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She started to shake her head, but then remembered the girl with the twisted lip. A guilty pang poked through her anger and Vermilia felt it.

“Tell me.”

“There was a girl—her face was disfigured—all I did was look at her.”

“You know better than to stare at somebody’s misfortune. At least, did you look at her with kindness? Offer a bit of food? A prayer?”

Ginevra looked down at the floor.

“Wicked girl! You have made it worse for yourself. This we cannot solve with jokes. What would inspire your gentle heart to provoke a deformed child into throwing you the Eye?”

“I didn’t mean to provoke her. I was just surprised by a dirty beggar!”

“There you go again. You, who eats farro soup on earthen floors. One frumpy new gown, and you speak badly about one who has even less. Keep it up, that’s what the Eye wants—”

But Ginevra was barely listening. She was trying so hard to hold back the vile things she wanted to say and do that she was overcome by a fit of hiccups that convulsed through her body in painful spasms.

“Please—HIC—please, I cannot—HIC—”

“Porco Dio,” said Vermilia this time. “If we can’t chase the Eye away, we have to puncture it, and it does not forget a stabbing so easily...”

“I do—HIC—n’t care, get it away from me!”

“Very well, if that is your choice,” said Vermilia gravely. She picked up two large needles and handed them to Ginevra. “Poke one through the hole of the other and repeat:

“Holes through Sight

Eyes against Eye

Envy Breaks

Eye Burst and Die.”

Through her ghastly hiccups, Ginevra repeated the verses and after pricking her fingers numerous times, threaded one needle through the other. Vermilia took the needles from her and stabbed them three times into the water bowl. They watched together as the large drop of oil floated to the surface and dispersed. Vermilia muttered a prayer of thanks. Ginevra vomited all down the front of her dress.

FIVE

MANO FIGA

1333, City of Genoa

The next thing Ginevra knew she was waking up on Vermilia’s little cot. The light was fading and she felt sick and thirsty as if she had swallowed seawater. She tried to sit up but her vision shrank to a pinpoint and she froze, midway up, waiting for the blood to come back to her head. Vermilia heard her stirring and came over to the bed.

“Ah! Good. Welcome—here you are again.”

“How...long have I been asleep?”

“Through last night and a whole day besides.”

“What?? My mother—”

“It is well, be calm. I sent word to your parents. They know you are here. Come, now.”

She helped Ginevra prop herself up and handed her a steaming brew of fennel fronds in a wooden beaker.

“Drink this. It will make your mouth feel clean after all the filthy things it said.”

Ginevra clutched her face and groaned.