Not Your Parabatai Any Longer.

One Can Give Up Many Things For Love, But One Should Not Give Up Oneself.

She Had Taken Him For Granted, She Thought With Surprise And Shame, Watching The Flickering Candlelight. She Had Assumed His Kindness Was So Natural And So Innate, She Had Never Asked Herself Whether It Cost Him Any Effort. Any Effort To Stand Between Will And The World, Protecting Each Of Them From The Other. Any Effort To Accept The Loss Of His Family With Equanimity. Any Effort To Remain Cheerful And Calm In The Face Of His Own Dying.

I Am Brave," Will Said... "yes, You Are," Magnus Said, And Kissed Him. It Wasn't The Most Dramatic Kiss, But Will Failed His Free Arm As If A Bee Had Landed On Him; Magnus Had To Hope Camille Would Assume This Was Passion. When They Broke Apart, Will Looked Stunned. So Did Camille, For That Matter. ... Will Swung Sideways...he Dashed Across The Room, Retrieved It, And Tucked It Into Magnus's Waistcoat Pocket. Then, With A Wink At Camille That, Magnus Thought, God Alone Knew How She Would Interpret, He Sauntered Out Of The Room.

He Will Get Through This, Even If He Thinks He Won't.

Sometimes," Said Will, "they're Even Supposed To Blow Up.