“Well, have you ever thought of bathing?' I asked, turning away. 'No one wants to hire a wizard who smells worse than their outhouse. And who knows what creatures are living in that hair?”

“They were never scared of the kids who might die, or the empty spaces they would leave behind. They were afraid of us-the ones who lived.”

“Ruby, give me one reason why we can’t be together, and I’ll give you a hundred why we can. We can go anywhere you want. I’m not your parents. I’m not going to abandon you or send you away, not ever.”

“Did you know...you make me so happy that sometimes I actually forget to breath? I'll be looking at you, and my chest will get so tight...and it's like, the only thought in my head is how much I want to reach over and kiss you.”

“I think maybe the most frustrating feeling in the world is to have something to say but not know how to put it into words. To have lived through something but not be able to get it out of you before it festers.”

“Genet raised his hand, and I squeezed my eyes shut, sure I would be receiving the worst backhanded slap of my life.Genet froze and whimpered, but didn't back away."Oh, ho," said a familiar voice. "That was close !" I opened my eyes as North's free hand - the one that hadn't caught Genet's wrist - gently pulled my arm free. I pushed myself away from both of them."You interrupt my business ?" Genet sputtered. "Do you know what this wench just accused me of being ?""A filthy pig," North said good-naturedly. "But there's only one filthy pig allowed in her life, and the position's been filled.”

“You're a wizard," I snapped. "Can't you just use magic to make your own food?""Ah, yes," he retorted. "Because mud pies are so very delicious and the wind fills empty stomachs quite nicely.”