"In point of fact, the one rule by which the monarchs of Valdemar governed their people was 'There is no "one, true way."'" Narrator, Prologue, page 7

"Great pride shall earn great humiliation." Sherrill, Chapter 1, page 15

"Elspeth's always there, and there's nothing like being worse at something than a thirteen-year old girl to really deflate your opinions of yourself. Well, that ought to reinflate her self-esteem a bit." Talia, Chapter 1, page 20

"It did not occur to either of them to wonder why no one else had been mustered out of bed by that imperative calling both of them had answered- and why no one else had even noticed anything at all out of the ordinary even yet." Narrator, Chapter 1, page 29

"The Companion Gwena has Chosen, and her Choice is the Heir-presumptive, now Heir-In-Right, the Lady Elspeth. May I have the Queen's leave to enter the trainee in the...