"You love the way we're alone together, with whole worlds to ourselves. Whenever you start thinking about colonists following after us, changing the landscapes we've shared, you always get depressed."

"I don't ever scare myself; I wish I did. I like being scared."

Discerning readers will note that these are not, in fact, the standard rules for blackjack.

One December / the Prince abandoned hunting, / tired of Old Kings with blind dogs, / and ugly daughters, selling their lands / with marriages.

Violet Miranda: Girl Pirate , page 1 of 24. A serialized graphic novel.