Chi ha fatto il male, faccia la penitenza.
As you make your bed, so you must lie.
A bell tinkled above the door as Alessa entered the apothecary. Luckily, Adrick was the only worker on the floor. He looked up, his mop of curls bouncing as he fumbled the jar he was handing to an elderly woman.
Alessa signed that she needed to speak to him.
Hiding his movements, he signed back, “Trying to get me banished?”
“Knife. My head,” she signed, pulling her hair back to reveal the bandage.
His nostrils flared, and he signed a curt “Outside, ten minutes” before turning back to the customer and saying aloud, “That one’s infused with dried herbs, but if you ask me…”
Alessa pretended to peruse the store’s offerings, uncorking a small bottle and coughing at the rank contents.
Adrick looked pointedly at the open door to the storeroom, and she left to wait for him outside.
When he emerged from the darkened building a quarter-hour later, Adrick held up a hand to stop her from speaking and jerked his head toward the main road, setting off without checking to see if she followed. His legs were considerably longer than hers, and he made no effort to adjust his stride.
“Did you know?” she said, trotting to keep up. “About this Ivini person claiming I’m a false Finestra?”
Adrick’s silence was answer enough.
“Adrick! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I knew it would worry you.”
“Strangers are throwing knives at me. I should be worried.”
“Then why are you here?” he shot back. “One knife to the head wasn’t enough excitement for the day?”
She blanched. “I only stopped wearing the veil recently. Hardly anyone knows what I look like.”
“Signor Arguelles does.”
“Well, he didn’t see me.”
As children, they’d spent countless hours crushing herbs for their neighbor before Adrick became his apprentice, and while she couldn’t imagine the kindly older man betraying her, it wouldn’t be the most shocking recent event.
“Tell me what you’ve heard.” Alessa stopped short, forcing her brother to turn back.
“Look.” Adrick blew out a breath. “It’s been a long day. The apothecary has been mobbed with people looking for tinctures to remove their marks—impossible, of course—and medics needing supplies to treat people who tried to burn or cut theirs out. People are panicking, thinking…”
“That I can’t protect them.” She’d thought she was the only one who lay awake at night, afraid she’d let everyone down. Instead, her deepest fears were being shouted from every street corner.
He tugged his ear. “Well, can you?”
“Can you please believe in me?”
“I do. It’s just—” Adrick cast a wary glance ahead at a group gathering around a robed woman. “People are saying all kinds of things, like Crollo has cursed you, or you’re some new kind of ghiotte sent to steal the Fontes’ magic. Some even think you’re proof Dea’s forsaken us and Crollo’s finally going to end it this time. Hell, there’s a whole cult of people who think we all deserve to die and Dea should never have defied him in the first place.”
For hundreds of years, Saverians had survived against the odds, trusting their saviors to protect them when wicked wings descended. And now, the people were giving up. Because of her.
She’d never asked if any of the rare trading ships had offered news from the other islands about her counterparts—whatever they were called—so it was possible she might not be alone on this sinking ship. Maybe, somewhere across the sea, someone else was railing at their own inability to perform their duty. It wouldn’t change the fact that if Alessa failed, she’d be the one responsible for the deaths of every living thing on Saverio. If the other islands fared better, their survivors would someday arrive on Saverio to find barren shores and empty ruins, and if any records remained, Alessa would live on in their history as a cautionary tale:
Alessa, the last Finestra.
Dea’s greatest mistake.
She swallowed, throat tight. “Do you believe I’m a … a new kind of ghiotte?”
Adrick smirked. “I’ve seen you bedridden with cramps. Ghiotte would be tougher than that.”
She bared her teeth. “Adrianus Crescente Paladino, you’d cry like a baby if you got cramps.”
Adrick made a gagging face at his full name. “I know, I know. You’re the divine warrior and I’m the worthless brother you left behind. Why do you care what I think? You’re the one with the direct line to Dea. Ask her.” His lips twisted with a hint of bitterness.
