“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Can you believe the man rhymed 'Rumplestiltskin' with 'crumpled napkins'?”

“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.”