Mark Of The Thief Quotes
"In Rome, nothing mattered more than the gods, and nothing mattered less than its slaves."
"Only a fool of a slave would ever challenge the gods’ power."
"If near starvation, beatings, and dangerous assignments were tolerance, then yes, Sal had been excessively generous to me."
"I had deliberately dropped sand into Sal’s drink. He was still coughing up the grains he swallowed. I felt no guilt for what I’d done."
"My only regret was the worry I too often caused my sister, Livia."
"It wasn’t my best argument. Sal cared nothing for anyone’s life but his own."
"The griffin was as powerful as it was beautiful."
"I wasn’t anywhere near the biggest or the strongest worker of the mines, and for that matter, I wasn’t the stupidest either."
"I tried to convince myself it was only out of curiosity — not hunger."
"As miners, we had all become used to cold, but this air seemed to flow right through me."
"The discovery of Caesar’s cave is going to change my life."
"I knew those creaks from other mine shafts that had failed and taken many good men with them."
"Before you can understand Rome, you must understand where we began. We are a product of our history of violence, betrayal, and blood."
"I had only one friend left in this world, and with that betrayal, I was already becoming a part of Rome."
"It isn’t much, but it’s what I’ve been given."
"Why are you helping me? None of the other slaves are here."
"I heard him speaking to one of his men. He intends to destroy the empire!"
"A slave who happens to be holding the most powerful magic the empire has seen since the days of Julius Caesar!"
"So tell me, once you give him this… thing, why would Tacitus allow you to live?"
"There are children in here!" I yelled. "Stop this!"
"Anger began filling me, crowding out every other sense of fear, guilt, and despair."
"My lungs burst apart and I flailed around for my life."
"At least the ones who were innocent would get out. Unfortunately, the list of innocents did not include me, which was something I would have to accept."
"You will fight!" Radulf said. "Put your feet on the bottom and push yourself up to the air!"
"Magic is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger you’ll be."
"If anyone can convince the emperor to spare your life, it’s him. I’m sure he can help you."
"I had no idea whether he could hear me too, but for that one word, I hoped so."
"I hope you do." My voice shook when I spoke. "But you’ll regret the day you find me."
"I can’t stop him, Felix! Expose him, maybe, but that’s all."
"You’re worth more than just money," she said, then shifted directions slightly.
"The way my life has gone since I met you, that sounds more like a threat."
"I will trade the bulla for my freedom. But until Radulf is defeated, he can still get at me, and I need the bulla for defense."
"I’m a girl with a knife, so be careful of your accusations."
"I only mean that if he wanted you dead, why go through that elaborate attempt at drowning you?"
"I’m free now," I said. "I don’t care what you paid."
"I ignored him. This wasn’t giving up. I just needed a rest."
"But no more. From behind the copse of cypress trees where we hid and watched, I already felt apart from that world."
"I’m not going to run," I said. "But I won’t obey you either. I’ll never have a master again."
"With a little luck, I had some chance of passing as a free person, as Aurelia did, but not with manacles on my wrists and ankles, and lengths of chain dangling from every limb."
"I don’t make new friends," she mumbled. "Or keep any."
"To other safe havens. But don’t ask where because I don’t think you should know."
"All I’m saying is that you can’t hide forever."
"It’s a good theory, Nic, but you and I both know I haven’t been at all nice to you."
"You have more power than you think," Crispus said proudly.
"Trying isn’t good enough," I said. "Not for what’s coming."
"I don’t want to be hunted the rest of my life."
"Either way, I get Radulf’s voice out of my head."
"We can’t keep pushing him like this," Aurelia said.
"Her name is Caela," I said. "And I’m not coming to say good-bye."
"You would have sacrificed my life to get what you most want."
"Are we equals, you and I? Or do you see me as a slave?"
"I thought this would be harder," Radulf said.
"You will become greater than everyone, even the emperor."
"You don’t need a bulla to pull out someone’s magic," Radulf said.
"If he had been ripping out my heart, it couldn’t have hurt worse."
"Neither of us can fight them alone, Nic. The Praetors are more than what they seem."
"The worst chains are made of comfort and false promises."
"Our family has the ability to do more than rule Rome. We can rule the gods!"
"The power comes on slowly. It will take time."
"That’s not true. We are not nothing without him."
"Before I leave, I will know exactly how to defeat both him and Valerius."