But…’ Horace looked from one familiar face to another. ‘How did you come to..?’Before he could finish the question, Will interupted, thinking to clarify matters but only making them more puzzling…’We were all in Toscana...

[Will]’d barely been asleep a few minutes when Halt’s voice woke him.’Will? Are you asleep?’…’I was,’ he said, a little indignantly. ‘I’m not now.”Good,’ Halt replied, a trifle smugly. ‘Serves you right.

What about you three, where are you going?”Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn’t make it any less terrifying or blood-chilling when the words were said.”We’re going...

What the devil is Chocho?’ Will whispered.Horace’s grin broadened. ‘You are. It’s what the men call you,’ he said. Then he added, ‘It’s a term of great respect.’Behind them, Halt nodded confirmation. ‘Great respect,’ he...

Right! Let’s get on with it! All right… you… Will… have trained as apprentice to Ranger Halt of Redmont Fief these last five twelvemonths and blah blah blah and so on and so on. You’ve...

How do we get there? How did you get here, by the way?’ [Will asked].He heard Halt’s deep sigh and knew he’d done it again.’Do you ever,’ the older Ranger said with great deliberation, ‘manage...

The Rangers were founded over one hundred and fifty years ago, in King Herbert’s reign. Do you know anything about him?” Halt looked sideways at the boy sitting beside him, tossing the question out quickly...

Two-thirds of all preachers, doctors and lawyers are hanging on to the coat tails of progress, shouting, whoa! while a good many of the rest are busy strewing banana peels along the line of march.

Without thinking, [Will] spoke.’Halt? Are you awake?”No.’ The ill humor in the one-word reply was unmistakable.’Oh. Sorry.”Shut up.’He pondered whether to apologize again and decided this would go against the instruction to shut up, so...

I circled the site before I came in. If there’s anyone within five kilometers, I’ll eat my quiver.” Halt regarded him, eyebrow arched once more. “Anyone?””Anyone other than Crowley,” Will amended, making a dismissive gesture....

When someone puts an end to something, it doesn’t mean that he gave up, it means that thing is not taking him anywhere.

Gundar, seeing Halt upright for the first time in two days, stumped up the deck to join them.’Back on your feet then?’ he boomed cheerfully, with typical Skandian tact. ‘By Gorlag’s toenails, with all the...

Halt! How are you? What have you been doing? Where’s Abelard? How’s Crowley? What’s this all about?” “I’m glad to see you rate my horse more important than our Corps Commandant,” Halt said, one eyebrow...

I said, names aren’t important,” he repeated. There was a silence between them for some seconds, then the Ranger said: “Do you know what is important?”Will shook his head.”Supper is important!

Will saw the first Senshi officer release and instantly knew where the arrow was aimed. ‘They’ve spotted Shigeru!’ He was about to turn and shove Shigeru to the ground, but as he did so, his...

Will raised both eyebrows. ‘Well, you learn a new thing everyday,’ he said reflectively.’In your case, that’s no exaggeration,’ Halt said, completely straight-faced.

Fighting positions, please, ladies…”That’s debatable,’ Halt said in an undertone to Will as they stood watching…’The ‘fighting’ part or the ‘ladies’ part?’ Will replied with a grin.Halt looked at him and shook his head. ‘Definitely...

There are always risks in battle. It’s a dangerous business. The trick is to take the right ones.’ [said Halt].’How do you know which are the right ones?’ Shigeru asked.Halt glanced at his two younger...

The two girls disappeared into the stern cabin once more. Will watched them go, then asked Halt, ‘Anything you’d like me to do? Grow a beard? Learn to walk like a rooster?”If you could stop...

Halt eyed them balefully. They were all being so obvious about not mentioning his sudden reappearance that it was even worse than if they had commented on it…’Oh, go on!’ he said. ‘Somebody say something!...

You’re right, Halt,’ she said, and he nodded acklowledgement of her backing down.’Nice to hear someone else saying that for a change,’ Will said cheerfully. ‘Seems like I’ve said those words an awful lot in...

‎Halt looked up at the trees above him.”Why does this boy ask so many questions?” he asked the trees.Naturally, they didn’t answer.

Shokaku is a crane of some kind.”For lifting things?’ Will asked.’For flying. A crane is a large bird,’ she corrected him…’Seems like a logical thing for a crane to do,’ Halt mused. ‘I suppose you...

Now for God’s sake, will you two start behaving like a princess and a Courier?” Halt told them. “If you don’t, I’ll have to think about sending Will home.”Me?’ Will said, his voice breaking into...