“I don’t want to be like her, like Vivian. I don’t want to hurt anyone. Am I going to hurt people?”“No one can make you do that, child. You are caught between two worlds, much like my own Lend. You will want the fire, you will want to be filled. It is your nature. I hope you do not fall, but she is much stronger than you are.”She smiled at me, reaching out as though she would wipe away my tears. “Cling to what is good in your life. Be good to my son.”

“I want to get you out of here.""Don't you mean you want me to get you out of here?"He took my hand—yeah, my hand again. I was liking this. A lot. "No, I mean I want to get you out. This shouldn't be your life. You deserve a lot more. Like a locker.""And a driver's license?""Let's not get carried away.”

“Jack put his hands on his hips, surveying the scene with a satisfied nod. "That turned out much better than I'd hoped.""Please,let's leave!""What's your hurry? Let's take a moment to bask in the satisfaction of a job well done.""I didn't want to do that!""No?" He cocked his head and raised his eyebrows. "I thought you hated the fey.""I do,but that doesn't mean I want to run around the Faerie Realms lighting everything on fire!""What's the point in hating something if you aren't proactive?" He put his arm around my shoulders, steering me to look at the inferno with him. "You can't tell me that's not satisfying, not after what you saw.Faeries care about very few things,but they're quite fond of their little trinkets. That boat was a particular favorite of hers,not to mention the entire lake. All the centuries she spent crafting this landscape,then poof! One excellently thrown firebomb, and you've made her feel anger and pain more deeply than she's probably ever known. And far less than she deserves to know.”

“You're scaring me," Jack's voice finally cut through, and I opened my eyes, barely able to see him. "okay, good, yes, breathe. Breathing helps one stay alive,I've found.What on earth is so bad about a stupid school saying no?""My life"-I gasped-"is over.It's over. Everything."He frowned dubiously. "Who would want to go to a place called Georgetown, anyhow? Ridiculous. Now,I could understand your devastation if it had a distinguished name like, say, Jacktown, but as it is,you're overreacting. Why do you want to go to more school? I went once for a few hours and nearly lost my mind.”

“How?" I had seen it with my own eyes, but I still didn't believe it. Then something struck me. "Take off your shirt!""I'm not that kind of guy!" He frowned thoughtfully. "On second thought, why not?"I blushed angrily and looked at Raquel. "What is he? I don't see anything!""He's not 'anything'.Just a talented boy.""Then how did he make a door? How did he get through the Paths?""Wait,so am I allowed to put my shirt back on? Or did you want me to remove my pants,too?"Lend and I joined forces in a dark glare. "Only if you want me to vomit," I snapped.”

“How did you learn? To use the Paths, I mean?"His mouth twisted into an impish grin. "Don't let my good looks fool you. I'm terribly clever."I rolled my eyes. "Clearly. But you still shouldn't be abot to use te Paths."He shrugged, standing. "Watch and wait long enough, want something bad enough, and you can figure out a way to make it happen. I make a lot of things happen." Smiling enigmatically, he reached out a hand to my wall. "I'll pick you up later?""I haven't agreed to anything!" I narrowed me eyes."Of course," he said, distracted as he focused on the white lines snaking out to make a door. "So, I'll pick you up later, then.""No! Don't you listen to anything? Tell Raquel I'm not going to-"Before I could finish my sentence he walked through the faerie door, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "Girls are annoying."The wall formed again behind him, becoming the innocent recipient of my withering glare.Jack might look my age, but he was like a little kid on a sugar high-in need of a good spanking.Good heavens, that sounded creepy.”

“-'I don't see what good it's going to do for you to waltz back in there and--'-'Can I tango back in there, instead? So much sexier than the waltz.”