Just my luck,' sighed the endolg. 'Twenty million people in the Realm and I get locked up with a wuss.

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Brimstone: '...I shall smite thee with my fightful blasting wand so that thy teeth shall drop out, thy skin shall wrinkle, thou shalt have boils on thy bottom and be subject to night sweats, ringing in the ears, falling sickness, flaking dandruff, arthritis, lumbago, uncontrollable dribbling, deafness, runny nose, and ingrowing toenails. Amen.

He wondered if he might be in love, but realized it was far more likely he was dying.

He caught me stealing his golden phoenix.' Tithonus closed his eyes briefly. 'Good grief!' He opened them again. 'I was half hoping it wasn't true. Have you any idea of the implications?' 'He was mistreating it!' Pyrgus protested. 'Of course he was mistreating it. This is Black Hairstreak we're talking about. He mistreats his own mother. I don't suppose you stole her as well?

And your police are like our police in the Realm?' Blue said. 'They flog you if you do something wrong and cut off your hand if you’re caught stealing?' No, they don’t do that, Henry said uncertainly. Why not? It’s pretty silly not to, isn’t it?' Blue said.