This was weird. The thing that could have driven two friends instantly apart was actually drawing them closer together.

Then the angels, the demon, and the Nephilim flew to distant corners of the sky, leaving a moment's brilliant flash of light behind them, as below, Luce and Daniel fell in love for the first-and the last- time

There is no darkness as dark as a great light corrupted.

As far as possible, Arianne realized, each soul had to be content alone before plunging into love, because one never knew when the other would move out of that love. It was the greatest paradox: Souls need each other, but they also need to not need each other.

This wasn't strong-willed, fly-by-the-seat-of-her-miniskirt Kate that I'd befriended last year. You think you know a girl- and then she goes and loses her virginity at a Mardi Gras party and goes soft.

Was their love worth the erasure of the world and all its stories?

What does my soul look like to you?' 'I couldn't reduce it to words if I tried, but its beauty is unsurpassed.