"If nothing happened, then there's nothing to remember," she told herself, trying to sound philosophical. "Of… — Diana Wynne Jones

To love someone enough to let them go, you had to let them go forever or you did not love them that much.

"Heroes see things like that," he said.

"It's obviously an enchantment of some kind," Polly agreed, humouring him.

"It must be," he said. It sounded as if he was humouring her.

Pretending was like that. Things seemed to make themselves up, once you got going.