Allegra yawned so hard her eyes watered. “What is the response of the farmers?”
“Varied, as you’d expect. Tenant farmers follow the will of their landowners, obviously, so it can be slow going,” Dodd said. “However, the good Father here has made some inroads.”
“I do the Almighty’s work wherever I can.”
“What else?”
“Rahna has successfully convinced five more merchants from Orsini to relocate out here. We’ve also secured significantly more supplies to come from neighboring towns and farms,” Lex reported.
“How did Rahna manage that?” Stanton asked.
“One of them is a cousin of hers. So she got her mother involved,” Lex said.
“She also assisted me in hiring two local men to travel with a wagon every other day to various farms and towns within a day’s return. This is allowing them to stop at several locations to procure goods at a substantially lower rate, even factoring in the cost of horses and salaries,” Serafina said. “Rahna has become indispensable to me.”
“We should probably assign guards. There’s increased banditry along the Cathedral’s Way,” Allegra said. Her eyes were drooping. She blinked several times in hopes she could force the fog from her mind.
“Captain, let’s put Martin and Rahna in charge of that. They could both use the experience and Rahna and Serafina work well together.”
“Sure,” Stanton said.
“I was thinking…we could use militia for the supply guards,” Dodd said. “It might help keep the peace if we are letting the local militia do what they do best. Plus, the magistrate can hire some more, if necessary, and that all comes out of…”
Music from cellos, violins, and various flutes floated in the air. Stanton had his hand on her hip and they danced to the music. Allegra closed her eyes and danced a waltz with him. They twirled about her abandoned sitting room, furniture pushed against the wall… morphing… changing…
They were in the ballroom at Orsini Palace. The room was empty of dancers, though the orchestra continued to play from some hidden nook.
His hand moved and trailed up her back. He kissed her neck, her shoulders, and across her collarbone. He traced a line up to her ear in tender kisses until he gave her ear lobe a tug with his teeth.
She’d wanted this for months now. The feel of Stanton’s strong arms around her. This was exactly how she’d imagined it, too. Here, she was safe and protected from the world. They couldn’t touch her here. She wasn’t a mage. She wasn’t Arbiter. She wasn’t even a contessa. Just a woman dancing to a waltz.
Stanton pulled her to his mouth and kissed her hard. Tongues lashing, hands roaming. He pulled down the front of her dress and it tore easily, tumbling to the floor in a puddle of expensive silk. He pulled off his own shirt, his boots disappearing. He tugged her down on the bed in the middle of the ballroom.
****
“Allegra?” Rainier asked for the third time.
“She’s out,” Lex announced.
The Contessa’s head lolled to one side and her eyes moved frantically behind closed lids. Her quill had fallen to the floor, flicking ink on the wooden floorboards.
“Is it just me or is she looking more and more tired?” Dodd asked.
“It’s not just you,” Rainier said.
“Nadira and Kia both have told me the Contessa isn’t sleeping well. Kia has found her some mornings asleep at her desk,” Serafina said. “I’ve been struggling to come up with a way to address the issue with Her Excellency, but each time that I attempt, she says she is too busy for sleep and changes the topic.”
“She yelled at me the last time I mentioned it,” Nathan grumbled darkly.
“Would you like me to talk to her?” Rainier asked.
Lex gave Dodd a knowing glance, which made Dodd smile. There was a barrack’s rumor that those two had been taking private morning snacks on the Contessa’s very private balcony.
“I’ll get her papers,” Lex said. They bent down and picked up the various papers that had fallen to the floor. The Contessa’s hand twitched violently as it dangled limply against the side of the chair. Lex intended to move her hand to her lap, so that her movements wouldn’t wake her.
However, when Lex touched her hand, they let out a squeak of surprise at the scorching heat. Lex fell back on their buttocks, not having suspected…
Lex stared at her in rising horror. They’d never suspected.
“What’s wrong with you?” Dodd asked.
Without thinking, Lex stuffed a finger into their mouth. “Splinter from her chair. Ouch, that hurt.”
Lex’s mind raced. It explained so much of her behavior. Now that it was in front of them, Lex felt like a fool for having never figured it out. Now that the truth was before them, Lex’s memories raced, updating all of her peculiar comments, fears, and behavior with the knowledge that the Contessa was hiding from everything.
“Did you get it out?” Rainier demanded.
It took Lex a beat to know what he was even talking about. Lex inspected the uninjured finger and said, “Looks like it just pierced me, didn’t go in. It’ll be fine once the stinging stops.”
“Have I told you about my friend from school who...”
“Yes,” both Rainier and Lex said at the same time.
“I’m sorry for wanting people to know they can lose their hand from a splinter,” Dodd said defensively.
“Yes, we all know Dodd,” Lex said, with an edge in their voice they didn’t mean to come through. But this was bad. If the Contessa was indeed an elemental, she was in real danger here asleep in her chair with her hand as hot as it was.
Besides, it was a crime not to report an elemental mage.
Lex watched the Contessa jerk, and a few gasping breaths escaped her. Lex looked down at her hand. As the Contessa’s moans increased, her hand began to cast a light glow.
