Barbarian's Choice Quotes

“I have been waiting all this time for my Mardok. I slide my arms around his waist, holding him close and breathing in his scent. It does not matter that he is cooler to the touch or that his people are strange. He is mine.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“It’s about…anatomy.” I choke on the mouthful of frittata.  The humans just laugh. Josie waits until I finish swallowing and then rushes on with her question, breathless. “We want to know what the spur is for.” It’s just as bad as I thought. “Pardon?” I wheeze.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“I am obsessed with Farli. I hunger for her. I might even love her, though it’s hard to say after only knowing her for a day, but is it enough to turn my back on everything I have ever known and embrace a primitive life? I don’t know if I am that man.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“She thinks we’re married. According to her customs, because she ‘sang’ to me, we’re now together and should make babies. It’s absolutely crazy.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“You cannot remove a khui once it has become part of you. The humans say that there is no leaving once you are here.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“Old Sakh? From the Old Sakh Empire? No one’s spoken that language in a thousand years. The Sakh Empire broke up and formed several coalitions of different planets, and my home world is one of them. Niri’s, too.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“The creature’s bleeding all over me and all over the floors, but right now that doesn’t matter. What matters is making sure it doesn’t die, because I don’t think I’ll be able to stand it if this strange woman looks at me with hate…or worse, disappointment. Hate can always be flipped back to friendship, but disappointment lasts forever.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“He does not want a khui. He does not want to stay here with me.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“Tell me you’re real,” he says to me. “I feel like if I go to sleep, I’m going to wake up and this will all have been a dream.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“I am your mother. I will love you and honor whatever decision will make you happy.” Her eyes shine with tears of her own. “Even if it takes you far, far away from me.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“I’m more about giving the reader an immersive, enjoyable experience than being 100% technically correct. So Mardok has a bit of his own slang tossed in (keffing!) and a lot of our own idioms in there simply because it makes the book flow. Some of you might be out there saying, “An advanced culture wouldn’t talk like this, Ruby!” And I know this! But I thought it would ‘keep you in the story’ more than a phrase like “Mardok picked up his zabiji and gave the kislani a toss. Bazet milani, he hated when the zippi doo dat had a yippie-ki-yay stuck into it.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“On impulse, I move to the edge of the bed and then roll off the side. I land on his chest, and my forehead knocks into his. My khui’s song increases.

“Ooof,” he groans, and then touches my arm. “Are you okay, Farli? Did you fall off?”

“I wanted to visit.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“You must do what you feel in your heart is right, my daughter.” Kemli puts her hand on Farli’s arm. “We will miss you terribly, but you must walk your own path.” Her smile wobbles. “Even if it is not with us.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“Farli. I look over at her. She’s wearing Niri’s jumper again today, her own furry boots covering her feet. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, and her face is wreathed in smiles as her ugly, smelly pet licks her face happily. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice

“Perhaps I am a dreamer, but I am waiting for a hunter that looks at me with fire in his belly and stars in his eyes.”
― Ruby Dixon, Barbarian's Choice