“Are you hearing it now?”“Now I’m remembering. The stars. The sunsets. Our evenings on the porch.” She turned to him, letting him see the sheen of tears on her cheeks. “You.”

“Ten thousand years ago, her husband, Abraham the Mage, had presented her with the weapons and armor. “To keep you safe,” he said, his speech a slurred mumble. “Now and always. When you wear it, think of me.”“I’ll think of you even when I’m not wearing it,” she promised, and never a day went by when she did not think of the man who had worked so hard and sacrificed so much to make and save the world. The memory of him was vivid.Abraham stood tall and slender in a darkened room at the top of the crystal tower, the Tor Ri. He was wrapped in shadow, turned away from her so she wouldn’t see the Change that had almost completely claimed his flesh, transforming it to solid gold. She remembered turning him to the light so she could look at him for what she knew might be the very last time. Then she had held him, pressing his flesh and metal against her skin, and wept against his shoulder. And when she looked into his face, a single tear, a solid bead of gold, rolled down his cheek. Rising up on her toes, she had kissed the tear off his face, swallowing it. Tsagaglalal pressed her hands to her stomach. It nestled within her still.”

“Now don’t you be covering for him, Ash. (She wagged her finger at Nick.) Are you driving? (Cherise)No, Mom. I’m sitting. (Nick)”

“If you don't love him, if you don't even care about him, then seeing him now shouldn't be all that painful. Should it?”

“Abe glanced at Rose. "You see that?" he said. "Now that's devotion." She rolled her eyes at him.”

“I turned my face to let his nose rub my cheek. "Mason, let's just stay here," I told him breathlessly.He chuckled, huskily and dangerously. "Oh, no, absolutely not. I'm not to be trusted with you alone right now.”