He paused, watching Charlie breathing slowly in and out for a moments. “Were it not for the assistance of your young ‘monster,’ here, you almost certainly would not have survived Swift’s attack. Marlowe is a good man,” Jackaby added, thoughtfully, “but he only knows how to slay dragons. This world is full of dragons-slayers. What we need are a few people who aren’t too proud to listen to a fish.

Fight the monsters, then, Phillip. Don’t fight the innocent bystanders who happen to come from the same place. You’re not afraid of magic, not really. You’re just afraid of what you don’t understand – and too stubborn to try understanding.

I guess I forgot about being frightened because it felt good to finally be in the adventure.

It is the ugliest aspect of human nature that we fear what is most different from ourselves with such violent contempt.

I think you must be a bit confused,” he said. “But don’t feel bad – it’s a common state. Most people are.

You don’t lose yourself in love-you find yourself there.

Across town, Mr. Henderson – the man who had heard the banshee’s silent scream – spent the evening dying. To be more accurate, he spent a very brief portion of the evening dying, and the rest of it being dead.

I learned a long time ago that we do not survive because we’re strong – we become stronger the more we survive.

I prefer to look after myself, ma’am, but thank you. I appreciate your concern for my well-being, but some of us have more pressing matters to attend to than practicing our curtsies and turning foolishly sized bonnets into topiaries.

The only paths you can’t travel are the ones you block yourself – so don’t let the fear of failure stop you from trying in the first place.