“Old as carbon," Nix agreed. "And so powerful I'm working on my demigoddess badges.”

“Wait!" Conrad said. "Did someone... one of my enemies set this fire?"Nix turned back with a grin. "Unless you'd pissed off some wirring-hungry nutrias, then I'm going with no.”

“Nix: We're not leaving without her. So unless you want permanent houseguests of the destructive sort, just hand her over.”

“Holly's forgiven you?" "Almost mostly. But she still gives me slack about it when she's sick. I take it as a husbandly badge," he said, puffing out his chest. "Sick? You told me she was fully immortal." "Yeah, but she still throws up some, because, well, the thing of it is... Ah, fuck, Rydstrom, I knocked her up." "You're going to be a father?" Gods help the world. I'm going to be an uncle? "I got Holly, like, on the first shot. Nix is calling me Bull's-eye and the Womb Raider.”

“Lothaire, I’ve met dirt younger than weare.” -Nix”

“Then, with grave formality, he unsheathed his sword."How old is that thing? Have you had it carbon dated?"He looked aghast, as if she’d insulted his grandmother. "Hey, no disrespecting The Sword. Besides, it’s only three or four centuries old.""Only? I would think that technology has improved since then. Why wouldn’t you get a new one?""I’m on my way to, remember? Try to keep up, halfling.”

“You two. You can do a cleaning spell." One slurred, "But Nixie, I'm really pre-hung-over." Nix's eyes went wide. "Do it, or the photos go live!" The witch shook her fist to the sky, crying, "Damn you, Valkyrie! Damn you and your digital ways!”