Belladonna

nine

Cass had the nightmare about Cristian again—only this time, when his hands started to tear away the fabric of her gown, the scene began to ripple and distort. When the wavering stopped, Cass realized she wasn’t in the wine room anymore. She was somewhere else dark and damp. And she wasn’t alone.

“Hello,” she said, but the word came out muffled. Her mouth filled with something wet. Mud. She spat fiercely, trying to clear out the muck, but it was raining down on her now, a storm of moist dirt falling from above. She was in an open grave. Someone was burying her alive.

Cass screamed, and her mouth began to fill again. She coughed, writhing in the mud, trying to stand. She couldn’t. Two other bodies were packed in next to her—one on each side. They were just fragmented skeletons, pieces of charred black bone, but somehow Cass knew they were her parents. She was horrified to see that her own arms and legs were bound to the skeletons. She turned to the remains she knew belonged to her mother. The skeleton was wearing a pendant—a flower inscribed in a circle: the symbol of the Order of the Eternal Rose.

Cass tried to rip the pendant from her mother’s neck, but the metal was so hot, it seared a six-petaled insignia into Cass’s palm. She screamed again.

“Help me!” she cried.

Her father’s skull seemed to move. Cass thought it was going to speak to her, but when the jaws creaked open, a thick cloud of spiders crawled out. Ripping herself loose from her bonds, she wrestled her way onto her knees, digging her fingernails into the damp side of the pit.

As she struggled to her feet, something heavy fell from above—a body wrapped in white burial shrouds, a shock of blonde hair protruding from within the folds. Liviana’s half-decomposed face grinned at her through the thin fabric. “Where’s my necklace?” the corpse hissed.

Another body fell, slamming hard into Cass, stealing the breath from her chest and driving her back to her hands and knees. Cass didn’t want to peer beneath the shrouds, but she did.

Luca looked back at her. “Why did you forsake me?” he asked. His eyes glimmered, but when he started to cry, it was blood, not tears, that flowed down his cheeks.

Cass awoke with his name on her lips.

Luca.

He would die if she couldn’t free him, and the only way to do that was to find the Book of the Eternal Rose.

But how was she supposed to get to Florence? Aunt Agnese would never let her go on a trip by herself. Cass wasn’t even sure how to get there. Madalena’s father, Signor Rambaldo, made frequent visits to Florence for work. Maybe there was a chance Cass could tag along with him if he was going soon.

It was a long shot, but it was the only shot Cass had. She summoned Siena to assist her in dressing. She planned to go to Madalena’s palazzo immediately.

Mada’s new home with Marco was just a few blocks from her father’s palazzo, down one of the main side canals. The cream-colored building had red clay roof tiles and thick glass windows outlined in gold leaf.

Giuseppe anchored the gondola and helped Cass and Siena alight from the boat. He then settled back on the baseboards, covering his face with his wide-brimmed gardening hat. Apparently, he was planning on a nap.

Siena held a parasol above Cass’s head in one hand while she rapped the ring-shaped bronze doorknocker with her other. Cass waved her fan in front of her face as she watched a flat-bottomed peàta loaded down with sacks of fruits and vegetables float by.

The butler opened the door and ushered the girls inside. Madalena floated into view at the top of the stairs. She wore her favorite crimson bodice, which was fitted with a pair of long gossamer sleeves that hung down past the end of her fingertips. Her entire ensemble was blood-red—the skirts, the sleeves, even the high satin collar. It must have taken hundreds of kermes beetles to dye so much lush fabric. But that didn’t matter; Mada had been spoiled by her father, and now she would be spoiled by her doting husband. It was only fair. She had lost her mother and her younger brother years ago. She deserved her happiness.

“Cass.” Her whole face brightened as she glided down the stairs. “This is a surprise. If I’d known you were coming, I would have held breakfast.”

“Some tea would be lovely,” Cass said. Siena excused herself and went to find Mada’s handmaid, Eva, a friend of hers.

“Tea it is, then.” Madalena led Cass through the palazzo and out back to a small courtyard not unlike the one at her old home, Palazzo Rambaldo. The two girls sat across from each other at a small stone table that was shaded by the overhang of the palazzo’s roof.

Madalena reached out for Cass’s hand. “You poor thing. I was just composing a letter to you. I only found out this morning and simply cannot believe it.” She shook her head. “Luca da Peraga arrested.”

Cass nodded mutely. She had passed a small pile of messages sitting on the side table as she left her aunt’s villa. It had taken only a couple of days for the news to spread all across the city, and Agnese’s acquaintances had begun expressing their condolences.

A serving girl arrived with two teacups, two teaspoons, and a small plate of sugar. Cass waited for her to return with a steaming kettle of tea before she started speaking. “I was wondering if your father would travel to Florence soon,” she began slowly.

“Funny you should ask,” Mada said. “He’s been there for a couple of weeks. He left not too long after my wedding. Why do you ask?”

