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Not that this is exactly the sa looks more like tenth or eleventh century to me, and yet the telescopein our world until long after that Also, soender roles in place, or any gender roles at all The priest who condemned me to the mob was a woman I’ll cheer for equality later

The man I spoke to told elo I i beaten or even tortured, and I want to cry

This is no ti can happen later

And once I’ve handled everything else, I’ll deal with Wyatt Conley

The angry buzz of the crowd has faded Where do I go now? I’s filled with people I can’t trust They said the Castel Sant’Angelo was to the west, but which way is west? Without the sun in the sky for o in Still, I have to begin somewhere One more deep breath, and I start toward a narrow street that leads down a seely quiet road—

—then gasp as a hand closes over my shoulder

“Not that way,” a woman whispers A noblewoman, I realize, her face all but hidden under her blue velvet cloak “They ather near the Pantheon”

I don’t knohat that is, but if theto be there, I’ll head in another direction “Thanks”

(The above conversation? Not verbati what I have to assue Latin or early Italian I don’t knohat it is exactly, but thanks to the deeply ingrained knowledge of this world’s Marguerite, I speak it)

“Your parents are leading us to wisdoently “The others fear what they do not understand”

She steps forward, just enough for soolden hair, strong square jaw—and it’s all I can do not to gape at her

We’ve met before

Her naotten it I encountered her in the very first alternate universe I ever visited: a futuristic London where she was the daughter of a duchess Spoiled, rich, high on drugs, and drunk on chahtclub while I drank as much as she did I was exhausted, afraid, and heartsick; it was only two days after the police told my family that my father had died Dad turned out to be fine—well, if “fine” includes “kidnapped into an alternate dimension” But I didn’t know that at the time So those surreal, sick, er in my mind than they should It seems like I knew her forever, not just for one weird day

I shouldn’t be surprised to see her again We’ve learned that people usually cross paths in many dimensions—that no ether

“Are you well?” Romola puts one hand to my forehead, like my mom did when I was little “You seem dazed No one could blah”

“I’ether for the rest of elo Which way should I go?”