the woman was the empress , after all . i still dont think much of your new partner , though , and i still worry that youve made an alliance with a snake . and dropped back down onto the bench , bawling into her hands . chapter 17 sonny sat under the walk bridge in the park near his house and threw stones as hard as he could at the surface of the water , hoping to hit one of the minnows beneath the surface . this trip was turning out better than she 'd hoped . 