Return of the Thief Quotes

“Of course,” she said, “Your Majesty.” I admired the way she could make the words sound so much like “You Idiot.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“I think they have to show their worst selves sometimes in order to be sure that even at their worst they are loved. Irene knows how frightened he is."

The King didn't sound frightened.

"Any minute," said Eddis, "he will realise--"
As if her words were magic, silence fell in the tent and Eddis finished in a whisper. "How frightened she is.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Ask yourself, Eugenides: why that orange tree? Why that tamarisk bush? She had promised you your heart’s desire while a child of hers was alone in the world and unhappy. See, Eugenides,” Moira said, holding out a finger from each of her hands and interlinking them. “Only two threads brought together, two threads that touched,” she reassured him. “Nothing more than that. And everything else left up to you.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“But if I hadn't lost the hand, I'd be another person entirely by now. Wishing for the hand back would be like wishing the man I already am, to be replaced by some stranger. It would be wishing my own self out of existence.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Nahuseresh tells me I am not king. Well see if he really prefers the Thief.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“That was inappropriate," said Attolia.
"Inappropriate?" shouted the king. "You in your state on your way to war is inappropriate!"
"I did not become inappropriate all by myself!" she shouted back.
"Do you imagine I don't know that?”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“I have seen too many men willing to fight to the death over a spilled cup of wine to think dying for a cause makes that cause just.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“If an author's account of any man is tidy, you must believe it has been made so in contrast with the truth, which is rarely clear and never simple.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“If only wars could be won on the strength of the cheering when they begin, instead of the blood and the pain and the horror that feed the gods of discord.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“I asked her to leave with me on our wedding night.”
“What?” my grandfather said, his composure further weakened. He too had believed this was all a childish bluff and suddenly felt the ground shifting under his feet.
“Oh, yes. We could have been in the Epidi Islands by now, or Mur. I would have taken her anywhere she wanted,” Eugenides assured him. “She wouldn’t abandon her people—she knew how Erondites would rule if she did.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“I’m sure Gen has a plan,” Sounis said as he held Eddis in place. “If that doesn’t frighten you, it should,” said Eddis, glowering.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Nahuseresh tells me I am not king. We'll see if he really prefers the Thief.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“That is it, Sophos. You have hit upon my greatest fear. Someone who named himself Bunny is going to outshine me on the battle field.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Does he expect me to rise from my death bed to fight with him?" the king asked.
"I thought you said you weren't dying"
"I've reconsidered".”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“With a scroll and a book you will look like a scholar." she said "On that horse you will look like a king."
"I might have to be a king. I don't have to look like one."
(...)
"I picked out the horse," said Sounis hastily and the king turned to him swaying a little as if with surprise.
"You Sophos? I thought you were my friend!"
"I am," the king of Sounis assured him. "He has all the fighting spirit of an apricot. His trainers have given up and sold him for farm work. Honestly, like riding a slowly moving sofa," Sounis swore. "On my honor.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Your Majesty!" Hilarion was close to begging. "Everyone is waiting."
"Tell them I died."
"Your Majesty..."
"Died, Hilarion. In the night, peacefully."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because then you could all go away and leave me alone.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Not everything that is easy for you is easy for the rest of us. Why don't you go away, Dionis?”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Lying is just letting people believe what they want to be true.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“When a messenger on a lathered horse comes to the city, he draws the eye of every person in the road. They see his direction. As he turns up the streets toward the palace, Rumor, who is born in a moment, is full-grown the next. She begins to move through the town, trailing ever more elaborate finery behind her.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“As quiet slowly returned to the palace, Attolia found the king in her bedroom peeling off his wet clothes.
"Unkingly," she said.
"My god, I hope so," said the king.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“All wars make men monsters, all wars and all men.”
“And women?” he asked.
“Women, too,” Attolia confirmed.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“...the call of life is as powerful as the call of death, and it is no weakness to answer to it,” she said quietly.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“But the call of life is as powerful as the call of death, and it is no weakness to answer to it,” she said quietly.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“I'm sure everyone has something about themselves they'd like to change. To dance better, sing better, be stronger or taller."
Zikhos snickered. The kings occasional touchiness about his height was well known.
The king must have heard, because he said:
"In Zikhos's case: being smarter than a burnt steak.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“You are Eddis. Go smack him!"
Eddis shook her head.
"Smacking people will not persuade them.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“We have a saying in my country that a beautiful woman deserves love." (...)
"Ugly women do not?" asked the queen as if genuinely curious.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“The king shouted"
"I think I've broken something!!!"
"Nothing important, I'm sure." she called back
"My pride!!!"
She laughed.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Ion, I'm sorry. I apologize"
(...)
"Your Majesty! Are you ill?" he demanded" You have been quiet this morning. And now you are being... amiable.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“...the call of life is as powerful as the call of death, and it is no weakness to answer to it,' she said quietly.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief

“Pray that I triumph today, Fordad, or that I die," said Eugenides, bending from the back of the horse to look the Braeling in the eye. "If I live through this day and I am not king, then all that remains will be the Thief, and every sovereign of the Continent who betrayed me will wake choking on their own blood, I swear it. Your king in his innermost chamber, with his rune stones laid out on the table and his ship lamps by his bed and his curtains trimmed in beads of carved jet, he will not be the first one to die, but the last. I say it three times, Fordad. It will be so. It will be so. It will be so.”
― Megan Whalen Turner, Return of the Thief