I would be love.Virginia would be love.And then, it was like a blanket gently fell on me, all around me. Aninvisible blanket. Covering me with secur...ty, and confidence, andwarmth. It was as if I'd made the decision that would free me, satisfyme, and justify me.I am Virginia. And I will spread this love.At that exact moment, I heard a noise behind me.I jumped off the couch, fear beginning to cascade through me, my nervesafire with worry.I spun, and gasped.There, standing at the back of my. “I would definitely enjoy that, ma’am,” Ben acknowledged as he settled himself down on his saddle, “if you’re of a mind to serve me.”“I am Marshal,” Mrs. Fuller replied returning Ben’s smile with one of her own, “and it’ll be a pleasure. My family and I are beholden to you.”“Well, I’d argue that point ma’am, but for now I just want to rest and enjoy the food you’ve prepared,” Ben declared solemnly as he took the proffered plate of food from the woman. “I still have a bit of work to do today. The woman at the counter looked down her nose at me.“We don’t print pornographic pictures here!” she said, loftily.“It isn’t porn,” I said, reasonably. “It’s for my college class.”“As if you were in college,” the woman snorted. “Go away, or I’ll be forced to call the police and turn you in.”I didn’t know what to do. I thought about going to see Cat, and asking for her help, but then I thought about her, with her half bald head, and crimson hair, with her pierced nose, looking like she was only. After what felt like an eternity of fearing discovery, the part of thecrystal case that Solkah had been working on shuddered, and with adetermined expression the noblewoman balled her hand into a fist andpunched into the center of the cut area, aiming for a planned weak spot.She neatly and almost painlessly punched a large square free of the mainbody of the case, and then her anxious hand closed around the sigil. Itwas cool to the touch, and Solkah felt an almost giddy rush. It wasalmost.