is it, Constantina?’
‘It’s not the physical injury I am concerned about. There is more damage here than a sword thrust or blood loss. It’s as if …’
‘What? Tell me,’ insisted Dante.
‘It’s as if she’s distilling the pain, storing it inside herself,’ finished Constantina.
‘I don’t understand. What do you mean?’
‘I’m not sure. All I can tell you is that I sense a terrible darkness in her – a great void that I have only felt once before in my entire life.’ She looked up at Katina, then her eyes slid to Baroque. ‘What did those people do to her?’ Her voice was wintry, her eyes weapons that glinted sharply.
Baroque stood rooted to the spot; he struggled to speak, to explain.
‘I do not expect an answer,’ said Katina finally. ‘Not now. But I will have one, Signor.’ She released Baroque from her gaze. Tension fled his body and he stumbled.
Constantina pulled a bandage from a bag slung over her shoulder and wrapped it around Tallow firmly. Katina aided her. Pulling Tallow’s dress back into place, Constantina rose to her feet.
‘She will live. She’s lost a great deal of blood and the wound, as bad as it first appears passes right through her body. But you’re correct, Dante, it missed her heart, thank the gods. I have the right medicines, but I am no longer certain they are enough.’ She glanced at Baroque.
‘If what you say is true, and you may be followed, then we have to leave. We must take Tallow into the Limen. At least in there I will have time to try to find the source of this terrible shadow, this force that is destroying her from within.’
‘What if you can’t?’ asked Dante.
‘Then we are all lost.’
‘What about the Doge?’ asked Katina.
Constantina’s face was hard to read in the dark, but Dante was sure he saw her expression harden. ‘Bring the unbeliever as well.’
‘But how? He’s human.’ Dante said.
‘Just bring him. He may not be dead, but he’s not exactly alive either. I’m not sure what Tallow has done – her skills are like nothing I’ve sensed before – but he’ll survive a crossing. I’ll make sure of it.’
‘And Tallow? Will she?’
‘She has to,’ replied Constantina simply. ‘Now, pick her up and place her on my horse.’
‘No,’ said Dante.
They all looked at him in shock.
‘I will take her.’
Constantina studied his face for a moment. ‘Molto bene.’ She turned to Baroque. ‘You, Signor, since you had the foresight to bring the Doge, can help me tie him to my horse.’ Joining Baroque, she placed her bag in the one attached to her saddle. ‘And, since you can’t come with us, you can make yourself useful in Vista Mare.’ She regarded Baroque more carefully. He shifted uncomfortably under her pearly gaze.
‘You will be our eyes and ears in Serenissima. Can you return to the Maleovellis?’
‘Sì, I think so. For a while. I am very good at feigning ignorance.’
‘Bene,’ said Constantina. ‘Learn all you can about what is going on. What their plans are, what the plans of the Serenissian Council are. Great forces are rousing and we’re all being drawn into the whirlpool on this side of the Limen, and within. We need to know what every element is doing before we can understand what’s really at stake and how to act. If we move too soon or in the wrong direction, all could be undone.’
Baroque’s face broke into a smile. ‘I thought my spying days were over.’
Katina cocked her head to one side. ‘No. Not yet. You sound pleased.’ She slapped him on the back. ‘Go well, amico mio, be careful.’
‘You will be contacted, Baroque,’ said Constantina. ‘I will send my servants – you may leave messages with them too. Katina,’ she said, turning to the Bond Rider. ‘Make sure our tracks are covered. Hide Baroque’s once he goes. We cannot afford to have our involvement discovered. Not until we know why a Bond Rider tried to kill an Estrattore. More importantly, until we learn why he tried or deliberately failed to kill Tallow. We need to find out if he was acting under orders or independently.’
Katina nodded and helped Baroque sling the Doge onto Constantina’s horse.
Dante sat in his saddle, his arms wrapped around Tallow, her head resting against his chest. He noted that Constantina insisted the Doge was lashed to the back of her horse. It seemed to amuse her to have the ruler of one of the greatest countries in Vista Mare, one that had ordered her people