as a printer of forbidden texts under the guidance of the Stravagante Constantin, who is known amongst the public as a professor of Rhetoric at the university. During his visits, Matt meets Luciano, who is studying at the university, and Arianna, who is secretly visiting Luciano while disguised as a boy. However, insecurities regarding his ability to read puts on a strain on Matt's life and the discovery of other Stravaganti in his world result in more trouble than Matt can deal with. Meanwhile, the di Chimici continue their attempts to unify northern Talia under their rule and attempt to convince the ruler of Padavia to enforce new rules against occult practices that the di Chimici will hope to single out the Stravaganti. Both Matt and Luciano, who remains the object of the di Chimici grudge after the death of Duke Niccolò, find themselves in terrible peril, especially as the di Chimici are verge of making a dangerous breakthrough into the modern world. City of Ships Isabel, nicknamed "Bel", is the younger twin by ten minutes and has spent her entire life in the shadow of her brother Charlie, who is naturally more talented than she is at anything and is genuinely nice. Unable to compare to her brother, Isabel avoids drawing attention to herself and concentrates on her only unique talent: art. However, when she is transported to the Talian city of Classe (the Talian version of Ravenna) with a tesserae mosaic fragment, she finds herself in a world with mosaics, pirates, and traders. As the city prepares for an attack from the Gate people from the east, Isabel finds that she is a crucial element for defending the city and realizes the opportunity to finally find her true strengths and impress her brother. City of Swords Desperately unhappy, Laura has resorted to secretly self-harming. But Laura is a Stravagante, somebody who can travel in time and space. When she finds her talisman, a small silver dagger, she stravagates with it to sixteenth-century Fortezza, a town similar to Lucca in Italy, where she meets her Stravagante, who is a swordsmith. But Laura also meets the charming and attractive Ludo, and falls for him. Their love for each other is tested when Ludo lays claim to the crown of Fortezza, and Laura finds herself fighting on the side of the Stravaganti opposing him... A thrilling tale filled with battles on