“Ky's story, bit by bit, is turning to ash and nothing. Except. He remembers it, and now I do, too.”

“Is it any wonder, since, when near the fire, I was melted and burned, if now that it's extinguished outside me, it besets and consumes me inside, and bit by bit reduces me to ashes?”

“Well, I don't like the first bit and I don't know the last bit. So I'm really hoping the middle bit is exceptional.”

“Nothing about this entire scenario made sense. But who cares? Once in a while, everyone was entitled to be a bit flaky, and now it was his turn.”

“It can’t be that bad. I have to try it.”I bit back a mad grin. I was so not going to stop her.“Uh, Ash, I really wouldn’t suggest doing that,” Daemon began.Party pooper, I thought, but Ash was a determined little alien.”

“Would he ever lighten up? Do I even want him to? In a strange way, his domineering, cavalier attitude was a bit of a turn on.”