"It's all the same," Cassandra said, tossing the papers behind her and listening to them flutter to the ground. It was amazing how much paper could sound like a crow's wing.

She leaned over to pick up another handful when Jones asked her about home. They had been so wrapped up in the whole ant matter that it was only then that Cassandra realized they had not yet played her favorite game: See if they recognize her from mythology. She didn't have the best read on Jones, so she couldn't really guess.

"A city to the west of Persia," she said absently. "It was called Troy."