“Margot winked at her. “Every so often, we gather together. We take a little time—a little cathartic time—to vent about those quirks that drive uscrazy.” Elbows on the table, I leaned forward. “So, which of the quirks are we talking about?” “First item on the list—the raising of the eyebrow.” To demonstrate, she arched a carefully sculpted black brow of her own, then peered around at each of us.”

“We each have our hiding places and we each put up with the little quirks of the people we love.”

“I don't know—” the right corner of his lip quirked upward, “—I can eat a lot. I could probably eat you and not think twice about it.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, tilting his shoulders closer to me. “Do you think you're up for that kind of a challenge, little girl?”“Bring it on.”

“We need be careful how we deal with those about us, when every death carries to some small circle of survivors, thoughts of so much omitted, and so little done- of so many things forgotten, and so many more which might have been repaired! There is no remorse so deep as that which is unavailing; if we would be spared its tortures, let us remember this, in time.”

“Zuzana arched an eyebrow. She was a master of the eyebrow arch, and Karou envied her for it. Her own eyebrows did not function independently of each other, which handicapped her expressions of suspicion and disdain.”

“I need Emilia to challenge me with that quiet voice of hers, to keep me interested with all those little quirks she has. I need her because she gets me.”