“Turns out he does run," Nick drawled. "Given an incentive. And he wouldn't be so out of breath if he hadn't kept shrieking.""That was not a shriek," Jamie said with dignity. "It was a husky masculine cry of terror.”

“Maybe he likes the look of Mae," Nick drawled."Don't be ridiculous."Nick raised his eyebrows. "Does he like the look of Jamie?”

“Mae, he made me go out for a run," Jamie called out. "Tell him I don't run!" "Jamie and I are lilies of the field. We toil not, neither do we jog," Mae informed Nick.”

“Jamie chose that moment to almost fall down the stairs. Mae took his whole weight and grabbed the banister. Seb reached out but Jamie shied away, and Nick gave Jamie a push in the chest that was clearly intended to right him, but that nearly had him toppling over backward.Balance eventually restored to them all, Jamie gave Nick an approving look."You are my friend," he told him."Yeah, I am," said Nick."But these stairs," Jamie said sadly. "They are not my friends.”

“They carried on sniping in the front seat, and Mae turned back to Jamie."You doing okay?" she murmured."Yes," said Jamie, a bit too earnestly. "I love you, Mae. Your hair is the color of flamingos! And I love Nick as well." He gazed soulfully in Nick's direction. "Sometimes when you are not being psychotic, you are quite funny. And you!" He regarded Seb for a long moment. "No, I still don't like you," he decided. "Maybe I need another drink.""I don't think so," Nick said.”

“You're weird," Nick grumbled, but he turned his face back to critically examine the new hand."You're weird," Jamie returned. "As soon as this whole magical war is over, I'm going to make us some friendship bracelets, and we will wear them everywhere because we are best friends.""Drop dead," said Nick, and Jamie looked serenely pleased.”

“He kills people. Now I'm no expert, but doesn't that make you a bad person?"Jamie glared at Nick. "You've killed a lot more people than he has. What does that make you?""Not a person," Nick murmured, not sounding particularly interested. "Surely you remember.”