“In the distance a wolf howls. Let it come, I think. Beast will most likely simply howl back, and the creature will either turn tail and run or fall into line behind him, like the rest of us have.”

“Why be the sheep when you can be the wolf?”

“Every time he glances at me I feel it just as surely as if he has reached out and run his finger along my soul. It is all I can do not to smile at the sheer wonder of it.”

“I stare at him coldly. "I do not care for needlework." I pause. "Unless it involves the base of the skull.”

“I cannot tell her I have been moping over a broken heart when I have worked so hard to convince her I have no heart at all.”

“I am sorry,' he whispers. 'I am sorry I treated you so ill. I thought only to protect Duval.''It was not I who was poisoning him,' I say.'No, but you had stolen his heart and I was afraid you would rip it from his chest when you left.”

“It is a good thing I no longer have a heart, because if I did, it would surely break.”