“I was banished,” said Reven proudly.“What for?” Elfwyn pressed.“The king said I was anathema.”“He doesn’t like athemas?”“Anathema means, like, accursed,” said Jinx. “Probably it was for robbing people.”

“I’ll accompany you too, fair lady,” said Reven. “I would fain meet your grandmother.”“You would what?” said Elfwyn.“He means he’d like to,” said Jinx. Some of the books in Simon’s house used old-fashioned words like that.”

“When most people said "I'm psychic, you see," they meant "I have an overactive but unoriginal imagination/wear black nail varnish/talk to my budgie;" when Anathema said it, it sounded as though she was admitting to a hereditary disease which she'd much prefer not to have.”

“He said my dream doesn't mean I am crazy, only that I should probably love myself a little better, like most people.”

“He’s harmless, poor thing. That’s what everyone said. It was true, but who cares? Lots of people are harmless, but that doesn’t mean I have to like them.”

“What's your dad do? I said. Designs new and better wings for new and better sing nuts, he said proudly. It sounded like he was repeating something a sarcastic adult had said.”