"Sir Arlan De Frome pulled up his destrier and raised his mailed hand to halt the thirty-two men behind him, experienced and hard, mercenaries all."

"The unicorn’s Nostrils flared at the thief in warning."

"Miss Henrietta Bascombe and Miss Ismene Hissop stood with candle-lighters at the ready, waiting for the sounds of the arrival of their first guest."

" ‘Not a drop of hot tea,’ Sir Nick Cassil growled."

"Taryn gripped the shoulder strap of her bag tighter and inhaled her first breath of Annwyn air—well, the first she remembered."

" ‘Did Mama sing every day?’ asked Caleb. ‘Every-single-day?’ "

"Night winds, moaning around corners and whistling through cracks, dashed snow against the windows of the Mountain View Inn."

"Gan Brightblade’s last thoughts before his neck was broken were about how happy he was."