The Mosaic

Chapter 40 | Wrong Witches

One of them had yanked the woman to a halt, a hard slap bringing her back to consciousness. Her head flew to the side, then whipped back with wide eyes when she saw where she was. Her body threw itself against the hold. Alessandro's eyes widened when one of the men stumbled under the force. That was no ordinary woman. But she stood no chance against the shackles around her wrists.

"Burn the witch!" The crowd started shouting again. Someone threw a stone.

She straightened, slowly raising her head. Despite some peasant's spit running down her cheek and iron binding her hands, she stood like a queen. "I am no witch." Her voice was deep and slow, tasting the foreign vowels, yet it carried down the entire street. Alessandro couldn't place the accent.

"Shut it, witch!" One solider spat, shoving her forward.

"I am no witch."

She was telling the truth.

"I am a simple messenger, you jackal!"

Lie. Alessandro's eyes narrowed. Why would she lie about this? He moved Laelia towards Lorenzo. "Take her inside." Before he knew what he was doing, his feet were carrying him down the stairs, only speeding up the closer he got. The crowd was shoved apart by his angry stride.

"Stay back!" A soldier bellowed.

Alessandro didn't stop. This woman was important. He knew it.

"Stay back, Signore!"

Now the other soldiers had spotted him too. Two broke out of the circle, marching towards him. A blur of black blocked them from reaching Alessandro. They froze.

"He's with me." Giacinto's voice was unfamiliar. Hard, strong, calm. It demanded obedience.

The men sheathed their swords. "Apologies, your grace."

Giacinto waved his hand dismissively.

A rattle of chains and barked orders spurred the crowd to new maddening heights. The woman was battling her captors, threw one of the soldiers off, eyes eerily fixed on Giacinto and him. She started running, dragging the soldier yanking her chain with her. Two more threw themselves at her. Her scream pierced Alessandro's skull, brimming with rage and fire.

Still throwing herself from side to side, the men wrestled her arms behind her, dragging her off kicking. Her head craned back so far one wrong move would snap it. Her eyes locked onto Alessandro's. "I have a message!"

"Hold her." Giacinto's voice was harsh. The soldier shouted for his men to stop.

The woman spat at the soldier's boots. "You filthy cowards! May the sun burn you to ash."

Giacinto cocked his head. "Do I know you? Apologies, I don't remember the names of every woman every night."

"Heed your words, lost prince. I am a messenger."

Truth. Alessandro blinked. She had said that before -- and she had been lying. Gears churned in his mind. No, she had said 'a simple messenger' earlier. What did this little word change?

"I am sent to warn you."

"Who sent you?" Giacinto asked, stepping closer.

"Al-Amir."

"I know no such man."

"It is no name, lost prince. It means the prince. You know him as Antonio Morosini."

The snake and the letter...

Giacinto was in front of her in the blink of an eye, dagger right at her throat. "You will die for that."