“Truth?” I said, and shrugged. “The truth is that the Pope loves you. He may never hold you in his arms again, but part of him will love you till he dies. So no, he would not harm you or Laura. Men don’t think that way, Madonna Giulia. Women and children are not fitting objects for vengeance. The Holy Father may find some way to punish you, but it will not come at the end of Michelotto’s knife. Not in your heart, at least, or Laura’s.”

I saw the relief well in her eyes at once. Stupid woman, why would she place so much trust in anything I said? I was a killer of men, a stunted little monster with a dark soul and a list of crimes longer than my twisted body. She knew that, so why did she have such faith in my judgment?

“Stay for Lucrezia’s wedding if you must,” I said. “But after that, persuade your stupid, stubborn husband to take you away from Rome as soon as possible. Just get away.”

She reached down and smoothed a lock of hair off my forehead. I recoiled as though she’d burned me, making a snap of my teeth at her fingers.

She snatched her hand back. “Leonello—”

“Don’t touch vipers,” I said. “We bite.”

I turned and left her at the end of the Ponte Sant’Angelo, standing under the crow-picked bones.

Giulia

I was very late returning to Vittorio Capece’s palazzo, so late I knew my host would return home before I did. Doubtless Orsino would be displeased with me for being so tardy; there was a masquerade he wished to attend tonight with me on his arm in one of my extravagant new gowns to be paraded and admired. But I felt too worn and shaky to go back just yet, so I went to the nearest church after Leonello left me. Holy Virgin knows how long I spent there on my knees, praying to Santo Giuliano the Hospitaller, who was patron saint of repentant murderers. I didn’t know if he was patron saint of the unrepentant ones too, and it seemed like something worth begging for on my knees.

Leonello had looked so tired under all his bitter, spitting scorn. Exhausted and drained, as though his dreams were all black and his waking hours blacker, and any hopes he had of the future blackest of all.