“Normal life? Nothing about this is normal, Novice. I’m Death, not a Genie. I don’t go granting wishes unless absolutely necessary.” He levels his face to mine. “You do remember your family’s souls, don’t you?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not scared,” I say airily. “Are you ever?” “All the time. Normally. All the time.”

“You know, some people think Shadowhunters are just myths. Like mummies and genies." Kyle grinned at Jace. "Can you grant wishes?""That depends," he said. "Do you wish to be punched in the face?”

“So what are you saying?” Keath asked, though it was clear he was dreading the answer.“I’m saying is that I don’t want to be a part of this. I want my life to stay the way it is, and that means I can’t be a friend of yours. I don’t want any part of the faerie world.”“That’s how normal people are supposed to react when they find out about all this,” Carlow said, looking pointedly at Kath and Katie, who just shrugged. They had never pretended to be normal.”

“Why do you do that?” he whispered, after a few minutes.“Do what?”“Provoke me.”“I don’t…I…I’m not provoking you. I’m stating a fact.”“Nevertheless, it is extremely provocative. Every time I try to have a conversation with you like a normal person, you provoke me.”

“Normally, I’d lie and connive and do whatever necessary to make you take me into the south.”“But …”More tears began to flow. “But that thing …”“Thing? What thing?”“That thing … in one’s head … that tells you when something would be wrong to do. It won’t let me do it.”Feeling a sudden high level of annoyance, Gwenvael carefully asked, “Do you mean your … conscience?”Her tears turned into hysterical sobs, and she went down on her side, her head dropping into his lap.“Dagmar! Everyone has a conscience.”“I don’t!”“Of course you do.”“I’m a politician, Gwenvael! Of course, I don’t have a conscience. At least I didn’t. Now I’m cursed with one. And it’s your fault!”Somehow he knew that last bit would happen.”