"Is this better?" Julian asked, feeling suddenly vulnerable. He instinctively tried to cross his arms to hide his chest, but the avatar mirrored him perfectly.

He spun around. She was sitting on a velvet lounge chair near the bow, a glass of wine in her hand. She was striking—sharp cheekbones, hair that looked like it was woven from copper wire, and eyes that seemed to catch the light of the golden river.

"Real world," Julian nodded. "Coffee. The ugly, real kind."