The Fair of Shadows (snippet)

Its size is majestic, bigger than either of them had dared to imagine. A serpentine barricade snakes around a chaos of tents, stalls, vendors and hundreds of fairgoers. Dotted as far as they could see were puffs of smoke from roasting fire pits and huge, boiling cauldrons.

“Oh! Oh, Thangelos! Do you see it? It’s fantastic!” Novela could no longer contain herself. She sprints away, the slope of the hill pulling her forward.

Thangelos watches her sprint away, leaving him atop Colle dei Papaveri. He looks out over the immense sprawl of the fairgrounds. His breath quickens as he watches Novela become one with it. Then he runs down the hill, toward her and the Fair of Shadows.”