He knew there were no forevers and there was always a way out, yet he lost his way, lost his balance.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. And the better the world liked seeing them fall.

Orphans? Would you really? Adopt children?"
"There are advantages. If they turn out badly, we can blame their natural parents. We can also choose our own assortment of ages and genders. We can even get them ready-grown, if we wish.

Adieu, Lord Dain,” she answered without turning her head. “Have a pleasant evening with your cows.”

Cows?

She was merely trying to provoke him, Dain told himself. The remark was a pathetic attempt at a setdown. To take offense was to admit he’d felt the sting. He told himself to laugh and return to his… cows.

I lost a son, too, so I can relate.

We knew Houston had lost today. We wanted to get it, and somehow we did.