Nice Kerrick was scarier than Mean Kerrick.

[Janco] paused. His eyes held a distant gleam as if seeing into his past. 'My first practice was a shock. I was a cocky smart aleck--' [Opal] 'Was?' [J] 'Be quiet. I'm telling a story here.

She's the nicest person I know." Zila chewed on her lower lip. "Well, the second nicest. Avry's the first.

You're right. And so was my snake." Snake?" He pulled my arm out to expose my bracelet. "When I carved this my thoughts were on you, love. Your life is like this snake's coils. No matter how many turns it makes, you'll end up back where you belong. With me.

But it seems there is more than one way to poison a person's heart, and it doesn't require a meal.

Exactly. You can shoulder all the blame and become a martyr. Provided anyone knows what or who you're martyring for. Or you can accept that some things are important enough to fight for and realize there will be sacrifices along the way.

I never said it would be easy. Giving up is easy.