No," I said. "I'm not safe, Belen. Who is going to tear Kerrick's arm off if he hits me again? Come on," I urged. "Stay with us".

Your fear remains strong. You are not ready to face your story, preferring instead to surround yourself with knots. Someday, they will strangle you.

Lief. That's not nice, considering all your sister has done for you," admonished Perl. "Oh right. How could I forget that she made me bait for a snake, left me on house arrest in Ixia, and smuggled me into the Keep in a coffin.

I didn’t want or expect this. But I couldn’t resist you.

For the first time, I was the center of attention. Everyone watched me as if I were a bomb. Would I explode and cause a disaster or would I pop and cause a miracle?

I balled my hands into tight fists to keep them from wrapping around Mr. I-Know-Everything's superior neck.

There are certain people I trust no matter what. Even when it seems like they've turned into monsters, you need to stay true to them. Because, in the end, they'll be the ones backing you up.