A Tale of Two Centuries

ringing, followed by a metallic rattle. When Reyna speaks again, her voice is louder. “In your mind’s eye, I want you to visualize the happiness you called upon the stars to seek, whatever it is your heart most desires.”

In my mind, Matteo bows before me, as he did so many times, clasping my hand and flashing his enticing smile. I had been convinced we were happy, that he would be my salvation. I was foolish, and that realization hurts worse than his betrayal. The pieces of my heart splinter a little more.

The memory blessedly fades, but in its place springs a surprising one of the afternoon performance in the countryside. Why that memory chooses to taunt me for the second time today I am not certain, for it will do me no good. The joy and release of our fairy-tale play may be what my heart desires, but it is not my destiny. It is not written in the stars for a girl like me, born in this time.

Even so, I watch the vision play out before me, and the sense of longing that overwhelmed me in the piazza consumes me anew.

“Good,” Reyna says, as though she, too, can see my thoughts. “Hold tight to that vision, Alessandra. Do not let it go. But now imagine a locked door materializing in front of you, keeping you from the vision. From the happiness you deserve.”

At her words, a heavy wooden door appears and slams shut. The faint sound of Cat’s laughter seeps through the crack underneath. Though I know it is just a vision, pain lashes inside my chest, and sweat trickles down my back.

I have to open that door.

An eerie breeze suddenly sweeps through the interior of the tent, reminding me of the squall from the courtyard. My auburn hair flies back and my eyes fly open. Reyna latches onto my wrists.

“Stare into the flame, Alessandra,” she orders. Her voice is deeper than I have ever heard it before, as though it is coming through the earbuds Cat kept in her satchel with the singing box. “Concentrate. Look into the flame!”

The wind picks up, whipping the sheath on the table and the sides of the tent, whistling around us and competing with her booming commands.

“Do you see the locked door?” she yells, and I nod fiercely, blinking against the sting of my long hair lashing my eyes. The vision dances within the glowing flame. “Now, in your mind, walk toward it…unlock it…and step through it!”

The scene unfolds exactly as she describes. Within the vivid purple core, I watch my palms press against the smooth wood and push open the heavy door. But on the other side, I no longer see Cat, Cipriano, or Lorenzo. I only see myself.

“Pour your passion into the vision!” Reyna’s voice grows louder with each word spoken. And though I want to ask why the vision changed, I do not speak. Whether from fear I messed up the spell or needing to see the vision play out, I bite my tongue and throw open my heart, letting myself feel all the emotions I have kept locked inside for so long.

A large stage appears below the version of me dancing within the flame. A beam of light brighter than the sun suddenly shines over me, and the thunderous sound of applause breaks around me. Instinctually, I know they cheer for me. Pleasure washes through my core, and the Alessandra in the flame closes her eyes, savoring it. Triumph and rightness fill me to overflowing, even though I do not understand it. But when the girl in the vision opens her eyes again, the light no longer shines on her. The stage is eerily silent. And a young man enters the vision.

I cannot see his face, but his clothes are like those in the colorful pictures from the future. Dark pants hug his long legs. A faded black shirt frames his broad back and strong arms. And even though I am certain we have never met, he reaches out to embrace the Alessandra in the vision. Warmth pools in my belly.

“Send your desires to the stars!”

This time I jolt at Reyna’s shriek, and her grip tightens on my wrists.

Scared the image will disappear if I lift my eyes to the sky, I silently pray for the only desire I can think of in the moment and hope it is enough: I want to be there. On that stage. With that applause. And I want to be with him.

The fact that I do not know who he is does not matter.

“Did you do it, Alessandra? Did you speak your heart?”

I nod frantically, and her nails embed themselves into my flesh. She tugs me toward her, chanting, “Gracious Lady Moon, ever in my sight, kindly grant the boon I ask of thee tonight.”

Reyna repeats it two more times, each time her voice growing louder and louder until her chant echoes in my ears. The ground under my feet rumbles. The table shakes.

Then every candle in the tent snuffs out.

The room is engulfed in black.

Chapter Three

My heart convulses against my rib cage as though it wishes to leap from my chest and run back to the pleasant safety of my bedroom.

Just like the rest of me.

Reyna releases my hands from her painful grip, and I draw them close, shivering with panic, fear, and strangely enough, excitement. Though I have never been more scared in my life, I have also never done anything quite as thrilling.

The table jostles, and I hear Reyna walk away, hopefully to light another candle. Gentle tinkling of crystal soon promises just that, and I tap my leg, eager for an end to the all-encompassing shadows. Her feet scuffle toward me, but before she strikes the match, a harsh, repetitive hum emanates from the other side of the tent. A peculiar deep, vibrating commotion follows, tickling the wisp of a memory. Somehow I have heard that unworldly sound before.

Light springs to life on the table, carving a hole in the darkness, tickling my nose with the smell of burning sulfur. A third sound, a piercing shriek, comes from just outside the tent. So close, it could be in my very own courtyard.

Throwing my hands over my ears, I crouch low in my chair. “What are those horrifying noises?”

Reyna ignores my question. “Alessandra, the adventure that you seek is full of possibilities,” she says in a serious, thunderous voice. “But always remember where your real strength lies.”

Tentatively, I remove my cupped palms from my ears, relieved to hear the shriek silenced, and blink up at the gypsy girl.

Another cryptic message.

Cat spent the whole of her time in Florence trying to decipher Reyna’s riddle about lessons to learn, yet my cousin left before getting any answers. Any that I knew of, that is. I have often wondered how it was she was able to return, if she managed to solve the elusive problem on her own, or if Reyna merely took pity.

Then I stop and realize…I received my own message.

I am on my own gypsy adventure!

A sharp squeal outside tempers my enthusiasm. Wincing, I swallow nervously and look to Reyna, hoping for guidance. What she gives is an impatient nod toward the front of the tent, wordlessly telling me it is time to go.

Well, then.

No longer timid, my inner voice mocks. Is that not what you said?

Rising from my crouch, determined to silence that voice, I plaster a wide smile onto my face and take a shaky step forward. Then another. And another. Soon I am just inside the tent, the fluttering flap the sole thing concealing me from the scary world waiting outside.

Where have you sent me? I want to ask. What do I do now?

Instead, I turn and curtsy. “Thank you.” It is not much, and my voice wobbles, but she seems to understand