“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.”

“Hello,' he said, his voice and smile pleasant.'You can't touch me!' I sat up and pulled the covers over myself.'Yes about that. You need to negate the command.''Excuse me?'He looked at me patiently, like he was explaining something to a stubborn child. 'You need to break that command.''And why on earth would I ever want to do that?' I glared at him. Lunatic.'Because I wasn't finished.''Oh, no, I really think that you were.' I held up my wrist. It still bore the scarlet mark of his hand and, to my eyes at least, was bright against the light of the lamp. Then, since I was holding up my hand anyway, I flipped him off.'You're going to need more.''Well, that's easy.' I held up my other hand and flipped him off with that one, too.”

“What were you thinking,sending that rabid monkey child to my school?" I shouted into my communicator."Beg pardon?" Raquel asked."Jack.My school.The girls' locker room. Ring any bells? If Carlee hadn't sworn to my ogre of a gym teacher that Jack was neither my boyfriend nor my brother, I probably would have been suspended!""Your gym teacher is an ogre?""Focus!If I get suspended,my grades take a hit. If my grades take a hit, I might not get into Georgetown. And I will get into Georgetown.""I'm pleased to see you finally taking ownership of your education. And I'm sorry about Jack;I asked him to contact you discreetly.""That boy wouldn't know discreet if it tap--danced on his stupid blond head.""Still,if this discreet were tap dancing,it wouldn't be very discreet,now, would it?”

“And then I picked up the nearest object-a shoe-and threw it at Jack's head."What are you doing in here, you little weasle?"He picked up my shoe from where it had clattered to the floor after hitting the door behind him. "How do you walk in these heels?" He sat and removed his own shoe,trying to jam his foot into my purple sling-back.I stalked over and yanked it awway. "What are you, five? Answer my question."He looked up at me, impossibly big blue eyes wide with innocence. "I thought we were friends, after you made me strip and all.""I'm calling Raquel.""Fine,fine. I was just doing some reconnaissance?""Reconnaissance?""Oh,sorry,that's a big word,isn't it? It means I was scoping the scene, getting the-""I know what it means! What,is IPCA investigating me now? Screw them, they can forget about any help from-""Do you ever let anyone else finish a sentence?" He smiled at my glare, flashing his dimples. "That's more like it. You're much prettier when you aren't talking. True of most people, I've found. Anyhow, I needed to see the address Raquel gave me so that I could find it again.”

“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.”

“What are you?" I whispered. "What are you?" Offended, I frowned. "Human." "Funny, me too." "No, you're not." "Funny, neither are you." I set my jaw and glared. What a jerk. "Why did you come here?" My voice came from his mouth, disconcerting as always. "I could ask you the same thing. Are you going to kill me?”

“I felt the exact same way.But if it helps,you look much cuter freaking out than I ever did."I peeked out through my hands."But what if I don't get in?"He wrapped his arms around me. "No more worrying about it.You'll get in.""Good.Someone needs to keep an eye on you and that dirty little dyrad of a lab assistant."He laughed,squeezing me until I couldn't breathe. "Why would I ever want a lusty tree nymph when I could have a hyperventilating Evie?”