"Is that what you wanna do with yourself? Fashion?" Julie asks, genuinely curious. Most people in this world either don't share her interest in things like fashion, or else they come from places that don't really enable to them to understand fashion the way she does. It's hard to explain the genius of Alexander McQueen to people who think breeches are the height of style.

She props her elbow on the back of her seat, rests her head in her hand. "The nerds run this city. In Thorne, it's more like, classic fantasy magic. Called Academic Magic. In Solvunn, it's High Magic. All for the gods, sacrifices and shit. Here, they only cotton to New Magic. Magic mixed with technology. There's more to it all than that, but there you go, nutshell version."

Her head cocks a little. Her gaze is analytical. "Yeah. I mean, I don't know if you somehow missed it, but you're even shorter'n I am. I assume you don't want everythin' to drag behind you like the world's weirdest bride, right?"