Again, without thinking, Lex slapped their hand down over the Contessa’s. Hard.
The Contessa gasped and looked around the room wildly. Her eyes focused on Rainier and she let out a whimpering sound. Then, her face flushed crimson when she realized she was awake.
“Oh, did I fall asleep?” the Contessa said, still gasping.
“You did,” Rainier said with a laugh. “Lex lost his balance and woke you.”
“Yeah, sorry, Contessa. I bumped into you trying to get back up. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
The Contessa clenched her fist hard, her eyes widening. She looked at Lex, pleading and anguish filling her eyes. “My hand fell asleep.”
“Sorry to have bumped it, then,” Lex said. They tried to force the shock from their voice, but that was an impossible task. The Contessa was an elemental.
Almighty above, that was why she and Cram got along so well! That explained why she spent so much time with him, too. She needed someone of her own kind to trust.
Lex’s thoughts spun out of control as the Contessa stared at them with widening eyes.
“Nathan, the Contessa needs sleep,” Lex blurted. They pushed themselves to their feet and said, “Cancel all of her appointments for tomorrow, too.”
“I’m…fine…” the Contessa stammered. She looked close to tears.
“Her Excellency is…”
“So exhausted that she cannot even stay awake during meetings,” Lex said firmly. It dawned on them that her exhaustion was probably what had caused this. If she was afraid of being found out, on top of all of the stress of her office, well, it was no wonder that she was falling asleep. But, next time, it might be Rainier and…
Lex didn’t want to think about that at all.
“Captain? Some help here.”
Rainier shrugged. “Allegra, do you need a rest?”
“I…”
“Contessa, please,” Lex pleaded. “You need a break. When was the last time you had an entire day off?”
The Contessa shook her head. “I don’t remember.”
Rainier finally clued in and said, “Then it’s been too long. You should have said something. Nathan, how could you let this happen?”
“I…I…”
“It’s not his fault,” the Contessa said through a groggy yawn. “I could use a day off.”
Lex offered her their hand. “Come on, Contessa. I’ll help you to your room.”
“I’m fine,” the Contessa said, still cradling her hand protectively to her chest. But she followed anyway.
Lex escorted the Contessa to the door of her bedchamber. “Do you want me to call Nadira?”
The Contessa shook her head. When she stepped inside her bedroom, she asked in a whisper, “Did anything happen?”
“No. You didn’t even drool.” The Contessa didn’t look as though she believed Lex, so they added, “Though, you did sound like you were either running from demons or enjoying the best sex of your life. It was hard to tell.”
“Oh!” The Contessa chuckled nervously, but Lex clearly saw the tension release from her shoulders. “Let’s go with being chased by demons.”
“That’s probably the best option.”
The Contessa crawled on top of her bed and was asleep before Lex could even ask if she wanted the fire stoked.
“Dodd, stir up the fire?”
“I’ll do it,” Rainier said. Lex frowned at Rainier and back at the Contessa. Rainier should know. It was obvious he was falling for her, assuming he hadn’t already. But…Damn. She’d been lying to everyone all of this time.
Lex wanted to be angry at her, but they had nothing but sympathy.
Chapter 24
Pero,
Are you aware that the Contessa of Marsina’s guards have been detaining mages for petty crimes? They’ve been handed over to the local militia and the magistrates. Do you have any idea what can happen after they’ve been arrested? Imprisonment. Slavery. Indentured Servitude. Death. Torture. Who knows what will become of them because our traitorous Arbiter has decided to turn a blind eye to the consequences of her actions.
My old friend, I implore you to speak with her. She must be made to see reason. I cannot understand her betrayal of the cause. We supported her because she promised to be a friend to mages. Now look at her! Drunk on power and destroying all of the advances we’ve made.
For the love of the Almighty, Pero, talk some sense into her before everything we’ve done is ruined.
Your humble servant,
Cardinal Giso
Allegra looked up from the letter at her dear friend’s husband and said, “You came all this way to tell me Giso is having a tantrum.”
“This is serious,” Pero said. He paced about her office. He was still in his travelling clothes. “I’m sorry, Allegra, but my conscience forces me to advocate for the plight of all mages, including those driven to the depths of depravity and violence.”
“Pero, for the love of the Almighty, get off my back!” Allegra shouted. “So I should have just let all of the thieves go? Let them steal to their hearts’ content because they might be mages. Is that seriously what you’re asking of me?”
“Are you listening to yourself? You’ve become an apologist.”
“I most certainly am not,” Allegra said. She flicked the letter across her desk and it fluttered to the floor in front of Pero. “I offered protection from slavery, not from their own stupidity!”
“Oh yes, of course! The mighty Arbiter who has never faced hardship in her entire life understands all too well the plight of the ten-year-old orphan who steals a loaf of bread.”
“That ten-year-old orphan also attacked the baker he was stealing the loaf of bread from!” Allegra shouted. “What was I supposed to do, Pero? Pat him on the head and send him on his way?”
“You should have shown compassion!”
“I did by opening the doors to people like Little Ferret in the first place!”