After a quick glance to make sure they were alone, Cass quickly recounted the story of Luca’s arrest, Feliciana, the trip to Palazzo Ducale, and the Book of the Eternal Rose.

“You’ve had a busy couple of days,” Madalena said, frowning. For a second she was quiet.

Cass leaned over and grasped Madalena’s hand. “I know it all sounds like madness, but I must get to Florence as quickly as possible,” she said.

“What does old Agnese think of all this?” Mada asked.

“I haven’t told her,” Cass confessed. “She’s been so weak. Just the soldiers ransacking the place looking for evidence of heresy took a lot out of her.”

“Evidence of heresy.” Madalena shook her head. “Ridiculous.”

“I know. But I have to prove he’s innocent somehow.” Cass had twisted her napkin into a coiled rope. “Or else they’re saying he’s going to hang.”

Mada’s dark eyes widened. “Of course we’ll get you to Florence.” She sipped her tea again. “Marco is supposed to meet my father there next week. He is scheduled to leave in two days. I can just arrange for us to accompany him. We’ll all stay with my aunt Stella. I haven’t seen her since I was a child.”

“And Feliciana?” Cass asked hopefully. “She doesn’t want to go back to Palazzo Dubois.”

“I’m sure we can squeeze in one more,” Mada said. “Perhaps Stella is looking for another maid.”

Excitement stirred within Cass. If she could get to Florence, she could find Hortensa Zanotta, and the Book of the Eternal Rose. Ideally, Hortensa would recant her testimony and the book would show Dubois for what he was—a monster. If Cass threatened to expose him, he would use his shadowy power to set Luca free.

Luca had done so much for her. This would be her way of beginning, slowly, to repay him.

Back at the villa, Siena paced Cass’s room like a caged animal. “I still don’t see how we can just leave,” she burst out. “With Luca rotting in prison.”

Cass cleared her throat meaningfully.

“Mi dispiace,” Siena mumbled immediately.

“I’m not leaving him to rot,” Cass said. “My only chance to free him is to find the Book of the Eternal Rose, and Luca believes it to be in Florence. Not to mention one of his accusers is hiding out there. Besides,” she added, “we can finally get your sister far away from Dubois.”

“I know it’s the right thing to do, but . . .” Siena shook her head as she stared down at the floor.

“And after we free Luca, I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to bring Feliciana into his employ.” Cass forced herself to speak with a cheery confidence she didn’t feel. There was one more obstacle standing between her and Florence: she had to persuade her aunt to let her go.

Fortunately, Agnese didn’t require as much convincing as expected. Cass let her aunt lead the conversation through dinner, doing her best to appear attentive but remaining uncharacteristically quiet. When Agnese finally asked her what was wrong, Cass sighed dramatically.

“I just can’t stop worrying about Luca,” she admitted. That much was true. “And every time I leave the house . . . .” she trailed off.

“Yes?” Agnese coughed into her dinner napkin.

“I feel like everyone is staring at me, and saying horrible things.” Cass looked up at her aunt for just a second before dropping her eyes back to the tray balanced on her lap. “Mada thinks I should get away for a while. She and Marco are going to Florence in a couple of days. She keeps insisting that I join her.” Cass sighed again. “I keep telling her that I should stay. I can’t just run away because the entire city seems to be mocking me, or worse—pitying me. What do I care what other people think?”

Agnese swallowed hard, placing her fork down next to her plate of roasted duck. She cared greatly what other people thought. “I do worry about whether Matteo has heard of Luca’s predicament,” she said. Matteo was Agnese’s nephew by marriage. He would come of age soon and inherit the estate, and Agnese fretted obsessively about her stature in his eyes because she didn’t want him to toss out Cass and the serving staff if he chose to come live in the villa. “Maybe a short trip would do you some good,” Agnese continued. “Florence is lovely this time of year.”

“But I can’t leave you here alone, Aunt Agnese,” Cass said, knowing this would further convince her aunt that she should leave. She picked listlessly at a greasy slab of duck, hoping she wasn’t overdoing it. Agnese was no fool. If she figured out Cass was trying to con her, Cass would end up locked inside the villa again while Narissa watched her every move.

“Alone? I wish I could have a moment alone in this house,” her aunt grumbled. “Narissa checks on me nine times a day, and that foul doctor shows up at all hours with his bloodsucking pets, not to mention the serving staff—I hardly think you’d be leaving me alone.”

Cass formed her face into a hopeful expression. “Really? It would be nice to get away for a bit . . .”

Agnese nodded. “And Madalena’s mere presence is a tonic for you.”

Cass leaned forward and kissed her aunt on the cheek. “You’ve convinced me,” she said. “I’ll send word to Mada immediately, if you’re sure you don’t mind being without me.”

“Of course I don’t mind. It was my idea. I only wish you would listen to me more often,” Agnese huffed.

Cass had to lift her napkin to her mouth to conceal a smile.