**Sorry, it's a little late at night :) **
A Traitor Among Us
I clutched the letter tightly to my chest, marveling at its newfound value.
Never in my life had it been so easy to leave the castle grounds alone. Perhaps I would have to learn to forge my father's signature for personal use in the future. All it had taken was a glance at the elegant scribble at the bottom of the page, and I had been waved right through the gate, no further questions asked.
It was a pleasant, breezy early February afternoon, only one week since Angelo had given me that veiled tip about the Cazzico iron mines. One week. One week that had flashed by in the blink of an eye. I had been so busy that for the first time since we met, the time spent away from Angelo didn't drag on at what felt like half speed. I just hoped that it meant that I was making progress on conquering the mate bond.
Deep down, I knew that was likely not the case.
I didn't let that ruin my cheerful mood as I tucked the letter safely into the satchel slung across my shoulder and let my hair loose from its tight bun. Hoping to extend my little moment of peace for as long as I could, I took the long way to the blacksmith's, strolling alongside the river that ran through the edge of the city instead of cutting straight to the bridge from the road.
Peace might be hard to find soon, if my father's worst fears were realized.
I had been fortunate to find him alone in his study that night after I had abruptly ended that little game of questions with Angelo. Though he had been hesitant to believe my theory, the next morning my father was making the necessary inquiries to get our hands on the documents we needed. After that, the evidence began stacking up on its own.
We couldn't figure out how the Blood Fangs were smuggling their weapons over the border, because they weren't. My father had gotten his hands on the Cazzico Mining Company's production records from the last five years. This year, for no clear reason given both the supply and demand for the company's goods were unchanged, they had implemented a twenty-five percent decrease in production only months before the first Blood Fang attacks began. My father, who had been reluctant to believe that his own people could be assisting the enemy, had only given the paperwork a long stare, brows drawn. "We need to dig deeper," was all he had said to me. It hadn't been the dismissal of my theory that I had expected. I couldn't shake the feeling of progress, even though I could see the pain it caused my father to consider the possibility.
The next morning, I had received a summons back to his study in lieu of training. When I arrived, he wordlessly handed me a stack of pages detailing Cazzico Mining Co.'s payroll information. I had looked between the papers and my father, confused, "They hired more people as they cut production?"
He walked around his desk to peer at the paper over my shoulder. "It appears so, and if you look right here," he flipped to the third page, where the new hires were listed, "many of the new employees aren't Lupian."
"They're from The Free Lands," I breathed.
He nodded, "Like the knife."
Like Angelo, I thought. I only nodded my head to him in understanding.
The next few days were spent gathering as much information on the owner of the company as we could find. We scoured all databases for any and all mention of Vito DiMaio from tax records to news articles. My father's mood only seemed to darken the more we found.
"It's pretty obvious he's guilty of manufacturing the Blood Fang weapons," I had mumbled one day, flipping through a legal case in which a human employee sued DiMaio's company for wrongful termination, "but why? How much hate must someone have to turn on their own kingdom in favor of a foreign power?"
"They want a return to the old ways, how things were under my father's rule," he sighed, running a weary hand down his face. "My reign brought about the end of the human slave labor that many wealthy shifters in the Cazzico region relied on to maintain their lifestyle." He handed me an open history book, the page headers reading The Reign of Gino DiLuna, "According to this, Vito DiMaio's father was one of the most prominent, outspoken anti-human rights activists in all of Cazzico. Apparently, the apple didn't fall far from the tree."
By the end of the week, my father's council had organized another specialized force, this one tasked with infiltrating the Cazzico Mining Co., and arresting Vito DiMaio as well as any accomplices they may find. The danger with openly arresting such a prominent figure, even with the evidence to back it up, was that the rest of the Cazzico region may sympathize with his cause and rise up against us, leading to a civil war. That is likely what the Blood Fangs intended, to destroy our kingdom from the inside and leave it ripe for takeover. I didn't let myself think about how much of a role Angelo may have had in that plot, or if I was inadvertently playing right into his plan in some way by trusting him even a fraction.
