We arrived earlier than we needed to. Julian said it was better to get the feel of the room before things started, and I agreed, even though it meant more time to think about what we were here to do. The building looked ordinary from the outside, just another narrow front on a quiet street. Inside, the air felt different. It was warm and still, and it smelled faintly of polished wood and something floral that I could not place.

I had dressed in a way that I hoped would draw no attention. A ...