Belief Made No Difference To The Truth.

What Teens Will Realize Is Always A Mystery To Me. I'm Still Realizing So Many Things Myself, Very Belatedly, That It Seems Unwise To Think I Have Any Right To Be Showing People Things In Hopes That They'll Realize Them.

"virtue," He Said. "the Real Thing. It's Not Some Kind Of Cuddly Teddy Bear You Can Keep On The Shelf Until You Need A Hug. It's Dangerous, Which Is Why It Makes People So Nervous. Virtue Has Its Own Agenda, And Believe Me, It's Not Always Yours. The Word Itself Means Strength, Power. And When It Gets Loose, You'd Better Watch Out." "something Bad Might Happen..." "impossible. But Possibly Something Painful."

"power," Nita Heard Her Father Say Behind Her. "creation. Forces From Before Time. This Is--this Business Is For Saints, Not Children!" "even Saints Have To Start Somewhere," Carl Said Softly. "and It's Always Been The Children Who Have Saved The Universe From The Previous Generation And Remade The Universe In Their Own Image."

Honey, Have You Seen Your Sister?” She’s On Jupiter, Mom.

The City Breathing, Burning, Living The Life Thy Had Preserved. Ten Million Lives And More. If Something Should Happen To All That Life - How Terrible! Nita Gulped For Control As She Remembered Fred's Word Of Just This Morning, An Eternity Ago. And This Was What Being A Wizard Was About. Keeping Terrible Things From Happening, Even When It Hurts. Not Just Power, Or Control Of What Ordinary People Couldn't Control, Or Delight In Being Able To Make Strange Things Happen. Those Were The Side Effects - Not The Reason, The Purpose.