a slap on the face. ‘Is that part of the prophecy too?’ he said sharply. ‘Or your personal opinion?’
Constantina did not reply.
The silence grew. Dante nodded towards the Limen. ‘How’s Katina?’
‘She’s recovering. She is slowly regaining her strength, her life. When she is well enough she will join us in ensuring the prophecy is fulfilled.’
‘How?’
Constantina shook her head. ‘No, Dante. You cannot know, not now. When the time is right, it will all come together. To know what is meant to happen is to interfere with what might happen. It’s the nature of prophecies that while they determine events they must also be allowed to unfold. You, my dear boy, must be open to act, as must Tallow. Do you understand?’
‘I’m not sure …’
‘One day, you will be. Then it will be time.’
Argento whinnied and pulled at her reins. Dante held her fast. Constantina reached over and patted her. ‘Lovely girl.’ Argento nudged the Estrattore gently, trying to push her nose into Constantina’s robe, searching for food. Constantina laughed.
‘When should I come again?’ asked Dante.
‘If I need you, I will send for you, as you must for me. In the meantime, watch Tallow, protect her if need be, but do not let her see you. Not yet.’
Dante did not reply. He stood still, one hand clutching Argento’s reins, the other resting on his hip. Standing around had allowed the cold to start to creep into his bones. He was eager to be gone. To do what he was told – watch Tallow.
THAT HAD BEEN OVER SIX MONTHS AGO. Since then, there’d been no other messages. He’d followed his orders. Watch, wait, listen. And he did. Just as he did tonight, across from the rear of the Doge’s palazzo.
Finally, the waters to his right stirred. Tallow stepped closer to the edge of the jetty. The sky had brightened into a lavender wash. There was a coolness to the air. He noticed the deepening shadows under Tallow’s eyes. She was paler than usual. She looked tired, weary of the world and life. Her mouth was downturned and for a moment, he imagined calling out and watching it burst into the smile that, though he had not seen it since he’d been observing her, still filled his dreams.
The gondola bumped into the jetty and the servant darted forward to hold the prow, careful to avoid the metal ferro that adorned the end. The gondolier, Salzi, Dante had learnt, reached for Tallow’s gloved hand and she jumped lightly into the boat.
This time, she did not retreat into the felze, but sat in the prow. She said something softly to Salzi as he tipped his hat to the servant and pushed the gondola back into the current.
Tallow stared over the water, a frown drawing her fine dark brows together.
They were just beneath him now and, as he did every time he saw her, Dante willed Tallow to look up, to see him. He concentrated hard, his heart thundering in his chest, as his mind cried out to her. See me, beloved, acknowledge me! I am here, for you … for eternity.
Tallow tipped her head and her eyes flew to the roof. Dante flung himself back, his hand hitting the tiles hard, knocking a piece loose. To his horror, it skittered over the edge and fell into the canal. He heard the splash.
‘What was that?’ asked Salzi.
He heard a faint murmur but could not make out the words.
‘Damn cats!’ cursed the gondolier.
Sweat trickled down Dante’s neck and forehead, and his heart was in his mouth as he slowly eased himself up. The gondola was almost out of sight. That was close. He waited until it disappeared under the Ponte della Pensiere before clambering to his feet and making the long journey back to the taverna.
Instead of walking, he hired a gondola and sat in the prow, watching his former city come to life. All the time, his brain was trying to piece together what Tallow was doing in the Doge’s palazzo. If rumours were to be believed, she was the paramour of the entire royal family – or had been until one of the Princes married that peasant woman and fled to the Duchy of Firenze, effectively surrendering his right to the throne. Such strange behaviour. Some of the popolani approved, said it showed that the nobiles weren’t so different after all. Others said it was a sign that nothing was right with the Dandolos since the boy had disappeared. There were mutterings about change, about