31
Lago di Como, 2010
Muffled sounds reverberated in Ruby’s ears as she fought her way to the surface of consciousness. The constellations seemed to spin above her. Her body felt so heavy she could hardly move.
Then, she realized she was flat on her back, staring at the stars above her.
“What happened?” Ruby struggled to sit up. “Ariana, are you here?”
A firm hand slid under her back, supporting her. “Try not to move,” Alessandro said.
As Ruby’s vision cleared, a woman she didn’t know came into view.
“Relax, I’m a doctor,” the woman said. “Don’t try to get up. You fainted. You’re at the amphitheater with your niece. Do you have any medical conditions I should know about?”
Ruby shook her head. That wasn’t anybody’s business but her own, and she was perfectly healthy. “I thought I sa
