How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Cabbarus, chief minister of the realm, bent over his desk scanning a sheaf of documents. Cabbarus had the virtue of diligence with an immense capacity for drudgery, and he had been at his work since dawn. From the day of his elevation from superintendent of the Royal Household, he had shown himself willing and eager to accept duties the other ministers found boring. Cabbarus, as a result, had his fingers in everything from the purchase of lobsters to the signature of death warrants. His eyes were everywhere: eyes the color of slate, unblinking; with a glance that made all on whom it rested feel, in comparison with him, less noble, less high-minded, and that their linen needed changing. (5.1)
Cabbarus wants all the power for himself, and he keeps an eye on everything in Westmark so that he can make sure everything's going according to his plans. By taking on the stuff nobody wants to do, Cabbarus knows everything…. and uses this to his advantage. This guy's got all the power and keeps it away from the other ministers—and the king.
Quote #2
Out of respect for his position, the chief minister allowed himself certain small luxuries. One of these was a private garden that yielded, in all seasons, blossoms of information. Cabbarus fertilized it with generous applications of money. The harvest was always more plentiful and usually more accurate than the labored, vegetablelike reports of provincial constables and police spies. Cabbarus earnestly believed his rank entitled him to this higher quality of produce. Since he cultivated his garden personally, he saw no reason to share it.
As in the most carefully tended gardens, the occasional weed sprang up or plant withered. Cabbarus had his disappointments. The individual he counted on to deal with Torrens had not thrived. This in itself did not trouble the chief minister. As a precaution, the man would have been pruned, in any case. What nettled Cabbarus was that he had no inkling of the doctor's fate. (18.1-2)
One way Cabbarus knows everything about everything is by keeping a "garden." No, he doesn't grow fruits and veggies—this garden is a cultivated network of spies, the members of which bring him info about all sorts of things. Whatever he wants to know, they can tell him—for more on this, hop on over to the "Symbols" section.
Quote #3
He sauntered over to the constables. Smiling, he quietly suggested they leave. He did not raise hand or voice. The smile never left his face, but his gray eyes had turned bright and hard as ice. The officers blustered a few moments, then declared the matter unimportant and hurried out. Theo understood. It was not the townsfolk they feared. It was Florian. (13.37)
Florian doesn't even have to shout to wield his power; his presence and influence speak for themselves. He's a quiet storm—by just chatting with him, the constables know to back off. Subtle.