain glanced toward the window—the flier had already taken off. “I guess he did leave abruptly.” “Abruptly, yes, that’s a word.” Not the word Ridge would have used, but he couldn’t bring himself to badmouth the general yet, not until he had spent a couple of weeks here and gotten a true feel for where he had landed. “You don’t happen to know where the operations manuals are, do you?” “They should be in here somewhere, sir.” The captain started to lean back into the hall. “The woman’s report, Captain,” Ridge said dryly. He knew the man hadn’t found it, but wasn’t ready to let some prisoner wander around without”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“general”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“That means nobody’s coming for you.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“I threatened to rip off the wrong diplomat’s cock.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“Her tears were because… at some point, she either had to hurt him with the truth or walk away before he found out. Taking either action felt insurmountable.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“Are you upset by the loss of the prisoner or the realization that it could be you?”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“Because you’re an honest and forthright person who doesn’t think in deceitful scheming ways. Better get over that.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“Do not use your powers where they can be observed.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“Pack warm clothes. Autumn is just about over in the mountains.” The general’s smile returned. “And Magroth is at twelve thousand feet.” A lesson, indeed.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“dragon blood.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“pilot in the Iskandian army,”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“A doe can stumble and die, a hunter’s arrow in its side, without ever having felt sorry for itself.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“A doe can stumble and die, a hunter’s arrow in its side, without ever having felt sorry for itself”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“There’s nothing wrong with my medical skills.” Ridge groped his way over to Apex. “Aren’t you the one who offered to staple General Paltimer’s nostrils shut to heal his sinus infection, last fall?”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3

“Tolemek opened a glass vial with a glass stopper and used a slender brush to smear dark goop onto the hinges.”
― Lindsay Buroker, The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3