“Oh yes! Forgive my ignorance, oh mighty Contessa upon her throne.”
“Shut up, Pero. Just stop.” Allegra stood and jabbed a finger at Pero. “You’ve been in Orsini this entire winter. You have no idea how close it was for all of us. There were days that we all went hungry because there was no food. Don’t you dare come here and judge me.”
“I will judge you. You brought those people here.”
“I didn’t do anything of the sort! They came here!” Allegra shouted. “This is a monastery, not a jail. I am the Arbiter, not the Chief Justice of this land. I must hand over those who commit crimes.”
“Being an elemental is a crime,” Pero said. “I don’t see anyone arresting Walter Cram.”
“That’s because I am able to give him sanctuary.”
“Then why not give sanctuary to the boy?”
“Because he is a thief.”
“You have all of the authority you wish to take, so why not take it for the little boy?” Pero said. “Rupert will stand by you.”
“You cannot keep demanding I do things your way, Pero. I am trying my damnedest to stop this war. I need allies, not people pointing out how I’m not going far enough. Your actions would start the war you say you wish to avoid!”
“Don’t be hysterical,” Pero said.
Allegra walked around her desk to face him. “What did you just say?”
“I believe calm is needed in these trying times and not the whims of a…of an emotional—”
“How dare you treat me like I am a child, too young and foolish to know her own mind! Rupert might be your husband, but he was my friend before you. You do not get the privilege of speaking to me like that.”
Pero stepped up to her and said in a whisper, “Yes, because we wouldn’t want the dear Captain to know about our dirty little secrets, would we?”
Allegra hadn’t registered what she’d done until her hand stung from the slap. Pero closed his eyes for a moment. Rage filled them when he opened his eyes.
“Get out!” Allegra snarled. “Get out before I have Lex throw you out.”
Pero spun on his heel and walked out of Allegra’s study. Her hands shook, only it was not from the pent up magic. It was from the surge of blood pounding in her ears and the instinct to fight and run and do anything but let him walk away and cause trouble.
Allegra turned her back and looked out the frost-covered window of her study. The servants had sewed delightful cozies for the window sill, to help protect from the drafts, but there was no such thing as complete protection from the cold air. Allegra scraped her name in the frost, the sensation of cold and scratching sending goose bumps up her limbs. Anything to cool the rush of blood in her veins.
“Well,” came the voice behind her.
Allegra snorted at Father Michael. “You heard all of that, did you?”
“If it helps, I only heard the slap,” he said. His shoes clicked against the floor as he entered her study. A moment later, the doors latched. “Did you wish to speak privately, my child?”
Allegra turned around and smiled. “Father, you have been a great friend throughout all of this, but…what I need is peace and quiet. Not…” she waved her hand vaguely at the door. “Harassment.”
Father Michael shoved his hands into his cloak’s bilious sleeves. “He does mean well, my child.”
“Oh, I know he does, but surely he understands the pressure I am under. His letters all winter were bad enough. Now, he’s here and it’s already wearing on me.” Allegra sat down. “Between him and Walter…it’s like they both want the same thing but they both have very different approaches. Yet, neither can understand that I’m allowed to also have my own approach.”
“You would be wise to listen to the Lord’s message to your heart and not the mere words of these men.”
Allegra snorted. “Father…”
He raised a withered hand. “I know, you do not believe. That doesn’t change the voice inside your heart. The one that tells you whenever you have been led astray from the path of righteousness. You alone must know the
correct path and you must follow it, no matter where it leads you.”
“I don’t know what to do. I am trying so hard to stop this war. But, I feel it breathing down my neck. Every time I move, or think, it is there like a dark shadow, waiting and watching. It is a living thing, waiting to attack us all.” Allegra clenched her fists. “And I cannot stop it. I can only delay it.”
“Perhaps delay is all you need,” Father Michael said. “Would that not give the world more time to learn kindness and compassion?”
“We’ve had over a thousand years to find our compassion, Father. I don’t see us finding it in the next month or two.”
“Maybe not, but I remain faithful.” His voice grew somber. “As long as you remain safe, my child.”
“As much as any mage can be in this climate. Most days, I expect one of my enemies to storm in there and accuse me of being an elemental and dragging me from my study by my hair. Perhaps I should cut it all off, to make it more difficult for them.”
“It would be an affront in the eyes of fashion,” Father Michael said with a kind smile on his face. “No, my child, you must prepare yourself. For if this war does happen, and I hope by the grace of the Almighty that it does not, but if does, you must be prepared.”
“I know,” Allegra said quietly. “I am resolved to fight to the bitter end.”
Father Michael lifted his chin. “Spoken like a true leader.”
“Hopefully, they won’t see my hands shaking as I do it.”
“The Almighty does not give us burdens we cannot handle. Always trust his guiding hand is there, helping you along.”
“I’d rather he help guide some people along out of my way,” Allegra said darkly.
“We have no control over the Almighty’s plans. We can only have faith that we are living up to the gifts and talents He has given us.”
Allegra frowned at the priest. “What do you mean?”
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