After a while, she knew she was lost. The back streets of Venice were all so similar that it was like wandering in a maze. Wherever she turned, she found the same flagstones, the same narrow, dimly lit alleys and shuttered windows. She tried to retrace her steps but the route she’d just traveled had vanished as if by magic, replaced by streets she could have sworn she’d never seen before, although they were all so alike. She quickened her pace, desperately seeking some place that she recognized. Little canals appeared, crossed by toy bridges that vanished under her feet, each one like the last. The streets grew narrower, the buildings rearing over her head until they seemed to touch one another. This was the Venice she’d been warned of, the place of shadows and sinister magic. The whole city conspired against her, leading her in dark circles. She looked up wildly at the blind windows. Perhaps Leo was behind one of them, hidden away in fear and confusion. “Leo,” she cried. “Leo—where are you?”
