In January 2314, Rowena Savalas—a curator of the vast archive of the twenty-first century's primitive internet—stumbles upon a story posted in the summer of 2024. She's quickly drawn into the mystery of the text: Is it autobiography, fantasy, or fraud? What's the significance of the recurring number 381?
In the story, the protagonist Fairly walks the Horned Road—a quest undertaken by youngsters in her village when they come of age. She is followed by the "breathing man," a looming presence, dogging her heels every step of the way. Everything she was taught about her world is overturned.
Following Fairly's quest, Rowena comes to question her own choices, and a predictable life of curation becomes one of exploration, adventure, and love. As both women's stories draw to a close, she realizes it doesn't matter whether the story is true or not: as with the quest itself, it's the journey that matters.
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Aliya Whiteley is the author of nonfiction and four books of speculative fiction, including The Loosening Skin, shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Her novels have also been shortlisted for the Shirley Jackson Award and the James Tiptree Jr. Award. Her writing has appeared in numerous places, including the London Guardian, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and anthologies such as Unsung Stories: This Dreaming Isle and Lonely Planet’s Better than Fiction I and II.
Justine Eyre is a classically trained actress who has narrated many audiobooks, earning the prestigious Audie Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She is multilingual and known for her great facility with accents. She has appeared on stage, with leading roles in King Lear and The Crucible, and has had starring roles in four films on the indie circuit. Her television credits include Two and a Half Men and Mad Men.