“You've circled the globe to find yourself in the Globe,milady." Bill sketched a little bow."The Globe Theatre?" Luce ducked as the woman in front of her discarded a gnawed-on turkey leg by tossing it over her shoulder. "You mean, like, Shakespeare?""Well, he claims to be retired. You know those artist types. So moody." Bill swooped down near the ground, tugging at the hem of her dress and humming to himself."Othello happened here," Luce said, taking a moment to let it all sink in. "The Tempest. Romeo and Juliet. We're practically standing in the center of all the greatest love stories ever written.""Actually,you're standing in walnut shells.""Why do you have to be so glib about everything? This is amazing!""Sorry,I didn't realize we'd need a moment of bardolatry." His words came out lisped because of the needle clipped between his jagged teeth. "Now stand still.""Ouch!" Luce yelped as he jabbed sharply into her kneecap. "What are you doing?""Un-Anachronizing you.These folks'll pay good money for a freak show, but they're expecting it to stay onstage.”

“Eh? How 'bout that?" Bill nudged her. "Did I promise to show you love or did I promise to show you love?""Sure,they seem like they're in love." Luce shrugged. "But-""But what?Do you have any idea how painful that is? Look at that guy. He makes getting inked look like being caressed by a soft breeze."Luce squirmed on the branch. "Is that the lesson here? Pain equals love?""You tell me," Bill said. "It may surprise you to hear this,but the ladies aren't exactly banging down Bill's door.""I mean,if I tattooed Daniel's same on my body would that mean I loved him more than I already do?""It's a symbol,Luce." Bill let out a raspy sigh. "You're being too literal. Think about it this way: Daniel is the first good-looking boy LuLu has ever seen. Until he washed ashore a few months ago, this girl's whole world was her father and a few fat natives.""She's Miranda," Luce said, remembering the love story from The Tempest, which she'd read in her tenth-grade Shakespeare seminar."How very civilized of you!" Bill pursed his lips with approval. "They are liek Ferdinand and Miranda: The handsome foreigner shipwrecks on her shores-""So,of course it was love at first sight for LuLu," Luce murmured. This was what she was afraid of: the same thoughtless,automatic love that had bothered her in Helston."Right," Bill said. "She didn't have a choice but to fall for him.But what's interesting here is Daniel. You see, he didn't have to teach her to craft a woven sail, or gain her father's trust by producing a season's worth of fish to cure,or exhibit C"-Bill pointed at the lovers on the beach-"agree to tattoo his whole body according to her local custom.It would have been enough if Daniel had just shown up.LuLu would have loved him anyway.""He's doing it because-" Luce thought aloud. "Because he wants to earn her love.Because otherwise,he would just be taking advantage of their curse. Because no matter what kind of cycle they're bound to,his love for her is...true.”

“Will Daniel win or lose?" Luce asked, knowing the answer before the words had even left her lips."I can see how the idea of Daniel decapitating you does not maybe scream out romance," Bill said, "but really, what's the difference between his killing you by fire and by the sword?""Daniel wouldn't do that."Bill hovered in the air in front of Luce. "Wouldn't he?”

“As soon as Roland was gone,the cupboard door swung open, banging the back of her leg.Bill popped out,gasping for air loudly as if he'd been holding his breath the whole time."I could wring your neck right now!" he said,his chest heaving."I don't know why you're all out of breath. It's not like you even breathe.""It's for effect! All the trouble I go through to camoflage you here and you go and out yourself to the first guy who walks the through the door."Luce rolled her eyes. "Roland's not going to make a big deal out of seeing me here.He's cool.""Oh,he's so cool," Bill said. "He's so smart. If he's so great,why didn't he tell you what I know about not keeping one's distance from one's past? About getting"-he paused dramatically, widening his stone eyes-"inside?"Now she leaned down toward him. "What are you talking about?"He crossed his arms over his chest and wagged his stone tongue. "I'm not telling.""Bill!" Luce pleaded."Not yet, anyway.First let's see how you do tonight.”

“You're in there somewhere." He tapped at her collarbone. "You'll pop out again when-Well,when the time is right. But for now,you've slipped entirely inside your past. Like a cute little turtle in a borrowed shell.Except it's more than that.When you're in Lys's body, your very beings are entwined, so all sorts of good stuff comes with the package.Her memories,her passions,her manners-lucky for you.Of course,you also have to grapple with her shortcomings.This one,if I recall,puts her foot in her mouth with some regularity.So watch out.""Amazing," Luce whispered. "So if I could just find Daniel,I'd be able to feel exactly what she feels toward him.""Sure,I guess,but you do realize that once I snap my fingers,Lys has obligations at this ball that don't include Daniel.This isn't really his scene,and by that I mean,no way the guards would let a poor stable boy in here."Luce didn't care about any of that. Poor stable boy or not,she would find him. She couldn't wait. Inside Lys's body she could even hold him, maybe even kiss him.The anticipation of it was almost overwhelming."Hello?" Bill flicked a hard finger against her temple. "You ready yet? Get in there,see what you can see-then get out while the getting's good, if you know what I mean."Luce nodded.She straightened Lsys's black gown and held her head a little higher. "Snap to it.""And...go." Bill snapped his fingers.”

“Luce closed her eyes,trying to remember exactly what he'd looked like. There were no words for it.It was just an incredible, joyous connection."I saw him.""Who,Daniel? Yeah,I saw him,too. He was the guy who dropped the ax when it was his turn to do the chopping. Big mistake. Huge.""No,I really saw him. As he truly is." Her voice shook. "He was so beautiful.""Oh,that." Bill tossed his head, annoyed."I recognized him.I think I've seen him before.""Doubt it." Bill coughed. "That was the first and last time you'll be able to see him like that.You saw him, and then you died.That's what happens when mortal flesh looks upon an angel's unbridled glory. Instant death. Burned away by the angel's beauty.""No,it wasn't like that.""You saw what happened to everyone else. Poof. Gone." Bill plopped down beside her and patted her knee. "Why do you think the Mayans started doing sacrifices by fire after that? A neighboring tribe discovered the charred remains and had to explain it somehow.""Yes,they burst into flames right away. But I lasted longer-""A couple of extra seconds? When you were turned away? Congratulations.""You're wrong.And I know I've seen that before.""You've seen his wings before, maybe.But Daniel shedding his human guise and showing you his true form as an angel? Kills you every time.""No." Luce shook her head. "You're saying he can never show me who he really is?"Bill shrugged. "Not without vaporizing you and everyone around you.Why do you think Daniel's so cautious about kissing you all the time? His glory shines pretty damn bright when you two get hot and heavy."Luce felt like she could barely hold herself up. "That's why I sometimes die when we kiss?""How 'bout a round of applause for the girl, folks?" Bill said snarkily. "But what about all those other times, when I die before we kiss, before-""Before you even have a chance to see how toxic your relationship might become?""Shut up.""Honestly,how many times do you have to see the same story line before you realize nothing is ever going to change?""Something has changed," Luce said. "That's why I'm on this journey, that's why I'm still alive. If I could just see him again-all of him-I know I could handle it.""You don't get it." Bill's voice was rising. "You're talking about this whole thing in very mortal times." As he grew more agitated,spit flew from his lips. "This is the big time,and you clearly cannot handle it.""Why are you so angry all of a sudden?""Because! Because." He paced the ledge, gnashing his teeth. "Listen to me: Daniel slipped up this once, he showed himself,but he never does that again.Never.He learned his lesson. Now you've learned one,too: Mortal flesh cannot gaze upon an angel's true form without dying.”