“The trouble with Jim was he looked at the world and could not look away. And when you never look away all your life, by the time you are thirteen you have done twenty years taking in the laundry of the world.”

“He looked steadily in my eyes, and held my hand affectionally. “Narissa, let me take you away to a world that you have never known to exist.”

“If you could have looked into my heart then when I want to laugh, if you could have done so when the laugh arrived, if you could do so now, when King Laugh have pack up his crown, and all that is to him, for he go far, far away from me, and for a long, long time, maybe you would perhaps pity me the most of all.”

“It is your heart behind the action that allows you to prosper, not the action yourself. You can give away all your possessions, time, and energy, but if you do it to look good, to look pious, to look holy, you have already lost.”

“I could take back those moments that snatched you away from me or maybe just wipe away those ten minutes when you came to me for the first time and I looked into your eyes to realise what love is.”

“And stop doing that,” he said. “Backing away, giving me that look.”Like you’re scaring me? Maybe you are.”He stepped back so fast he wobbled and caught himself, and the look on his face—Itvanished in a second, the scowl returning.I’d never hurt you, Chloe. You should know—” He stopped. Paused. Then wheeled andstarted walking away. “Next time? Handle it yourself. I’m done taking care of you.”