It was because of the risk of civil war, that I was walking to the blacksmith's shop alone while the task force prepared for their departure. The council hadn't chosen me for this mission, but after how the last raid had turned out, I wasn't sure that it was such a bad thing. Besides, Franco hadn't been chosen either. He was off running menial errands of his own while I secured an arsenal of weapons from the capitals best. Looking out at the rippling water of the river below, I couldn't help but feel that I had been the more fortunate of the two of us. At least my assignment involved strolling through one of the most beautiful areas of the capital.
Up ahead, a little girl was learning to fly a kite from her father. As I neared, he caught sight of me, crouching down to point in my direction, whispering in her ear. Her face lit up and she waved excitedly in my direction. A smile found its way to my lips as I waved back, but I was reminded of a question my father had asked me only hours earlier. "I've been so caught up in the investigation," he'd started casually, "that I never asked who tipped you off about the Cazzico mines?"
It was something I had been worried he would ask all week. My stomach sank, "Anonymous source," I'd finally responded reluctantly.
He had looked like he might pry further and force an answer from me, but I beat him to it. "Trust me," I had pleaded.
To my surprise and absolute delight, he had done just that, backing down and allowing me to keep my little secret. I only hoped that I could trust Angelo in turn.
The smile was still firmly in place on my lips as I neared the bridge to cross the river. The gentle strumming of a guitar could be heard from somewhere below, along the bank, but some instinct told me to keep walking.
That was where the last of my luck ran out. "Well would you look at that," an all-too-familiar voice floated up to me, "she does smile." Spotted.
I considered ignoring him and continuing on my way, but I couldn't be sure that he wouldn't cause a public scene just to force me into a conversation. I slowed my steps, looking down at Angelo below me, standing between two unfamiliar men, one hand resting on the guitar hanging from his neck by a strap. Could they be Blood Fangs too? I wondered. "Angelo," I said dryly by way of greeting.
The men beside him recognized me the moment I turned, dropping quickly into sloppy bows. With a few parting words to his startled companions still-bowed heads, he slung the guitar across his back and jogged up the steep bank to where I stood on the sidewalk. "I'm still 'not significant enough to warrant avoidance', correct?"
I rolled my eyes, "Nothing personal. I've had a very busy week."
He studied me for a moment, suspicion clouding his features for only a moment before it was replaced with a wry smile, "Busy, huh?"
I chose not to answer him as I eyed his companions, still down near the water, doing a poor job of pretending not to be watching us curiously.
He followed my gaze, chuckling lowly, "They're harmless, princess, don't worry."
I scoffed, "Who said I was worried?" I turned on my heel, "I'm actually running an errand for my father, I must be going."
He jogged to catch up, "Well then, in that case, allow me to accompany you."
We crossed the bridge in silence as I gnawed on my lip– an unfortunate habit I had picked up from my mother. "I suppose I should thank you," I finally murmured, as we continued along the walkway on the other side of the river.
He looked at me, brows raised in surprise, "Is that so?"
"Yes," I said, looking out over the water, lowering my voice to barely a whisper, "How many more are there like Vito DiMaio?"
"You know I can't answer that," he said, the playful twinkle entering his eyes.
"What do you want for it?" I asked, surprising us both.
He laughed, the warmth of it setting butterflies to fluttering in my belly, "Well, I can't answer that particular question, but if you were to narrow it down, then maybe I might be willing to exchange an answer for," he paused, pursing his lips as he thought, "is a kiss still off the table?"
"Absolutely."
"Then a date."
I considered it, looking around at the storefronts we passed. "Nothing public," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
"If you wanted me alone you only had to ask."
I groaned, "You're insufferable." My steps halted in front of the blacksmiths shop, gesturing to it over my shoulder, "This is where we part. I'll stop by the willow tomorrow to speak about this more."
"Yes ma'am," he said, taking my hand before I could stop him and pressing a kiss to the back of it, "until next time, princess."
I stared after him for a moment as he swaggered back toward his friends, guitar swaying as he walked.
I shook my head, turning and opening the door to the shop, warm air rushing out to meet me. Back to work.
~*~*~
Oooooh! How about that?
Next update July 1st