The other side of the world could be just a step away... Whether loved, despised, or just a fact of life, the Gates connect all parts of the globe to each other in an interwoven web linking disparate cultures and forming strange relationships. And whether you're a seasoned Traveler or a neophyte, when you step through a Gate, you won't be the same on the other side. For one thing, you'll be naked. The Gates only admit living beings - but living beings always bring with them their knowledge, their faith, their languages, their skills, and their beliefs. Some nations embrace the Gates. Others fear them. For some nations, they are the beating hearts of trade, centers for the exchange of language and philosophy, hubs of adventure and discovery. For others, they are useless dead-ends, objects of terror, or outright threats. In this anthology, twelve authors explore the adventures, intrigues, and discoveries, large and small, global and personal, that occur because of the interconnections of these incredible magical Gates. The anthology includes the following stories: VIGNETTES FROM THE HILTHSTAD by Cass Morris DEAD MAN'S MAP by Marie Brennan THROWING MUSES by Mike Chen MUSIC TO YOUR EARS by J.C. Pillard THE CLOTHIER OF ALENNI by Victor Manibo CANDIDATE ELEVEN by Kate Elliott SILVER AND GOLD by Rowenna Miller MARIT THE RESOLUTE by Lindsey Carmichael LUMI & THE NAVIGATOR by Natania Barron COURIER'S HONOR by Valerie Valdes CHASING THE SUN by Marshall Ryan Maresca SCHEMES, FACTIONS, AND CULTURE Non-fiction essay by Michael R. Underwood