“The wavelets flung themselves up as if trying to pat my feet and I darted back, laughing, and picked up my skirts to chase them back as they receded, in a game of tag more ancient than I then knew.”

“He stood at the foot of the grave, gloved hands clasped behind him, his dark clothes and hair blending into one black silhouette, as if he were not a presence but an absence, a hole cut out of the landscape.”

“You just couldn’t wait to get me naked, could you, Princess?” Loki asked tiredly. I started to pull my hand back, but he put his own hand over it, keeping it in place.“No, I—I was checking for wounds,” I stumbled. I wouldn’t meet his gaze.“I’m sure.” He moved his thumb, almost caressing my hand, until it hit my ring. “What’s that?” He tried to sit up to see it, so I lifted my hand, showing him the emerald-encrusted oval on my finger. “Is that a wedding ring?”“No, engagement.” I lowered my hand, resting it on the bed next to him. “I’m not married yet.”“I’m not too late, then.” He smiled and settled back in the bed.“Too late for what?” I asked.“To stop you, of course.” Still smiling, he closed his eyes.”

“I'm going back to bed. And when I wake up maybe that ugly girl will be gone.”

“But just for a minute. I won't be gone long and if she wakes up before I get back tell her that I love her.”

“And I knew it was true, that my words were made of stones, that they would last and I would climb them.”

“I could win you a goldfish.""I don't think that's be fair to the goldfish," Gemma said. "I've had about a dozen of them, and they all seem to die within days of me getting them.""Oh, yeah." Alex smiled crookedly. "I remember you making your dad bury them out in the backyard.""They were my pets, and they deserved a proper burial.""I better be careful around you." Alex stepped back from her cautiously, giving her a wide berth. "You're a goldfish mass murderer. I don't know what you're capable of.""Stop!" Gemma laughed. "I didn't kill them on purpose! I was little. I think I overfed them. Out of love, though.""That's even scarier," he teased. "Do you plan to kill me with kindness?""Maybe." She narrowed her eyes at him and tried to look menacing, making him laugh.”