“It’s one thing if a person learns you’re a witch. It’s quite another if he learns you’re a murderer. I almost forget I’m a witch now that I know I’m a murderer—murderess, actually. Murderess sounds so much worse.”

“Your friend Mikey knew what my touch could do, but he didn’t tell me. He turned me into a murderer. Worse than a murderer.”“I think,” said Nick, “they call that manslaughter or wrongful death, don’t they? I mean, when it’s an accident or out of ignorance, or something.”Clarence turned to Nick, studying him with his Everlost eye. “You’re a lot smarter than you were back in the cage,” Clarence said. “You look better too. Back then you were a thing, now you’re almost a person.”“Thanks . . . but ‘almost’ is still ‘almost.’”“Yeah, well, we’re all almost something.”

“I’m a witch. It’s what we do. When it’s nobody else’s business, it’s my business.”

“You’re not making my mistakes, Bella. You sound like you’re scared silly, and I’m guessing it’s because you’re afraid of me.”

“It is one thing to believe in witches, and quite another to believe in witch-smellers.”

“This isgood. What you said, it’s not entirelywrong. It’s pretty much right on target. I’mafraid that if I let myself completely relaxand be happy, something bad is going tohappen again. You’re the person thatmakes me the happiest, so you’re right.I’m afraid to say it out loud. I’m afraid ofjinxing myself, but you know how I feel,right?”