Clockwork Boys (Clocktaur War, #1)

by T. Kingfisher

“You two,” said the paladin slowly, “have a very odd relationship.” “Oh, come on, if your friends aren’t willing to strangle you, what kind of friends are they?” asked Brenner.

“You two stop bickering or I’ll scream bloody murder and call the whole lot of them down to put me out of my misery.” “That seems excessive,” said Learned Edmund. “Does it? Does it really?” Learned Edmund fiddled with the reins in front of him and said nothing, which was the way that Slate liked it.

“Dancing rats. Some of them with no heads,” said Caliban. “Oh, thank god. You see it too.”