Chapters (58)
- About the Author
- Title Page
- Imprint Page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Map
- Contents
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Acknowledgments
- Endmatter page 1
If my enemies wanted to create doubt in me, I’d believe in my own abilities even more. Even if I had to fake it until it felt real.
I left the Zisa and headed deep into the heart of the city.
I cut a swath around Old Town and headed to Ballarò Market where food stands had been set up around the royal palace. I wasn’t surprised to see the Nuccis already had a small gathering of people waiting for their arancini and panelle. Both fried rice balls and fried salted chickpea pancakes were popular street food.
Domenico Senior blotted his brow with a cloth and passed out a bag of food. I was happy to see him away from Greed’s gambling den. It made one part of my plan easier.
I watched as his line slowly thinned, and people walked away with their bags of food. My stomach grumbled at the sight and smells, and I decided purchasing something was a good excuse to talk. I needed to eat anyway.
“Buongiorno, Signorina di Carlo. What would you like today?”
“Panelle with extra lemon wedges, please.”
The elder Nucci fried the flat pancakes to perfection, hit them with some sea salt, then added them to a paper bag with an extra wedge of lemon. I handed my coins over, and drifted to the side where his awning provided a bit of shade. “How is Domenico Junior?”
“He in trouble?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer that, so I pulled one of Wrath’s favorite tricks and ignored it. “My sister had mentioned him, and I’ve heard he’s been spending a lot of time at the monastery. It must be hard on him, losing someone he cared about.”
Domenico Senior’s gaze drifted to the person standing behind me before he passed out an order of arancini, and set another few into the fryer basket. “He’s all right. He left for Calabria this morning to help his cousin.”
I stopped chewing my panelle. Of all times for Domenico Junior to leave home, it was odd that he chose now. I changed tactics. “Have you spent any time in that gambling hall?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t too rude. “I need to find it as soon as possible.”
He shook his head. “Afraid I can’t help you. I heard the guy who runs it left.”