“I woke to a bucket of ice water in my face.“Sadie! Get up,” Zia said.“God!” I yelled. “Was that necessary?”“No,” admitted Zia.”

“Oh, god,” I said. “Sorry, sorry. Do I die now?”--Sadie to Zia”

“Zia," I said, "that's a goddess. She defeated Bast. What chance do you have?"Zia held up her staff and the carved lion's head burst into flames - a small red fireball so bright, it lit the entire room. "I am a scribe in the House of Life, Sadie Kane. I am trained to fight gods.”

“Another guy barked orders to a small army of brooms, mops, and buckets that were scuttling around, cleaning up the city."Like that cartoon," Sadie said. "Where Mickey Mouse tries to do magic and the brooms keep splitting and toting water.""'The Sorcerer's Apprentice,'" Zia said. "You do know that was based on an Egyptian story, don't you?”

“Somewhere behind me, Zia yelled, "Hippo!" Which I thought was a little late.~Carter Kane”

“That’s right, Sadie. For our first real date, I picked up Zia in a boat pulled by a deranged griffin. So what? Like your dates aren’t weird?”