"Sylph floated by the woods, seven or eight of them, creatures twice my height made of shadows and smoke. They glided forward, melting snow as they trapped me between them and a cliff over Rangedge Lake." (Chapter 1, page 15)

"I'm not going to waste time being angry about things I can't control. If I only have one life, I should make the most of it." (Chapter 3, page 38)

"Why wouldn't he just leave? I was going to burn up, anyway, with fire creeping up my arms to consume me. My eyes ached with fresh tears. I hated crying." (Chapter 4, page 47)

"In my experience, friendship happens naturally. By talking, doing things together, learning." (Chapter 9, page 115)

"I'd seen him old and young, skinny and fat, male and female, ugly and beautiful. None of those looked like my Sam. I just knew they were him." (Chapter 14, page 171)

"I needed to focus on the...