“He dropped his voice, so low that Tessa wasn’t sure if what he said next was real or part of the dream darkness rising to claim her, though shefought against it.“I’ve never minded it,” he went on. “Being lost, that is. I had always thought one could not be truly lost if one knew one’s own heart. But I fear I maybe lost without knowing yours.” He closed his eyes as if he were bone-weary, and she saw how thin his eyelids were, like parchment paper, andhow tired he looked. “Wo ai ni, Tessa,” he whispered. “Wo bu xiang shi qu ni.”She knew, without knowing how she knew, what the words meant.I love you.And I don’t want to lose you.”

“But you hate poetry!Yes, but you make me want to write it.”

“Tessa had lain down beside him and slid her arm beneath his head, and put her head on his chest,listening to the ever-weakening beat of his heart. And in the shadows they’d whispered, reminding each other of the stories only they knew. Of the girl who had hit over the head with a water jug the boy who had come to rescue her, and how he had fallen in love with her in that instant. Of a ballroom and a balcony and the moon sailing like a ship untethered through the sky. Of the flutter of the wings of the clockwork Angel. Of holy water and blood.”

“Why are we bringing him along, again?” Will inquired, of the world in general as well as his sister.Cecily put her hands on her hips. “Why are you bringing Tessa?””Because Tessa and I are going to be married,” Will said, and Tessa smiled; the way that Will’s little sister could ruffle his feathers like no one else was still amusing to her.”Well, Gabriel and I might well be married,” Cecily said. “Someday.”Gabriel made a choking noise, and turned an alarming shade of purple. Will threw up his hands. “You can’t be married Cecily! You’re only fifteen! When I get married, I’ll be eighteen! An adult!”Cecily did not look impressed. “We may have a long engagement,” she said. “But I cannot see why you are counseling me to marry a man my parents have never met.”Will sputtered. “I am not counseling you to marry a man your parents have never met!””Then we are in agreement. Gabriel must meet Mam and Dad.”

“Isabelle says the Queen of the Seelie Court has requested an audience with is”Sure” said Magnus. “And Madonna wants me as a backup dancer on her next world tour”

“If I feel the urge to burst into flames, I’ll let you know,” Simon was getting fed up. “Look, did you actually ask me to come all the way uptown just so you could stare at me like I’m something in a petrie dish? Next time I’ll send you a photo.””And I’ll frame it and put it on my nightstand,” Jace said, but he didn’t sound as if his heart was in the sarcasm. “Look, I asked you here for a reason, not to stare at you. Much as I hate to admit it, vampire, we have something in common.””Totally awesome hair?” Simon suggested”

“We seemed to be trapped in an episode of One Life To Waste. It’s all very dull.”

“You didn’t have to come after me.””Yes, I did,” he said. “You’re far too inexperienced to protect yourself in a hostile situation without me.””That’s sweet. Maybe I’ll forgive you.””Forgive me? Fro what?””Fro telling me to shut up.”His eyes narrowed. “I did not… Well, I did, But you were-“”Never mind.”

“Enormous? Did you just call me FAT? I am not fat. – Jace”

“What makes you think that Valentine’s change of plans had anything to do with your brother?” “Because only Jace can piss someone off that much.”

“Come on guys, you cant fight like this forever””Actually,” Simon said, raising his hand,”I can”.Jace made a weird noise and I realized he was trying not to laugh-which by the way, wasn’t working.”

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, and then throw it in the face of the person who gave you the lemons until they give you the oranges you originally asked for.”

“As it turned out, everyone wanted a doughnut. Jace wanted two.”

“You have something on your neck. What Looks like a bite mark, what were you doing out all night, anyway? Nothing. I went walking in the park. Tried to clear my head. And ran into a vampire What? No! I fell. On your neck?”

“Never doubt my weaseling abilities, Shadowhunter, for they are epic and memorable in their scope.”