“Lucy said, her nose pressed to the window. “Misunderstanding. No big deal.”Solange quirked a half smile. “You might try complete sentences, Lucy.”“Can’t. Busy.”I was curious despite myself. “What are you doing?”“Drooling,” Solange explained fondly.“I totally am,” Lucy admitted, unrepentant. “Just look at them.”Lucy moved over to give me space. She was watching five of the seven Drake boys repairing the outside wall of the farmhouse, under our window.”

“I nodded. “Where’s your hunter?” She flinched. “He went home. We thought it would be best.” Her eyes went from worried to warning. “He’s under Drake protection.” “So am I, or so I’ve been led to understand.”“Of course you are,” Lucy said, her nose pressed to the window. “Misunderstanding. No big deal.”Solange quirked a half smile. “You might try complete sentences, Lucy.”“Can’t. Busy.” I was curious despite myself. “What are you doing?” “Drooling,” Solange explained fondly.”

“Solange leaned back against the wall, bored. “Are you done yet?”“Hell no,” Lucy said. She’d left nose prints on the glass. Nicholas smirked up at her. She blushed. “Ooops. Busted.”“I told you they could hear your heartbeat,” Solange said.“Even from up here.”“I can’t help it. Even if they all know they’re pretty and are insufferably arrogant,” she added louder. “Can they hear that?”“Yes.”“Good.” She glanced at me. “Yummy, right?”“I’m sure Isabeau would rather recover, not ogle my brothers,”Solange said. “You remember how stressed you were after the Hypnos?”“Please,” Lucy scoffed. “This is totally soothing.”

“Where's Lucy?" I asked the others."At the farmhouse," Nicholas said with grim satisfaction."How'd you manage that?""She's in a closet." Solange rolled her eyes.I stared at Nicholas. "You locked your girlfriend in a closet? Smooth.""She's going to eviscerate him," Quinn said cheerfully.”

“Lucy: Do you think you have Pantophobia, Charlie Brown?Charlie: I don't know, what is pantophobia?Lucy: The fear of Everything.Charlie: THAT'S IT!!!”

“What do you need?" Vadderung asked."Advice," I said. "If the price is right.""And what do you think a sufficient price would be?""Lucy charges a nickel.""Ah," Vadderung said. "But Lucy is a psychiatrist. You realize that you've just cast yourself as Charlie Brown.""Augh," I said.”