There is no pretending,' Jace said with absolute clarity. 'I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then.

The Smile won Matthew extra time before bed, extra Christmas pudding, extra anything he wanted. Adults were helpless to resist The Smile.Matthew gave his all to this particular smile. Butter melted. Birds sang. People slipped about dazed amid the butter and birdsong.

Magnus's ship would sail that night...His interest in the ship and his thoughts of an adventure to come made him regret his departure less, but even so, he stood at the rail as the ship departed into the night waters.

We may not be all that bright, Jace said, but at least we are alive.

Not giving him booze, are you? He's a little young for it.

I wouldn't change it,' Simon said. 'I wouldn't give up loving you. Not for anything. You know what Raphael told me? That I didn't know how to be a good vampire, that vampires accept that they're dead. But as long as I remember what it was like to love you, I'll always feel like I'm alive.