“Frederic had imagined this moment - him running to Ella with open arms, calling her name - but being as winded as he was, doubled over with his hands on his knees, all he could do was nod in her general direction.”

“He was curious to know more about her. So he did something extremely rare. He sent her a note. Even more shocking, he suggested they meet. In person. Two people from different kingdoms - who are engaged to be married. Crazy, I know.”

“On still another road, a green-haired man wobbled by on peppermint-stick stilts; a fiery-plumed bird of paradise perched on his shoulder. But he's not in this story, so don't pay any attention to him.”

“Duncan,we're still in prison," Frederic said dryly. "You're not going to see anything except this cell. Which has spiders, by the way. Have you noticed the spiders?" "Indeed I have: Carmen, Zippy, and Dr. T," Duncan said.”

“Please tell me he's not skipping.”

“Duncan, what are you?""Human!" Duncan cried, trembling with excitement."More specific," Liam said, still dramatically."A five-foot-two human!""I'm going for hero here," Liam hinted under his breath.”

“Jesus. I had a dream last night too.You had.I dreamt that my Grandma had just died yesterday.Dear God.And she had died long before I was born.He looked at me with astounded eyes, and felt his neck, and then he patted my knee. Aisy son, he said.Why did I dream her?Because you never met her. The dead you never met die a little bit every day in your head.”