“Oh, I forgot to mention it: My brother is the kind of man whom women stalk. In cooperative packs.”

“Yeah, but I forgot to take my George Orwell-shaped multivitamins along with my breakfast bowl of Big Brother Os this morning.”

“Thomas has the kind of whiter-than-white boyish grin that makes women's panties spontaneously evaporate.”

“Never touch my brother on his fucking birthday.”

“It is the only way," Vadderung said. "If anyone managed to set free the things in the Well...""Seems like it would be bad," I said."Not bad," Vadderung said. "The end.""Oh," I said. "Good to know. The island didn't mention that part.""The island cannot accept it as a possibility," Vadderung said absently."It should probably put its big-girl pants on, then," I said.”

“I stared up at the Erlking, and with my typical pithy brilliance said, "Uh-oh.”

“There was a click of high heels in the hall behind us, and a young woman appeared. She was pretty enough, I suspected, but in the tight black dress, black hose, and with her hair slicked back like that, it was sort of threatening. She gave me a slow, cold look and said, "So. I see that you’re keeping low company after all, Ravenius."Ever suave, I replied, "Uh. What?""’Ah-ree," Thomas said.I glanced at him.He put his hand flat on the top of his head and said, "Do this."I peered at him.He gave me a look.I sighed and put my hand on the top of my head.The girl in the black dress promptly did the same thing and gave me a smile. "Oh, right, sorry. I didn’t realize.""I will be back in one moment," Thomas said, his accent back. "Personal business.""Right," she said, "sorry. I figured Ennui had stumbled onto a subplot." She smiled again, then took her hand off the top of her head, reassumed that cold, haughty expression, and stalked clickety-clack back to the bistro.I watched her go, turned to my brother while we both stood there with our hands flat on top of our heads, elbows sticking out like chicken wings, and said, "What does this mean?""We’re out of character," Thomas said."Oh," I said. "And not a subplot.""If we had our hands crossed over our chests," Thomas said, "we’d be invisible.""I missed dinner," I said. I put my other hand on my stomach. Then, just to prove that I could, I patted my head and rubbed my stomach. "Now I’m out of character—and hungry.”