I can’t help feeling a little bit competitive and a little bit disappointed in myself that I’m already so far behind. After all, Yulikova thinks Barron has a real future with the Bureau. She told me so. I told her that sociopaths are relentlessly charming. I think she figured I was joking.

It’s hard to come up with a scheme to thwart some other scheme you don’t even know about.

I heard you've been having some problems with your girlfriend." Headmistress Northcutt says. "No," I say. "Not at all." Audrey broke up with me after the winter holiday, exhausted by my moodiness. It's impossible to have problems with a girlfriend who's no longer mine.

I need you to be happy. I need one of us to be happy.

Put your puppet on the throne." said Talathain. "You may make her Queen but she won’t be Queen for long.

It’s sweet. All this trouble for a kitty.

You have to write a lot. And you have to rewrite what you wrote a lot more.