“Nick subjected him to a long, judgmental stare. "There's something very wrong with you," he said at last. "I thought you should know.”

“All he said was, "Here, have your dinfast. Then we can start packing." "Dinfast," Nick repeated. "Dinner and breakfast!" Alan said triumphantly. "Like brunch." Nick subjected him to a long, judgemental stare. "There's something very wrong with you," he said at last. "I thought you should know.”

“I expected something a little more castle-shaped," said Jamie.Nothing lasts forever," Nick said. "Except demons, of course."Has anyone ever told you that you're a charming conversationalist?" Jamie asked.No," Nick replied honestly.I cannot tell you how much that surprises me," Jamie told him, and Nick gave him a half smile.”

“Butch was quiet for a time. Then he said, "I think that's why I like Jane.""huh?""When you look at her? You actually see her, and when's the last time that's happened for you?"V geared himself up, then stared hard into Butch's eyes. "I saw you. even though it was wrong. I saw you."Shit, he sounded sad. Sad and...lonely. Which made him want to change the subject.”

“When I touched that boy, I felt something. Something awful. Something I can’t describe.”“We all felt it,” Nick said.“You may have felt it, but I caused it.” Then both his eyes seemed to go far away. “Something changed out there. I don’t know what it was, but something in the world changed because that kid didn’t deserve what I did to him—and the powers that be know that I did it.” Nick watched as a tear fell from his Everlost eye and disappeared through the living world table.“What if,” said Nick, not even sure what he was going to say yet, “what if you were that kid and you were told you could change the world, but you would have to sacrifice yourself to do it?”Clarence chuckled at the thought. “I believe that question was already asked a long time ago, and that creepy kid did not look anything like Jesus to me.”“But you do think that something changed. . . .”“I don’t know whether it’s good or bad.”“What if it’s neither?” suggested Nick. “What if we get to make it one or the other?”

“Howl backed into the door to shut it and leaned there in a tragic attitude. "Look at you all!" he said. "Ruin stares me in the face. I slave all day for you. And not one of you, even Calcifer, can spare time to say hello!"Calcifer said, "I never do say hello.""Is something wrong?" asked Sophie."That's better," Howl said. "Some of you are pretending to notice me at last. Yes, something is wrong.”