The Mosaic

Chapter 29

She couldn't cure him. But she could make him think she did.

The sudden silence was more unsettling than the choking breaths.  Alessandro slowly looked up, releasing his hold on Piero, as if he half expected the strangely still man to jump them. Giacinto toyed with his dagger, seemingly unsure what to do now that he couldn't stab anyone. Laelia had slumped on the bed, hands clasped together, rubbing nervously.

They could only wait now.

Laelia hated waiting. She pulled on a loose thread in her blanket. Scratchy spawn of hell. She had woken up feeling like she had slept on a stobblefield. If this took any longer, she'd have the blanket dissected. But she couldn't complain about that -- Giacinto had told her this wasn't something for her. And Alessandro might've agreed to her coming, but he, too, had said that this was too dangerous for her. If she couldn't take an itchy bed, how was she supposed to overcome the reaper? Itchy bed, tch. As if  that could stop her.

... she'd buy herself a blanket the first chance she'd get.

A sob startled her.

Giacinto jumped to his feet -- he had sat on the tiny table in the corner, poking the wood with his dagger -- ready to stab someone. He probably was always ready to stab someone. He did sleep with that collection of knives strapped to basically every body part.

Laelia shot up, skirts swooshing around her as she rushed to Piero. "How are you? Can you breathe? How's--"

"You saved me," his voice trembled. "I tried to kill you and you ... you saved me. Thank you, thank you, Signorina," he took a shaky breath,  a smile splitting his face like the sun a dark sky after a storm. "You're an angel. An angel... It's all gone! The pain! It's gone! I'll tell you everything I know. Everything, I promise." He took her hands, clam fingers clinging to hers.

Giacinto snarled. "Starting with, why do you feel the need to hold her hands?"

"Signorina saved my life. The reaper himself poisoned me and she healed me! She's an--"

"Angel. Drop your hands and don't call her that one more time. Or I'll cut off your fingers and gag you with them."

"Giacinto!" Laelia scolded.

The Greek shot her an innocent grin, as if saying 'What?'.

Alessandro sighed. "The reaper sent you?"

"Yes."

"On whose orders?"

"I don't know. I swear --"

"I believe you," Laelia smiled, squeezing his hand. Giacinto narrowed his eyes. He was far too overprotective recently. It's not like the poison could spread through skin contact! Well, some could, but not this one. And Piero wouldn't hurt her now that she had saved his live! No ... thought she had. A shadow cast over her smile.

"Save believing for church. What does he know?" Giacinto asked.

"The reaper, he found me, just yesterday. Was in a tavern, told me he had a job for me. Didn't know it was him, I said yes. But then I saw the scar..."

"Back of his left forearm?" Alessandro cut in.

Piero nodded. "Yeah. That's how I knew -- everyone in this business knows that scar."

"Killing people is not a business," Alessandro's jaw clenched.

"It is if you get paid for it," Giacinto shrugged.

"No bickering!" Laelia jumped in. God have mercy on her if they'd start that again. It had been funny. The first three times. After that she wanted to pull her hair out and ban them to different corners of the earth. They'd probably write each other long, spiteful letters. "Tell us more."