Rudy handed it back. "Speaking of which, I think we're both slightly in for it when we get home. You especially." "Why me?" "You know- your mama." "What about her?" Liesel was exercising the blatant right of every person who's ever belonged to a family. It's all very well for such a person to whine and moan and criticize other family members, but they won't let anyone else do it. That's when you get your back up and show loyalty.

Amplified by the still of night, the book opened -- a gust of wind.

Can a wolfe be beautiful?

People die of broken hearts. They have heart attacks. And it's the heart that hurts most when things go wrong and fall apart.

There were stars. They burned my eyes.

The point is, Ilsa Hermann had decided to make suffering her triumph. When it refused to let go of her, she succumbed to it. She embraced it.

Sometimes I think my papa is an accordion. When he looks at me and smiles and breathes, I hear the notes.