Despite her privations, Ruby was stopped by what she saw. She had come out onto a ledge, high in the air. Land stretched to the horizon. She could see below terrain of all types.

There was something soft underneath her. Ruby couldn't remember the last time she'd woken to this level of comfort. A soft fluffy blanket lay over her. The sheets were as smooth as the silk dresses she could barely remember wearing. She heard the soft crackling and hissing of …

The next time she woke, she felt refreshed, almost purged of her struggles. Water was on the night stand, a wedge of lemon perched on the edge of the jug. She poured a cup and drank it greedily. Water spilled out of her mouth and trickled down her stomach. She …

Grabbing a robe, Ruby left the room to find the man. Curiously, she examined the rooms as she passed them. The owner enjoyed fine, rich jewel tones. There was a bedroom decorated in velvety emeralds that she wanted to sink into them. A sitting room, it must be for the …

She was alone with nothing to do. She didn't have to walk unceasingly. She didn't have to scavenge for food or tend her body's needs. She'd bathed. She'd eaten. She'd slept. The house was suffused with a brilliant light and she was full of …

A woman lay, naked, on a slab of marble. Her hands were clenched at her sides. Every muscle seemed taut, as though the was fleeing for her life, rather than laying dormant. Her outline was blurry. Sometimes it seemed as though Ruby could see through her flesh. Stark white flowers …

Carlo's daughter was dying and he could do nothing. He'd prayed to the Saints and lit incense for them. He'd summoned barbers, but they couldn't tell him anything he didn't already know. When the skin was black and putrescent, it had progressed too far. She …

“Papa?” His daughter was talking to him in his dreams. “Papa's here, darling Noemi. Papa will be here as long as you need.” “Papa.” It was repeated, sharper. “I'm hungry.” Someone was jostling him awake. It was his daughter. His Noemi. Alive and vibrant as she had been …

The next day, Carlo felt like he was a new man as he walked to the guild hall. They'd spent the rest of the day after Noemi's miracle going around the city while he indulged her every whim. They had explored the bustling market. In which, he had …