“I want to see you again,” Greystone said quietly.“I’m not certain that’s wise. We are of different worlds, Your Grace. Inyours, I am but one night and in mine you are destined to be merely amemory.”

“I don’t think it’s as bad as all that.” Bill pressed against the duke’s chest and Greystone sucked in air through his clenched teeth. “Did that hurt, Your Grace?”The duke glared at him.“Yes, I suppose it did. Silly of me to ask.”

“Henry nodded. “May I ask you a question?”“Certainly, Your Grace.”He pointed at Jack. “Is he the Artful Dodger?”Mr. Dickens bent low. “I write fiction, Your Grace. The characters inmy books do not really exist, but if they did”—he winked—“I do believehe would be the Artful Dodger.”“I knew it!”“And do you see that gentleman over there?”“Lord Claybourne?”Dickens nodded. “He would be Oliver.”“And what about Miss Frannie?”“She is every sweet girl who appears in the story.”

“He pulled her mirror out of his other pocket. “You left your mirror on my table.” He extended it toward her. “You can keep it,” she said quietly. “We have lots of mirrors here.” “I’ll keep it, then.” “Good. I’m glad.” He’d never rushed headlong into a battle, but he figured this time, it might be the best approach. “I spent a lot of time studying it. The back is real pretty with all the gold carving. Took me about an hour to gather up the courage to turn it over and look at the other side.” “And what did you see?” “ Aman who loves you more than life itself.” Closing her eyes, she dropped her chin to her chest. “I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me. I haven’t held your feelings as precious as I should have.” “I don’t hate you,” she whispered hoarsely. “I tried to, but I can’t.”-Houston and Amelia”

“Dodger knelt beside Sterling. “Greystone, you have to understand we come from the streets. When Frannie was a young girl, we weren’t able to stop someone from hurting her very badly. The four of us swore an oath that we’d die before we let anyone harm her again. It’s a vow we will keep.”Sterling lay where he was long after Dodger left. He had been correct about one thing: they did love her.”

“Will it fade? The tattoo?”“No.”“Why would you want it on your shoulder like that, something that willforever be there?”“As I recall, I was quite drunk at the time and thought it a good idea.”“Why a dragon?”“Symbolic. We all face dragons in one way or another, at one time oranother.”“So it’s not a good thing.”“Depends whether or not we slay them. It all made perfect sensewhen I was drunk.”“Did you slay yours?”“I thought so at the time.”

“Were you really not frightened?""Sometimes I was terrified, but that was the whole point.""You wanted to be afraid?" She couldn't imagine deliberately putting herself in a position of fear.“I wanted to test my courage, my determination. It was a journey ofdiscovery, but it was more about what I discovered within myself. What Idiscovered about the world was simply a bonus.”“And what did you discover—about yourself, I mean?”“That I’m not nearly as weak as I thought, nor nearly as strong as I’dhoped.”