“I am an artist,” Wit said. “I should thank you not to demean me by insisting my art must be trying to accomplish something. In fact, you shouldn’t enjoy art. You should simply admit that it exists, then move on. Anything else is patronizing.”

“or you accept the better path: that your actions define you more than your intentions. That your goals and the journey used to attain them must align.

But it is better than having no options.’”

War is the last option of the state that has failed,’”

Passion is nothing without a plan. Wanting something doesn’t make it happen.

“Heroism is a myth you tell idealistic young people—specifically when you want them to go bleed for you. It got one of my sons killed and another taken from me. You can keep your heroism and return to me the lives of those wasted on foolish conflicts.”

The humans fought like a great-shelled beast—a winding, relentless chasmfiend, all armor and teeth.

That’s the trouble with science. It’s never done. Always upending itself. Ruining perfect systems for the little inconvenience of them being wrong.”

“Nalathis. Scadarial. Tal Dain. Do you recognize any of those?”