Chapter One: After the Glasses Come Off

“Curator Shen,” a voice emerged from where no mouth existed, “are your glasses unsuitable today?” She put them on. Lin's eyes, nose, and mild smile returned at once. “Loose temple,” she said. Only after the door closed did she notice the sweat in her palms. “You saw her too?” Gu asked quietly. Yanqiu spun toward him. He was looking not at the door but at the outer rim of her right lens. “There was someone there.” At first Yanqiu saw only reflected light. She tilted her head. The reflection slid to the edge, and a woman's face surfaced inside the silver curve. She was older than when she vanished, wet hair clinging to her cheeks, but the childhood scar above her left eyebrow was unchanged. Shen Zhiwei. Yanqiu's breath broke in her throat.