“Jem?" he said. 'It is you, James?''Who else?' Jem's voice.”

“James Carstairs! Jem! Where are you, you disloyal bastard?”

“Will’s voice dropped. “Everyone makes mistakes, Jem.”“Yes,” said Jem. “You just make more of them than most people.”“I —”“You hurt everyone,” said Jem. “Everyone whose life you touch.”“Not you,” Will whispered. “I hurt everyone but you. I never meant tohurt you.”Jem put his hands up, pressing his palms against his eyes. “Will —”“You can’t never forgive me,” Will said in disbelief, hearing thepanic tinging his own voice. “I’d be —”“Alone?” Jem lowered his hand, but he was smiling now, crookedly. “Andwhose fault is that?”

“Jem shook his head. "You bit de Quincey" he said. "You fool. He's a VAMPIRE""I had no choice" said Will " He was choking me""I know" Jem said. " But really Will, AGAIN?”

“Ah,” said a voice from the doorway, “having your annual ‘everyone thinks Will is a lunatic’ meeting, are you? “It’s biannual,” said Jem. “And no, this is not that meeting.”

“Jessamine flushed. "Ugh! Charlotte, Will's being vexing.""And the sun has come up in the east," said Jem to no one in particular...."And the sun comes up in the WEST," said Will, who had apparently heard Jem's earlier comment.”