Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
The guard eventually slows the pace for the horse but he doesn’t stop for hours. My body aches from the ride when, as the sun begins to set and wash the sky with fire, he slides from the horse by a river. He reaches up, silently offering me a hand down.
“Thank you,” I manage to say, hating how my voice cracks.
I take his black-clad hand with my crimson-crusted fingers.
All I can see of this man through the slit in his black helmet is that dark gaze fixed on my palm, still stained with the Holy Mother’s blood, like it was the gravest of pains.
I drop next to him and head towards the river.
I reach down and clean myself as much as possible.
The water is chilly, prying goosebumps from my arm.
The guard looks after the horse, allowing it to drink.
I cup my hands together, pressing a few mouthfuls of the water to my parched lips.
I take a shuddering breath and stand, turning to look at the guard who hasn’t said a word.
I clear my throat, and that black helmet turns my way as though expecting me to speak.
“Thank you,” I say again, realising that’s twice now I’ve said those words. “For helping me.”
“I did it for her,” he says quietly. He’s talking about the Holy Mother. I nod quietly.
“My gratitude is no less sincere,” I say, walking over the fallen leaves towards him, hiking up the skirts of my ruined dress to make the path easier. He doesn’t look at me, his mind fixed on the events of the day no doubt as he stares at the lazy river.
“We will tell people the truth,” I say. “People will know who the monster really is.”
“They won’t believe us,” he says quietly. His voice is deep and rough and ringing with bitterness.
“We’ll make them believe us.”
“I am a Holy Guard accused of killing the Holy Mother!” his voice rings with pain and anger. “No one will believe me, a low-born nobody against the word of the Rizaro heir!”
“I’m Renza Di Maineri, and in Halice they will believe you.”
“Halice doesn’t matter,” the guard says with a scowl, shaking his head and walking away from me.
He reaches up to take off his black helmet then drops it to the forest floor as he walks away from me and the horse.
He’s got a thick head of dark hair barely long enough to show off lazy curls.
He’s tall – and clearly a skilled warrior if he got the better of Nouis.
“An entire city of people doesn’t matter?
” I ask quietly, not letting any nasty accusations through my tongue.
It’s meant as a genuine question. He scoffs, rubbing the dark stubble on his jaw before turning to look at me.
He’s young – maybe a few years older than me at most. A tinge of sorrow pulls at those ruggedly handsome features before he speaks, the words low, soft and gravelly.
“Not what I meant.”
“I know that,” I say warmly. I need this man to be my friend. To help me get home. I pick up his helmet and brush the fallen leaves from it. I walk towards him and offer a gentle smile. “But I don’t understand what you did mean. I might not get it, but I’d like to try and help if I can.”
He sighs and folds his arms.
“I spent my entire life earning that most sacred and honoured place in the Holy Guard. And she died on my watch.” He shakes his head, mouth turning horrible as he looks down at his helmet. He takes it from me, but shakes it as he speaks with real, broken feeling.
“I’m not fit to wear this armour. I am a disgrace and a failure.”
“No.” I shake my head, meeting his dark eyes.
“You’re not. Nouis is a monster. Unpredictable, deranged and dangerous.
I’ve been his fixation for years, I know his unhinged violence better than anyone, and even I didn’t think he’d do something so …
that he’d do something like that. He’s been manipulating his aunt for years.
He’s a rabid, vicious animal. It’s not your fault.
You weren’t there. What were you supposed to do? ”
“I should’ve been there. And I would’ve been … if I hadn’t disgraced myself.” He glares at the dark helmet. Because of my heated exchange with the Holy Mother.
I sigh and put my hand gently on his wrist.
“You did nothing wrong. Take it from someone who has made a lot of mistakes in her life. Sometimes things just happen, and they’re outside of our control.
That doesn’t make us responsible.” I step closer, forcing him to meet my eyes for the next part.
“The actions of others aren’t our fault.
We can only control ourselves, and you did all you could. ”
He sighs, mouth wrinkling unhappily but he doesn’t say another word. My companion seems the stoic and broody type. Alright then.
“We shouldn’t stop long,” I say, looking back the way we came. “It’ll be dark soon and they won’t stop their search for nightfall.”
“Agreed,” the guard says. “Come, signora, I will get you to safety. There is a port town just up the way here. You can hide there.”
“Please, call me Renza. After everything, you have more than earned that right,” I say, picking up my skirts. “And what should I call you?”
The guard looks surprised but nods before speaking.
“Cedro, if it please you, signora.”
“Renza,” I correct with a smile. “Let’s find this town then.”
“Best walk, the horse will be spotted and give us away,” says Cedro.
“Then let’s walk.”
* * *
It takes perhaps another hour to reach the town.
Cedro is on his guard the entire way, his hand never leaving the blade at his side as he constantly checks the path behind us.
As we walk along the bank of a wide, lazy river towards the built-up settlement, my heart soars.
This is a more than a little fishing town, this is a proper hub of activity.
Lots of winding streets and tall, wonky buildings made of grey stone and thatched roofs.
Smoke drifts to the sky from every chimney and glowing candles illuminate a thousand windows.
This is a great place to get lost and hide.
As we pass under the gate, I spy a few soldiers noticing us. I turn to Cedro and look down at my appearance – we are certainly noteworthy.
“This way,” I suggest, and Cedro follows me down an alley off to the side. We stay off the main roads, walking until I find a busy pub.
“Wait here,” I tell him as I slip around to the front door. I push the front door open and reach for the cloaks hanging on pegs just inside the door. I grab a large brown one and another smaller grey one and dart back outside to where Cedro is waiting.
“Here.” I offer him the larger one. He removes his identifying black cloak and leaves it behind. Pulling our hoods up, the two of us look far more unremarkable now – far easier to pass as locals.
