Kaye Thornbrugh

“Feronia played at politics the way she played chess--shrewdly, always thinking about her next move. In this game, Feronia was queen, and Byrony a pawn. Normally, there was no comparing their strengths. But if a pawn was clever and evaded the ire of stronger pieces, if it moved strategically, if it refused to yield, there were ways it might advance. Ways it might become a queen.”

“October twenty-second..." Lee read, trailing off as she reached the year. Her insides went cold. She whirled around, her voice quavering. "What is this? Don't screw with me!""What is it?" Nasser asked?"The date is wrong." He knew it, of course. He had to know."How wrong?""Seven years wrong!" Lee shrieked. "What is this? Where am I?"Nasser opened his mouth, but all that came out was a series of stammers. Filo glared at him, then turned to Lee. "You want to know what's happening?""Yes," Lee sobbed, nodding feebly. "Please.""Okay," Filo offered. "What do you know about faeries?”

“She opened her sketchbook, carefully tore out several pages and handed them to Nasser--three detailed color sketches of three flowers. Leafing through the pages, he translated the message. A petunia: Your presence soothes me. A peppermint flower: warmth of feeling. And heartsease, the flower he'd given her so many times before.You occupy my thoughts."I've been doing a lot of reading," Lee said quietly, setting her sketchbook aside. "You're not the only one who knows what flowers mean.”

“In that moment, she had felt like there wasn't a place in the world he wouldn't go with her, and she couldn't think of a single place she wanted to go without him.”

“She won't come back here like that," Lee said weakly. "Lightning never strikes the same place twice, right?"Filo stopped in the doorway, one hand on the frame. "No, Lee," he said, giving her a withering look. "A place is never the same after lightning strikes it. I guess that makes you the lightning.”

“Great," Lee sighed, side-stepping through. "Just when I thought I'd gotten out of wandering through the creepy graveyard, you find another way."Smiling as he followed her through, he assured her, "Don't worry, I'm a professional." He seemed to find her nervousness amusing."And just so you know," she grumbled, "this absolutely does not count as our date."He burst out laughing. "That's too bad. Now I'll have to make other plans. How do you feel about abandoned insane asylums?”

“Jason shrugged and turned away, the kids trailing after him. "I sincerely hope," he told them quietly, "that you learned a little something about the dangers of wandering around in the park on Halloween....”

“Nasser found himself imagining her, without wanting to: those large green eyes, and freckles, and sweet boy lips.”