Paladin's Strength Quotes

“You are not a failure, you know,” he said, “simply because you can’t endure something unendurable.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Madam,” said Istvhan, his voice dropping nearly an octave, “I have made love. I have had sex. I have bedded, rutted, fucked, and on one occasion, with enthusiastic consent and a great deal of oil, I have sodomized, but I have never, not once, canoodled.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Once she was inside, the man let down the tent flap behind them. In Harshek he called, "Galen, I don't know what's going on here, but hopefully this woman can explain."

"What if she kills you, Boss?" called Galen.

"Then either avenge me or put her in charge. Your choice.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“The larger part of power was understanding the power you had over others, even if you would rather not have had that much power in the first place.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“You learned better and you got on with things. You learned that you were what you were, and tried to be the best version of that person, because you were never going to be anybody else. And you stopped envying other people because everyone had problems you didn’t know about.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“What's so funny?" Istvhan swept more food into the pack. How much did a bear eat? Was she going to kill deer or something? Should he help?

"I was just thinking, first you're with Beartongue and now you're chasing after someone with an actual bear's - "

"Galen."

"Look, I'm just saying you have a type. A weirdly specific type.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“I somehow thought you had experience with stealth missions.” .
“Domina, I’m a berserker.”
“Perhaps you gnawed your shield very quietly?”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“The only problem was that when you were in a place of healing, it was hard to forget that you were damaged.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“In life, if you were careful, there were simply not that many times when you absolutely, positively, had to turn into a bear.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Trust is one part faith and one part predictability.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“And finally, of course, my husband Kevin, who will be sitting around, innocently minding his own business, and suddenly have an incomplete manuscript thrust on him while his wife, wild-eyed, screams, "Tell me this does not shame my ancestors!"

- Acknowledgments”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Istvhan woke, for the second time that month, with his head buried in someone's cleavage. Unlike the first time, he knew exactly where he was and who he was with. Admittedly, she was still a nun, but that didn't seem to matter nearly as much as it used to.

This is a very fine way to wake up. I could get used to this.

"Are you all right down there?" asked Clara.

"I am having a moment."

"Yes, I see that. Can you breathe?"

"Air is for the weak.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Stephen told him that she had moved a second chair into the workshop so that he could knit in the same room with her, which, judging by Stephen’s reaction, was a declaration of affection unmatched in modern times.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Do you have a name?" he asked.
"I do. Do you?"
His lips twitched. "Yes?"
"Excellent. We are both named beings." Clara picked up her cup and blew on it to cool it. The leaves swirled back and forth.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Istvhan, if it pleases you."
"Clara," she said. "Whether it pleases you or not, I'm afraid."
He lifted his teacup in salute. His expression was that of a man having a very trying day.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“But I would not be other than as I am. I like being who I am. It’s the rest of the world that I would like to change.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“May her courage be remembered as long as the stars.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“His last relationship had ended less than a month ago. Given that the Bishop Beartongue, highest ranked of the priests of the Temple of the White Rat in Archenhold, had nearly run him into the ground, he'd been looking forward to a few months of celibacy to recuperate. The bishop was a marvelous woman, but she had a great many aggressions to work out and limited free time to do it in.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Protect the nun!" roared Istvhan, yanking his sword free.
"Protect your own damn self!" Clara roared back.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Another day passed. Nothing terrible continued to happen.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Not that he was in any danger of falling in love these days, but all paladins ran on guilt and duty in equal measure.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“I really don't want to fight her," said Istvhan. "I feel weird fighting women."

"You stabbed her once today already. With a sword."

"Yes, but she was a giant goddamn bear at the time.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Are you familiar with intrusive thoughts?"
"Oh yes. You don't want to think them but they then they get thought anyway."
"More or less. I don't have intrusive thoughts. I have an occasional intrusive bear.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Righteous violence is one hell of a drug.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Plenty of men say they want a woman who's an animal in bed, but in practice, not so much.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“I would commit a venial sin for a cup of tea.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“What would hold their attention, though? Inspiration struck. “I have demands!” Istvhan cried. One of the medics stepped forward, holding up his hands in a peaceful gesture. “Everyone calm down. This doesn’t have to end badly. We can resolve this.” Blessed are the peacemakers, thought Istvhan, for they will buy us time.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“The Rat wants us to live peacefully alongside our fellow creatures, but I do not think He meant monkeys.” A noise came from behind Istvhan that sounded very much like a lay sister strangling a laugh.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“No, we keep no truffle pigs,” she said. “Pigs are entirely too intelligent and I do not trust them. The young ones are well enough, but they all seem to go a bit mad when they grow into their balls.” “A common enough affliction,” said Istvhan blandly. “Yes, it seems to be.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“he’d stabbed a nun who was also a bear and now he was ogling her while she was bleeding, gods above, was there no end to his personal depravity?”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength

“Also, you stabbed her. Stabbed. Pointy metal jammed into flesh. Women do not forgive you for that in a hurry. Men either, generally.”
― T. Kingfisher, Paladin's Strength