The important thing is not whatever nonsense the voices are saying, but what the voices are feeling.

The human tongue is like wasabi: it's very powerful, and should be used sparingly.

I wanted to be one of those people who have streaks to maintain, who scorch the ground with their intensity. But for now, at least I knew such people, and they needed me, just like comets need tails.

It's hard as hell to hold on to your dignity when the risen sun is too bright in your losing eyes, and that's what I was thinking about as we hunted for bad guys through the ruins of a city that didn't exist.

Finally, I decided that the proper strategy was to stare back. Boys do not have a monopoly on the Staring Business, after all. So I looked him over and soon it was a staring contest. After a while the boy smiled, and then finally his blue eyes glanced away. When he looked back at me, I flicked my eyebrows up to say, I win. He shrugged

It's fine," I repeated. And whatever. It was fine. It had to be.

I said nothing—I hadn’t known Marya, and anyway, “listening quietly” was my general social strategy