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not knowing what you're doing stopped
you
from doing anything?”
    “You're just trying to get rid of me. To get me out of your way.”
    “Why would I bother? You've been
staying
out of the way. Eliana, no one else can do this!”
    “I can't either,” I said. “Giovanni, there are members of the Circle who
know
me, two of them. They will know that I don't belong there. There are Fedeli who could recognize me—”
    “Eliana, I've spent most of my life with people like this. Trust me, they will never recognize you because they will never
look
at you. People like the men of the High Circle never look in the faces of their inferiors, and that's what they'll consider you. For all intents and purposes you will be
invisible
. Can't you see how useful that is?”
    “What about Felice? We never caught Felice, and we
know
he was working for them.”
    “Court is huge, Eliana. And why would they be keeping a spy like Felice there? The chances are miniscule.”
    “
If
I go, how long do you expect me to stay there? What am I supposed to come back with?”
    “The secret that will win the war,” he said, then laughed. “I don't know, Eliana. Use your own judgment. Something will tell you it's time.”
    “Yeah,” I said, “like I'll find out I've been recognized. Or it will finally sink
in
that palace politics are just not my cup of tea.”
    “Eliana, you'll be good at it. I mean that. Don't tell yourself you can't do it, because you can. You'll win this for us, because you know what? I'll lead the Lupi as far as they'll follow me, but I think this is the best chance we've
got
.”
    I thought about it.
    “I'll need a haircut,” I said softly. “And a different violin. The sound—violins are very distinctive. A musician could identify me from that alone.”
    Lia had brought the dead boy's violin, and I spent some time that afternoon practicing with it, getting used to the new sound. It was a better violin than mine, with a fine tone, but I decided to bring my own bow.
    In the evening, Lucia cut my hair short and used a less-ragged blanket to make me a new tunic. “You make an attractive boy,” she said, inspecting her handiwork.
    We had a spare leather belt, and I folded my red sash and put it away. My neck felt chilled when she'd finished cutting my hair, and I pulled Bella's cross off and tucked it in with the sash. “I suppose I'd better leave this behind,” I said.
    “Yes,” Lucia said. “It's what's in your heart that matters, anyway.” She turned me around to face her. “I think God wants you to go,” she said. “And I reallythink this is important. Take heart, Eliana. Gèsu will always give you the strength you need, to face anything. He's with you, Eliana. Always.” She kissed me. “I will pray for you every day that you're gone.”
    “Thank you,” I said, and I knew,
this is the price
. And I knew, as I kissed Lucia good-bye,
it was worth it
.

PART TWO

Are You As I Am

CHAPTER THREE
    In my Mother's house there are many rooms.
    —
The Journey of Gèsu, chapter 4, verse 13.8
    W hat's your name?”
    “Daniele.”
    “Where were you born?”
    “Mirago.”
    “Don't look so stricken.” Lia punched me gently in the arm. “No one will question your story if you look like you believe what you're saying. Let's try again. What's your name?”
    “Daniele.”
This will never work
, I thought.
It's crazy to think it could
. “I am from Mirago. I just graduated from the conservatory in Pluma.”
    “Good. Say it again.”
    “My name is Daniele.” Even though I was telling myself that no one would believe me, my voice was getting steadier, more confident. “I was born in Mirago, but I've been living in Pluma and going to the conservatory there.”
    “Again.”
    I repeated my name, my hometown, and my mostrecent history until Michel returned to our camp with the paints he'd gone to buy at the apothecary's shop. “Now pay attention,” Michel said. He dabbed paint first on my face, then on Lia's so that