“I didn't get this dressed up to watch you mess around in the gutter with a bunch of motorcycles.""They are pretty to look at," said Jace. "You have to admit that.""So am I," said Isabelle.”

“Oooh, that was fun.""That does it," said Jace. "I'm going to get you a dictionary for Christmas this year.""Why?" Isabelle said."So you can look up 'fun.' I'm not sure you know what it means."Isabelle pulled the long heavy mass of her wet hair forward and wrung it out as if it were wet washing. "You're raining on my parade.""It's a pretty wet parade already, if you hadn't noticed." Jace glanced around.”

“That does it," said Jace. "I'm going to get you a dictionary for Christmas this year.""Why?" Isabelle said."So you can look up 'fun.' I'm not sure you know what it means.”

“Jace?" She offered him the glass. "I am a man," he told her. "And men do not consume pink beverages. Get the gone, woman and bring me something brown.""Brown?" Isabelle made a face. "Brown is a manly colour," said Jace and yanked on a stray lock of Isabelle's hair with his free hand. "In fact, look-Alec is wearing it."Alec looked mournfully down at his sweater. "It was black," he said. "But then it faded.""You could dress it up with a sequined headband," Magnus suggested.”

“We shouldn’t,” protested Isabelle. “The Clave has a plan.”“The Clave has the collective intelligence of a pineapple,” said Jace.Alec blinked up at them. “Jace is right.”Isabelle turned on her brother. “What do you know? You weren’t even paying attention.”“I was,” Alec said, injured. “I said Jace was right.”“Yeah, but there’s like a 90% chance of me being right most of the time, so that’s not proof you were listening,” said Jace. “That’s just a good guess.”

“I can't believe he didn't have the dignity and presence of mind just to get drunk and pass out in some gutter," said Jace. "I must say, I'm disappointed in the little fellow.”