“It is a blessing as well as a burden to love so much that you can hurt so badly when love is gone.”

“Matthew kept hinting that his desire - for blood, chiefly- was so strong that it put everything else at risk. But vampires weren’t the only creatures who had to manage such strong impulses. Much of what qualified as magic was simply desire in action. Witchcraft was different- that took spells and rituals. But magic? A wish, a need, a hunger too strong to be denied- these could turn into deeds when they cross a witch’s mind.”

“The king just sits there, moving one square at a time. The queen can move so freely. I suppose I’d rather lose the game than forfeit her freedom.”

“Scholars do one of two things when they discover information that doesn't fit what they already know. Either they sweep it aside so it doesn't bring their cherished theories into question or they focus on it with laserlike intensity and try to get to the bottom of the mystery.”

“Children needed love, a reliable source of comfort, and an adult willing to take responsibility for them.”

“All that children need is love, a grown-up to take responsibility for them, and a soft place to land.”

“Wordlessly I looked back at him, astonished that a kiss on the palm could be so intimate.”