Quotes by Tamora Pierce

Without patience, magic would be undiscovered - in rushing everything, we would never hear its whisper inside.

New learning never hurt anybody.

Waves are the voices of tides. Tides are life, murmured Niko. They bring new food for shore creatures, and take ships out to sea. They are the oceans pulse, and our own heartbeat.

Im sorry, I didnt mean--To speak of it? asked the Kmir. Diane nodded. You have to, just to bleed off the poison from the memory.

Her free hand was clenched in a fist. I held still, waiting for her to say something, to tell me she should have never left me here, where her friends might look to me for help.Finally she looked at me. Her eyes were hard, but shed let no tears fall. This is where we blame those who are responsible, Cooper, she told me, her voice very soft. The colemongers, and the bought Dogs at Tradesmens kennel. Well leave an offering for him with the Black God when all this is done, and well occupy ourselves with tearing these colemongers apart. all right? We put grief aside for now.

Sadly for my wedding plans, I learned that Nestor is a bardash. I envy the men who enjoy his favors. He has always treated me with friendship which I now value more than my old romantic feelings.

Briar: So I guess I was the last to know. Rosethorn: Of course you are. Youre a man, arent you?

Were men, and men arent born to stand alone.

We build up pretty pictures of men, when we want to be in love. We hate to have them ruined.

If you look hard and long, you can find us. If you listen hard and long, you can hear any of us, call any of us that you wish.

Ishabal: If you may correct your vision as you like, why do you wear spectacles? Tris: Because I like them. Because I have better things to do with my magic than fixing my vision when ordinary glass will do.

Briar: They never tell you some things. They tell you mages have wonderful power and they learn all kinds of secrets. Nobody ever mentions that some secrets you dont ever want to learn. Rosethorn: All you can do is learn good to balance the bad. Learn and do all the good within your reach. Then, if you wake in a sweat, you have something to set against the dream.

The first thing every mage should learn is that magic makes fools of us. Now you may call yourself a mage. You have learned the most important lesson.

Sandry: There has to be something we can do. Lark: Were mages. We do what we can, but some problems are too big to fix. Sandry: Then I wish I werent a mage. What good is magic, if you cant use it to help people.

What good is magic, if you cant use it to help people?

Well, laddie, if youve let an old buzzard like me hurt you confidence, you couldnt have had much in the first place.

I will be known forever as the Puppy who chased a cutpurse and caught fish garbage instead. My descendants will pretend Im not in their bloodline. No – no one will want to make descendants with me. [from Beka Coopers journal of her first day as a new Dog i.e. cop]

Gran, for the gods love, its talk like yours that starts riots! I said keeping my voice down. Will you just put a stopper in it?She looked at me and sighed. Girl, do you ever take a breath and wonder if folk dont put out bait for you? To see if youll bite? Youll never get a man if you dont relax.My dear old Gran. Its a wonder her children arent every one of them as mad as priests, if she mangles their wits as she mangles mine.Granny, I told her, this is dead serious. I cant relax, no more than any Dog. Im not shopping for a man. Thats the last thing I need.

Its always better to attack than to defend, Coram had told her when they talked about fencing late at night. Always. Ye dont win with defense--ye only hold the other feller off, or wear him down. Attack and have done with it!

If you have to hit--hit low.