Misplaced (39 page)

“I choose to ignore your disdainful tone. I re
v
ealed nothing
other than that I am Egyptian.”
A
stubbor
n
silenc
e
fel
l
bet
w
ee
n
them
,
lastin
g
se
v
eral
gruelin
g
minutes
.
I
n
th
e
end
,
V
ictori
a
poure
d
tw
o
glasse
s
o
f
wine and handed one to Khara.

“I
s
thi
s
a
n
apology?
”
Khar
a
asked
,
turnin
g
a
seren
e
gaze
from the
w
all.

“Not
hardly.”
V
ictoria
took
a
sizeable
drink.
“This
may
be
difficult
for
you
to
understand,
but
insisting
that
you
ha
v
e
as
little
contact with others as possible is based on a phenomenon
known
as
the
butterfly
effect.
The
premise
is
that
small
changes
ca
n
lea
d
t
o
monumenta
l
difference
s
late
r
on
.
Imagin
e
what
might ha
v
e happened if Cleopatra ne
v
er met Julius Caesar.”

“Who?”

“Oh
,
that’
s
right
.
Y
o
u
wouldn’
t
kno
w
the
m
becaus
e
they
came later. Much later”

“And the rele
v
ance to a butterfly?”

Purely
demonstrati
v
e.
Picture
the
flapping of
a
butterfly’s
win
g
s
o
n
on
e
sid
e
o
f
t
h
e
worl
d
causin
g
a
hu
g
e
s
t
or
m
o
n
th
e
other
.
I
f
th
e
theor
y
bear
s
out
,
th
e
e
f
fec
t
coul
d
b
e
greatl
y
multiplied
when
it
comes
to
time-tra
v
el.
Think
of
the
harm
you
could cause.”

Whe
n
sh
e
sa
w
Khara’
s
expression
,
V
ictori
a
immediately
regretted
having mentioned it.

“But
if,
as
you
propose,”
Khara
mused,
“our
actions
ne
v
er
stan
d
alone—i
f
the
y
carr
y
th
e
impac
t
yo
u
suggest—then
perhap
s
i
t
i
s
alread
y
to
o
late
.
An
d
thi
s
phenomenon
,
a
s
you
describe
it,
could
be
my
largest
moti
v
ation
for
returning.
What
will happen if Egypt is left in Menefra’s hands?”

“I’m
simply
asking
you
not
to
make
things
worse.
The
less
contac
t
yo
u
ha
v
e
wit
h
others
,
th
e
better
.
A
t
leas
t
fo
r
now.”
Khar
a
nodde
d
bu
t
sai
d
nothing
,
an
d
somethin
g
tol
d
V
ictoria
sh
e
ha
d
bee
n
dismissed
.
“The
n
I
ha
v
e
you
r
promise—you
’
l
l
no
t
visit the church again?”

“I hear and understand what you ha
v
e said.”

“So,
w
e ha
v
e a deal?
”

“What is a deal?”

“A
bargain
.
W
e
’
r
e
makin
g
a
pact
.
Y
ou
’
r
e
goin
g
t
o
gi
v
e
me
your word.”

“W
il
l
tha
t
mak
e
yo
u
happy?
”
Khar
a
looke
d
aroun
d
as
thoug
h
needin
g
reassurance
,
an
d
Dant
e
jumpe
d
int
o
he
r
lap.
“
Y
ou
’
re
the
fortunate
one,”
she
cooed,
rubbing
behind
his
ears
until
he
w
as
delirious
with
pleasure.
“
Y
ou
can
come
and
go
as
you please.
Y
es, I know she means
w
ell.”

“Dante said that?”

“Not exactly.”

“W
ell then, what did he say?”

“That
I
should
be
grateful
to
you
for
making
me
feel
exactly
as though I
w
ere at home again.”

“Y
o
u
ha
v
e
quit
e
a
f
lai
r
fo
r
sarcasm
.
Can’
t
yo
u
thin
k
o
f
i
t
a
s
nothin
g
mor
e
tha
n
a
precaution
?
I
w
a
s
worried
,
that’
s
all.
I
would
gi
v
e
the
same
advice
to
any
client
I
knew
w
as
taking
unnecessary risks.”

Khar
a
looke
d
a
t
th
e
floor
.
Whe
n
sh
e
looke
d
up
,
her
expressio
n
ha
d
changed
.
“
An
d
d
o
you
r
client
s
al
w
ay
s
tak
e
your
advice, e
v
en when they ha
v
e strong feelings to the contrary?”

“Not generally.”

“It
must
be
v
ery
unsatisfying,
V
ictoria.
May
I
ask—why
do
you do it?”

“Someone has to.”

“Don’
t
yo
u
se
e
tha
t
takin
g
o
n
e
v
eryone’
s
burde
n
i
s
emptying
your soul?
Y
our clients don’t gi
v
e you a moment’s peace.”

“It’
s
no
t
a
s
ba
d
a
s
that
.
I
gues
s
it’
s
har
d
fo
r
yo
u
t
o
understand lif
e
i
n
th
e
moder
n
world.”