“Calla," Shay called from the hall. "Without your nakedness to distract me, I'm remembering that we're in serious trouble. Hurry, please.”

“Wait.” Shay clasped my arm, turning me toward him. “Calla, you know, right?”“Know what?” I asked, caught in the mystery of his eyes.“That I love you too.”

“He told me how special you are," he said, flashing Shay an unfriendly smile. "Because of your great-great-times-a-hundred-grandmother Eira who got us into this mess when she became a demon's mistress." "Thanks for reminding me," Shay said. "So now you know why you and Calla were supposed to cut my throat instead of a cake at your wedding. Too bad that didn't happen." Ren Stiffened. "I'm not sorry you made it out of Vail alive. As for the rest of it ... we'll see how that turns out, won't we?”

“Don't mind us, Shay." Mason flashed him a smile. "We're just a bunch of wild animals. "No joke." Dax flexed his arms.”

“He is Monroe's son." I pointed at Ren. "And he's your best hope to win this war." "He's what?" Shay's voice was dead quiet. I'm what?" Ren kept his own voice to a whisper, but the look he'd thrown me was a bit alarmed.”

“The patter of tentative footfalls reached my ears. I flipped on my side to face the door and saw Ansel wander by. I rolled onto my back, rubbing sleep from my eyes. I'd crashed on my bed as soons as I'd gotten back from school, collapsing under the weight of the day. The floorboards squeaked as Ansel passed by my door again. I caught his nervous glance in my direction before he hurried down the hall. 'Ansel, I'm not the sun; stop orbiting and get in here,' I called.”

“You do realize you just mixed Disney metaphors, right? Disney metaphors. Wow, Calla, now I'm just sad for you.”