“Okay, what now?” I ask. Cedro digs through his pockets and pulls out three or four coppers.
“Well, this won’t cover much,” Cedro grumbles as he starts walking. I stay with him, the two of us winding through the dark streets and houses, refusing to stay still for too long. Perhaps inspiration will strike us both as we keep moving.
“Perhaps we can find an abandoned attic or something? Or perhaps a stable?” offers Cedro. “That’ll be warm and tonight looks dry enough.”
“Not much of a hiding spot, is it?” I sigh, but I have no better ideas.
“Not sure I would think to find the Maestrus of Halice sleeping in a stable,” Cedro mutters under his breath. I’m impressed; my grumpy companion has cracked a joke. Perhaps things are looking up after all.
We round the corner of the dark, smoky alley and both come to a silent stop.
Two men are moving a crate covered with a dark cloth.
They’re delivering it to a man who looks slightly nervous, his back door pulled behind him and his arms crossed.
Moving under cover of darkness, delivering a crate of something that looks exceptionally sketchy. What’s this?
Cedro makes to move back quietly but I hold up a hand, narrowing my eyes as I continue to watch.
“Finest Chalgos has to offer,” says one of the men, patting the top of the crate.
“And it’s all genuine?”
“Of course it is. Want to try it for yourself?” The smuggler scowls at his client, hand dropping to the sword at his side. The client shakes his head and sighs before handing over a purse of coins.
“Excellent doing business with you,” the smuggler says as the man disappears inside. The smuggler gestures to his men to leave. This is my chance.
I step forwards. Cedro tries to stop me but I shake him off.
“Barone,” I say. The man flinches and turns to look at me. All three draw their swords.
“You should mind your own business!” the leader hisses.
“I’m looking for them. Are you with them? The Barone family?” I ask. He’s from Chalgos, please let him know the Barone family, I think. That man narrows his eyes as he stalks towards me.
“Who wants to know?”
“You know who Alfieri Barone is?”
“What’s it to you?” he snaps aggressively. Cedro probably steps into view behind me, given the way the smuggler’s eyes jump over my shoulder and double in size. He steps back from me while I pretend nothing has changed as I speak.
“Alfieri Barone will pay you top coin if you return me to him, in Halice, unharmed,” I say seriously.
“You expect me to believe you know Alfieri Barone.” The smuggler narrows his eyes and folds his arms.
“Yes.”
“No,” he counters, clearly not believing me, and makes to walk away. I follow him, keeping pace. I scramble for something to say that won’t give away who I am – or else these criminals could hand me over to the Holy States for quite the hefty reward.
“Please, Alfieri will pay you well and be extremely thankful, as will I.”
“No,” their leader repeats. “If you want passage to Halice, then you need to pay before getting aboard.”
“Alfieri Barone will pay. I swear it. Look, what if we work while on board. We can scrub pots or decks or whatever – and then at the other end, if he doesn’t pay for us, you don’t have to let me go,” I say seriously.
“No!” Cedro bites back immediately. “They’re criminals. Smugglers! You agree to that and they could sell you to slavers or worse!”
“There is honour in the Barone family. A code of conduct,” I argue back furiously. “If these men give me their word, as Barones they’ll keep it.”
I jump in front of the captain to stop him leaving. He bares his teeth and glares at me.
“Look, you’re heading back to Halice anyway, right?
” I point out, because where else would they go?
Deeper into the Holy States? Perhaps it’s more likely they’ll be moving things around one or two hubs in the area where they store things – and those hubs will absolutely have at least one ship heading back to Halice.
“You’ve must have a boat stopping there en route back to Chalgos.
You don’t even need to take us to the city, just anywhere on that side of the border and the rest we will figure out on our own. ”
The captain sighs and narrows his eyes at me.
“How much do you think Barone will pay?” he demands.
“How much do you want?” I ask.
“Five hundred gold Aureus, or equivalent. For each of you.”
I narrow my eyes.
“Fine, but I expect food and a safe place to sleep on the journey for that price.”
“Fine. Keep up. You fall behind you get left behind.”
“Wait, wait. One minute!” Cedro demands. He takes my arm and pulls me a step aside, looking at me seriously.
“Are you sure you want to go with these people?” Cedro demands. “Are you sure they’ll get you home safe?”
“I can’t be one hundred per cent certain, but it’s the best shot we have of getting across the border.”
“So you’re going?”
I blink and step back in surprise.
“You’re not?” I question quietly. Cedro takes a deep breath and shakes his head, lowering his voice.
“I can’t. I have to tell people what happened. What really happened. And I have to avenge her. Make sure the truth gets out, make sure people act on the truth of her intentions. I need to visit some of the cardinals and explain that she wanted peace, not war.”
“Cedro that’s a suicide mission,” I whisper in horror. “Come back to Halice.”
“I can’t. It’s my duty to serve the will of Fate and his Holy Servants. To the very end,” Cedro says quietly. “I took an oath.”
“Cedro—”
“You cannot change my mind,” Cedro insists. “I am staying here. But if you trust these people, you should go.”
I take a deep breath, turning back to the impatient smugglers. I step forwards and give my new friend a quick hug.
“Look after yourself, Cedro, and if you ever need help or a place to land, come to Halice and we will welcome you with open arms,” I promise him. He nods gravely, not seeming to take that for granted before he steps back. He looks at the smugglers threateningly.
“Look after her,” he commands before turning and disappearing into the smoky night, leaving me alone with these criminals.
I turn back to them.
“Move,” their captain says, gesturing the way forwards. They walk quickly, deftly darting around the corners of the dark city and spiriting me away into the night.