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Authors: Den Patrick
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the children unguarded.’
I can ill afford to sour the Contadinos. Not in light of … She gestured to the floor, at the stain beneath the rug.
‘What do you propose to do with the Allattamentos?’
Anea shrugged. I spent all of yesterday thinking on it. She sat on the edge of the table and her regal poise sagged. What would you do?
Dino flicked a finger twice against the scabbard in his lap. Anea shook her head.
I think an execution might send the wrong sort of message.
‘You worry too much.’ Dino grinned.
One of us should. She sighed, breath making her veil ripple. I can hardly kill Lady Allattamento because she gave birth to a idiot son.
‘Two actually. Three if you count the one who cut ties with her.’
She must have known about the plot. I cannot believe Angelo put this scheme together by himself.
‘He admitted as much. He said he brought news from the nobili. And I doubt he would have been able to lay his hands on enough money to pay off both guards.’
Only a great house could afford that sort of money.
‘Or he had help from other minor houses.’ Dino fell silent a moment and tugged at his lip. ‘You need to send a message, a firm message, that even being associated with treason results in dire consequences.’
I had hoped to win people over with reason, not fear.
‘That time is past. You should be furious with them, furious they could even conceive such a plan, let alone recruit agents to carry it out.’
Anger gets you so far …
‘And then it gets you dead. I know. But you’re likely to end up dead if you don’t get angry.’
I think you are angry enough for both of us.
‘True, but I’m not the one in charge.’
Dino rose from his chair and stretched, hiding a yawn behind a fist before unlocking the door. Anea crossed the room and drew him into an embrace.
‘I’m not going to let anything happen to you, big sister, but you’ve got to start taking the fight to the enemy.’
She nodded and looked away, uncomfortable with the prospect. Dino opened the door and stepped into the corridor beyond. A guard stood on each side of the doorway, halberd in hand, maintaining a vigil over the lonely stretch of corridor. Achilles roused himself, lifting his blunt snout and inspecting the men with obsidian eyes, scaled tail swishing impatiently. It was cool in the corridor and the cataphract drake would fidget until he was somewhere more temperate. Dino nodded to the guards and they saluted in response, neither of them much older than he.
‘Not long now,’ he said, eyes straying to the long-case clock further down the corridor. The guards mumbled their agreement, forced cheerfulness and stoical duty.
‘That was some bad business the other night, my lord.’
Dino nodded and fought the urge to drop a few coins into the man’s hand, anything to quell the disquiet he felt, anything that might make the guard think twice before accepting a bribe from their enemies.
‘It’s bad business every week of late,’ replied Dino.
‘Aye. Assassins, ants, pests all over.’
Dino took his leave, thoughts of loyalty and possible betrayal dragging at every footstep. All men had a price and the guards of Demesne were no different. He chided himself for such thoughts and pressed on, back to his own apartment in House Erudito, lit sconces guiding his way. The castle was rousing itself. Bakers would be at their ovens, kitchen staff stumbling to their stations, bleary-eyed. The muted sounds of industry and preparation drifted along corridors, summoning all to wakefulness. Strange to be a part of Demesne and yet so separate from it. His nocturnal vigils removed him from so much of life in Demesne. Belonging to the nobility removed him from the people. Being Orfano removed him from everyone bar Anea and Lucien, far to the south. Achilles curled about his neck, seeking warmth.
‘At least I’ll always have you.’ Dino smiled as the drake pushed his cold snout into the collar of his jacket.
Sleep did not
I can ill afford to sour the Contadinos. Not in light of … She gestured to the floor, at the stain beneath the rug.
‘What do you propose to do with the Allattamentos?’
Anea shrugged. I spent all of yesterday thinking on it. She sat on the edge of the table and her regal poise sagged. What would you do?
Dino flicked a finger twice against the scabbard in his lap. Anea shook her head.
I think an execution might send the wrong sort of message.
‘You worry too much.’ Dino grinned.
One of us should. She sighed, breath making her veil ripple. I can hardly kill Lady Allattamento because she gave birth to a idiot son.
‘Two actually. Three if you count the one who cut ties with her.’
She must have known about the plot. I cannot believe Angelo put this scheme together by himself.
‘He admitted as much. He said he brought news from the nobili. And I doubt he would have been able to lay his hands on enough money to pay off both guards.’
Only a great house could afford that sort of money.
‘Or he had help from other minor houses.’ Dino fell silent a moment and tugged at his lip. ‘You need to send a message, a firm message, that even being associated with treason results in dire consequences.’
I had hoped to win people over with reason, not fear.
‘That time is past. You should be furious with them, furious they could even conceive such a plan, let alone recruit agents to carry it out.’
Anger gets you so far …
‘And then it gets you dead. I know. But you’re likely to end up dead if you don’t get angry.’
I think you are angry enough for both of us.
‘True, but I’m not the one in charge.’
Dino rose from his chair and stretched, hiding a yawn behind a fist before unlocking the door. Anea crossed the room and drew him into an embrace.
‘I’m not going to let anything happen to you, big sister, but you’ve got to start taking the fight to the enemy.’
She nodded and looked away, uncomfortable with the prospect. Dino opened the door and stepped into the corridor beyond. A guard stood on each side of the doorway, halberd in hand, maintaining a vigil over the lonely stretch of corridor. Achilles roused himself, lifting his blunt snout and inspecting the men with obsidian eyes, scaled tail swishing impatiently. It was cool in the corridor and the cataphract drake would fidget until he was somewhere more temperate. Dino nodded to the guards and they saluted in response, neither of them much older than he.
‘Not long now,’ he said, eyes straying to the long-case clock further down the corridor. The guards mumbled their agreement, forced cheerfulness and stoical duty.
‘That was some bad business the other night, my lord.’
Dino nodded and fought the urge to drop a few coins into the man’s hand, anything to quell the disquiet he felt, anything that might make the guard think twice before accepting a bribe from their enemies.
‘It’s bad business every week of late,’ replied Dino.
‘Aye. Assassins, ants, pests all over.’
Dino took his leave, thoughts of loyalty and possible betrayal dragging at every footstep. All men had a price and the guards of Demesne were no different. He chided himself for such thoughts and pressed on, back to his own apartment in House Erudito, lit sconces guiding his way. The castle was rousing itself. Bakers would be at their ovens, kitchen staff stumbling to their stations, bleary-eyed. The muted sounds of industry and preparation drifted along corridors, summoning all to wakefulness. Strange to be a part of Demesne and yet so separate from it. His nocturnal vigils removed him from so much of life in Demesne. Belonging to the nobility removed him from the people. Being Orfano removed him from everyone bar Anea and Lucien, far to the south. Achilles curled about his neck, seeking warmth.
‘At least I’ll always have you.’ Dino smiled as the drake pushed his cold snout into the collar of his jacket.
Sleep did not
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