“It doesn’t work like that.” She flicked a glance at the dusky sky.
“You!” a robed woman called out.
Alessa flinched, but the woman looked past her.
Adrick broke into a jog. “Keep your head down and hurry up.”
“Do you know her?”
“’Course not. They’re all pushy like that.”
She frowned. It had sounded like the woman was speaking to someone she recognized. Alessa glanced over her shoulder. The woman wasn’t following. No angry mob giving chase. Not yet.
“Adrick, what do I do?”
“Prove them wrong. Get a Fonte and keep them alive for once.”
“I’m trying.”
“I know.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “You always do.”
The twinkling lights of the city grew closer as they walked in silence.
She ducked her head, baring her unmarked wrists for the drowsy guards manning the city walls. Adrick bid them a hearty good night and they traded some sort of manly handshake.
After checking that the surrounding area was clear, Alessa unlocked the first tunnel entrance they passed and stepped inside. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me about Ivini.”
“I said I’m sorry.” Adrick’s moonlit silhouette was fragmented by the bars. “Lock it.”
Alessa turned the lock with a click. “Satisfied?”
“Never. I should take your keys.”
“Stealing keys to the Fortezza is a banishable offense.”
“Oh no, not banishable. I would never do something banishable, like defying the church’s edicts by fraternizing with you.”
“They wouldn’t banish you. Only lock you up for a few days.”
“Much better. Now that I’ve risked my freedom, tell me who you’re going to pick so I can make some bets.”
“I haven’t decided yet, and I wouldn’t tell you if I had. In fact, I hope you’re the last person on Saverio to find out this very important information.”
He snorted. “Fine. I deserve that. But everyone’s been asking.”
“Why do they expect you to know? I’m not your sister anymore, remember?” She couldn’t hide her resentment. “You handed me over to the gods.”
“Now, now,” he said, gaze flicking upward. “The Verità says parents must relinquish a chosen child to the community. It doesn’t specifically say anything about siblings.”
“Oh, so that’s why you still talk to me, huh? A brotherly loophole?”
“I’m just saying, in Dea’s eyes, I’m not doing anything wrong here.”
Unlike Alessa, who was violating the holy rules. How fitting for Adrick to skate by on a divine technicality and leave her with the guilt. He always had known how to charm his way out of trouble. “Well, loophole or no, Mama would swat your bottom raw if she knew you’d tainted her holy sacrifice by staying in touch.”
“Aw, Lessa, that’s not fair. She loves you, but she loves Dea, too, and she knows her duty. Once you finish saving Saverio and they release you from your golden cage, she’ll be the first one running to hug you.” His gaze roamed across everything but his sister. “Well, maybe not hug you.”
“If you say so.” Alessa’s voice was too high, too light.
“You’d better not cry. Goddesses can’t go around weeping in public.”
“I’m not a goddess. And I’m not crying.”
“Good. Now, scurry back to your palace and order a few strapping young guards to fan you while you eat bonbons or whatever it is you do all day.”
Alessa snorted. “Oh, yes, it’s all luxury, all the time. If you’re volunteering to take my place, go right ahead.”
Adrick laughed drily. “Would if I could. Maybe Dea’s aim was off on choosing day, eh?”
“Now, there’s a thought. Bring a batch of Mama’s macarons the morning after the gala, and maybe I’ll tell you who I’m going to choose. For half your winnings.”
“Half?” Adrick’s grin returned. “Not a chance. I brought you two dozen last week. What mere mortal could finish that many so fast?” He slid into a sardonic drawl. “Ah right, but you are no mere mortal, are you.”
“You’re terrible.”
“And you love me. Hope Dea picked the right twin.”
She snorted. “How can you doubt, when it’s going so well?”
“Hey!” A masculine voice called out. “You, get away from there.”
“Until next time, lil sister…” Adrick trailed off as he fled. “Try not to kill anyone before then.”