“He felt the urge to go into the desert, to see if it’s silence held the answers to his questions.”

“Do you imagine the universe is agitated? Go into the desert at night and look at the stars. This practice should answer the question.”

“We better get over to Beckett’s if you want to see how my day goes—before his crowd gets too raunchy.” Blake stood up and held out his hand.“It’s eight thirty in the morning. How raunchy could they be?” Livia wondered what, exactly, Beckett did for a living. Her question was soon answered. Everything bad.”

“But there is greater comfort in the substance of silence than in the answer to a question.”

“He suddenly felt the urge to kiss her-hard- upon the mouth. But this- what he felt, it could never be real. Because once the ball was over, she would go back to being an assassin, and he would still be a prince. Dorian swallowed hard. For tonight, though...He held her closer. Everyone transformed into mere shadows on the wall.”

“In the DesertIn the desert I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, “Is it good, friend?” “It is bitter—bitter,” he answered; “But I like it “Because it is bitter, “And because it is my heart.”