You can be who you will,” he repeated. His voice softened. “And if you will have me, I will be the one beside you.

She put a wedge beside my heart And then she brought the mallet down She sang no song to guide her work I lost my heart without a sound

Ani told them all...telling more than needed telling, the stories clarifying and unifying themselves in her mind as she let them spill out of her mouth.

Your head will be fine,” said Miri. “It’s your neck you should worry about.

I cannot write to anyone outside myself--if I tried, it would be a horrible story, flat and lifeless. I write to myself. That's the only person I'm trying to please.

She's as fetching as brown hair done up with ribbons blue The mountain, my lady She's as sweet as pink flowers made bright with morning dew, Mount Eskel, my lady

It was a pleasure, Enna, Finn, tree rat." "Did she just call you tree rat?