“We have now left Reason and Sanity Junction. Next stop, Looneyville.”

“Uriel smiled. "Collin, like the others, is wit me because he is not yet prepared to face what comes next. When he is, he'll take that step. For now, he is not.""When you say what comes next, what do you mean, exactly?""The part involving words like forever, eternity, and judgment.""Oh," I said. "What Comes Next.”

“He did run some, but I stopped him, my lord. Like, just now. In front of you. Right over there.”

“Thomas grunted. "Might have been smarter for them to have left you alone. Now you know something."I made an exasperated sound. "Yes. Those fools. By trying to kill me, they've revealed their very souls. I have them now."Thomas gave me a steady look. "Being Mab's bitch has made you a pessimist.""I am not a pessimist," I said loftily. "Though that can't last."That made Thomas grin. "Nice.""Thank you.”

“Everyone stopped to blink at that for a second. I mean, come on. Impaled by a guided frozen turkey missile. Even by the standards of the quasi-immortal creatures of the night, that ain't something you see twice."For my next trick," I panted into the startled silence, "anvils.”

“You don’t have to run faster than the bear to get away. You just have to run faster than the guy next to you.”

“You're just going to stand there?" I asked.Uriel folded his arms and tapped his chin with one fingertip. "Mmmm. It does seem that perhaps she deserves some form of aid. Perhaps if I'd had the presence of mind to see to it that some sort of agent had been sent to balance the scales, to giver her that one tiny bit of encouragement, that one flicker of inspiration that turned the tide..." He shook his head sadly. "Things might be different now."And, as if on cue, Mortimer Lindquist, ectomancer, limped out of the lower hallway and into the electrical-junction room, with Sir Stuart's shade at his right hand.Mort took a look around, his dark eyes intent, and then his gaze locked onto Molly."Hey," he croaked. "You. Arrogant bitch ghost.”