Artemis

“Only Merlin and her guards ever woke her in the mornings, and her guards only shouted to her through the doors.
Britt picked her head off her pillow. “Merlin?”
Merlin, once again standing out in the hallway, hissed through the door.“You’re still in bed.”
“Yeah, so?”
“It is indecent for you to allow a man into your bedchambers when you are still in bed!”
Britt rolled her eyes and sat up. “What did you want?”
“Get up. We’re going to mass.”
“No, we’re not. You might be, but I’m not.”
“Oh yes you are, you little heathen.”
“It’s boring. The pastor only talks in Greek or Hebrew or whatever that language is.”
“He’s the archbishop, and he conducts the service in Latin.”
“Mmm, yeah that,” Britt said, falling back into her bed with a thump.
“Do not lie back down you unschooled foundling!”
“Too late,” Britt said. “If you want me to go to mass you’re going to have to drag me out of here. How indecent would that be?”
― K.M. Shea, Enchanted

“Stil snorted. “I am not in love with Angelique. I’m in love with you,” he said, scooting closer.

Gemma pushed her chair away.
“Well, that’s not proper.”

“Why not?” Stil asked, butting his chair up against Gemma’s.

“Because of the age difference.”

“Age difference?”

“Of course. Surely you can’t be a day younger than fifty or sixty,” Gemma said in surprise.

Stil’s jaw dropped.

“You think I’m an OLD MAN?!” Stil thundered.

“Most magic users are not the age they physically appear to be,” Gemma said.“And it is well known that they age much more slowly.”

“You think I’m an OLD MAN?!” he repeated, his voice even louder.

“I’m not even twenty-five yet, you mean-spirited mule, and my clothes are fashionable among mages!” Stil said.

“This whole time you’ve thought I am OLD?”

“I get the impression that offends you.”

“IT DOES.”

Gemma only lifted her eyebrows.

“Aren’t you going to apologize?” Stil asked.

“For what?”

“For thinking I’m OLD!”

Gemma shrugged. “It seems you have only yourself to blame for that misunderstanding.”

Stil glowered”
― K.M. Shea, Rumpelstiltskin

“It was a startling revelation, really. How had I gone from infatuation to soul-clenching lust to…love?

True love defies logic. That’s its signature trait.

Funny, people always said love was something that grew in both intensity and depth as you got to know a person, but I was never sure about that. Maybe the love is already there, dormant inside your heart, waiting for “the one” to unlock it. That would certainly explain how I felt; I loved him. I felt like I always had and I always would”
― Mimi Jean Pamfiloff, Sun God Seeks…Surrogate?

“Britt Said “I’m glad.”
Merlin nodded “If you’re so glad then you should work to win over more of your men.”
“Yes, Merlin.”
“Don’t you ‘yes, Merlin’ me!”
“Of course, Merlin.”
“That’s hardly any better.”
“You don’t think I know that?”
“Harridan.”
“I find it amusing that you resort to name calling when you can’t think of anything better to say.”
“Only to those who deserve it.”
“Yes, Merlin.”
― K.M. Shea, Enchanted