Description

“Under different circumstances, I would have enjoyed seeing Venice in disguise. I have never had so much freedom; as a patrician’s daughter I was not often allowed out of my house, and never alone.

"Today, I am anonymous and nearly invisible as I wander for hours through the streets of the Castello district. I admire the gauzy shimmer of the spells that support the wooden pilings beneath our buildings and fortify our wooden bridges until they can be rebuilt with Istrian stone. Children point at the street magician’s stalls, begging for the smoke animals and spinning balls of light. These vendors are not members of the magicians’ guild; their spells are crude and rudimentary, but they can make easy money entertaining children and reading the fortunes of superstitious adults.

"My hand goes instinctively to the mark on my wrist, and I tug at my shirtsleeve to ensure that it’s hidden...."