I really, really love the way Maggie has laid out a field of tropes at the beginning and then gets to just fucking frolic through them throughout the story. My lobster too buttery, my steak too juicy, etc. (spoilers beneath the cut)
"I was meant to appear in this new world as a woman of prophecy with magic holy powers so I could assist the kingdom with their blight or curse problem. I would be met by a prince or some high-ranking and stunning noble, and upon heroically demonstrating my abilities, I would become the center of attention, while a gaggle of ridiculously handsome men followed me around, pledged their swords to me, and pleaded with me not to overexert myself."
"You have me, Maggie," he said. "I don't know the future, but I know the present, and I've decided to walk this path with you. As long as you will have me by your side, I won't allow anyone to harm you." - Reynald Karis, page 168
Across the table, Everard leaned back in his chair, thinking. He looked cold and regal right now, like some dark monarch contemplating an invasion. // "Be careful in the Citadel. Take care of yourself." // There was genuine care in his voice. - Ramond vi Everard, page 246
"Would you like to borrow a carriage, my lady?" he asked. // "Is it that obvious?" // He smiled. It softened his harsh face, turning him unexpectedly handsome. // "As a knight with others under my command, it is my job to recognize when someone is hiding pain. You have done so much for us. Please allow me this one small courtesy." - Earl Bellen, page 257
"I'm not your lord, but I could be." // He said it like a come-on, but there was a threat wrapped in that smoldering voice. - The Man From the Garden, page 270
"I can walk." // "Please, my lady, I couldn't possibly tolerate you overexerting yourself in my presence." - Earl Bellen, page 381
"This is too much, really. I can pour my own tea." // "You are so easy to overwhelm, Lady Maggie. You must endeavor to be more demanding." //// "If I didn't know better, my lord, I'd think you're trying to sweep me off my feet." // "I am," he said. "Is it working?" - Earl Bellen, page 384, 385
"...Lute and I talked it over. The Sleepless Duke is a force, but you were the one who kept the old man from dying. You have my axe and Lute's sword." - Willem Magnar, page 389
Arvel was looking at me like I was a delicious snack. // His blue eyes were so warm and there was just a hint of vulnerability in their depths. The shadow of longing. "I think you could be that to me," he said. // His voice murmured in my ear. "What do you want, my lady? What do you really want? Tell me and I will make it yours." - Lord Arvel, the dance from hell
We stepped away from each other and came together. His face was entirely too close. His voice was an intimate caress. "Does he know you led me around on a leash?" - Silveren, the dance from hell
"Failing that, I could wake up in the body of the female lead, usually a daughter of a prominent noble house...I would pretend to suffer from amnesia, while an army of maids waited on me hand and foot, and plot my revenge, during which I would be fawned on by a dangerous and ice-cold male lead, who would turn into a devoted puppy in my vicinity."
"I'm going to destroy Ulmar Hreban." - Maggie, page 88
I was sitting on the wall in a magical city, and a hot, deadly swordsman had brought me tea and pastries and was entertaining me with his war stories. - Maggie, page 170
If I didn't know better, I'd say Reynald Karis, the ice-cold blademaster of Rellas, found me endearing. - Maggie, page 224
Black smoke slid off Everard, spilling onto the floor. His eyes blazed with green. // Cold sweat slicked my back. I couldn't help it. It was an instinctual, knee-jerk reaction. // "Sol," he said, pronouncing each word slowly, "she is mine." - Ramond vi Everard, page 236
He picked me up and started up the stairs. My face was only a few inches from his. His arms were rock steady. His profile was harsh, as if it had been carved from stone, but he carried me as if I were made of glass. He was so gentle. // "May I stay and watch over you?" - Ramond vi Everard, page 285
Everard crouched by me and took my hand in his. His eyes were so warm, his face reassuring and sincere. The feel of his fingers on mine sent little shivers down my spine. // "You don't have to make this decision right now," he said. "Or at all. Use me. Let me be your shield. Let me take care of you." - Ramond vi Everard, page 309
"You were a refugee, you lost your memory, and my aunt, who always wanted to have a daughter, saved you from the street." - Solentine Dagarra, page 310
"Welcome to the family, Marigold Demarr." - Solentine Dagarra, page 311
"If I worked that hard for the sake of someone my domain needed, I wonder how far I would go for the sake of someone I truly want?" - Ramond vi Everard, page 337
"You made it seem as if I have much more influence over you than I do." // "I believe I'm the ultimate authority on the amount of influence you have over me." - Ramond vi Everard, page 361
"Fuck the future. If I come back here and find you gone, I will level this damn city. If you care for Kair Toren, come with me." // I had to put some distance between us. I stood up. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close, and rested his forehead against mine. - Ramond vi Everard, 371
Everard looked at me. "I want to be with you and just you. If you never told me another secret again, I would still want you. Nobody can take you away from me. Not Arvel, not Sauven, not the Archmage, not the entirety of the Crimson Empire. The only person who can come between us is you. And I promise you, from this point on, I will bring the full power of everything I am to win you over. You will put your hand in mine, Maggie, and you will do it gladly." -Ramond vi Everard, page 443
