The Mosaic

Chapter 44 | Starving Wolves

"Do you think I'm evil?" Giacinto asked, lowering the paper he'd been pouring over.

Laelia flinched, studying her breakfast. A grape. Fascinating. Maybe she could practice her sewing on a grape -- they had delicate skin. If she'd manage there, she could do it better on a human. They might need that... She picked one up, poking it with her fork. She had a needle delicate enough --

At the long end of the table, Alessandro sighed, setting down his glass with a definite clank. "Marinos, this is not necessary."

Giacinto -- at the other end of the table -- pursed his lips in mock thought. His eyes gleamed with a delighted wish for chaos. "Well, you see, I was wondering," he hummed, giving up to pretend he went through numbers and calculations. He had used the parchement as a shield against Laelia's apologies all morning. "If she thinks I'm evil --"

"I don't!"

"-- you must think I'm Satan himself." Giacinto plopped a grape into his mouth. "I'd make a dashing Lucifer, don't you think?"

"I don't think you make a dashing anything in your state, Marinos. And for heaven's sake, take your boots of the table." Alessandro frowned.

"I could do that," Giacinto said, lounging even further back in his chair. "But I won't."

They'd been going at it for the entire morning. Science knows why. Alessandro looked tired and irritated. Giacinto just looked irritated. She had been so happy they seemed to get along better -- but ever since two days ago, after Giacinto's break-down... She didn't know what had happened, but they stalked around each other like starved wolves, unsure whether to rip the other apart or hunt together.

"Terms like good and evil cannot begin to grasp you, Marinos," Alessandro said slowly.

Giacinto smiled. A tiny upward twitch at the corners of his lips, more to himself, glancing away. Just a second, before he drew the mocking grin back up. "Why, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"Do you have to do this now." Alessandro rubbed his temple.

"No, but I want to," Giacinto drawled. "Do you have to make questions sound like statements?"

"No, but I want to."

They were like five year olds with each other. Next thing would be: You're stupid. -- No, you're stupid. -- No, you. -- No, you.

Laelia opened her mouth. Then closed it again. Why was this so hard? She didn't want to apologize! This world was wrong, not her! If they hadn't accused an innocent woman of witchcraft this wouldn't have happened!

She'd had some reprieve, when Alessandro had told them about the witch. But now...

Apologizing shouldn't be so hard! If she could take back what she had said, she would. In a heartbeat. She hadn't meant it -- he had to know that. He forgave her everything. Even making him attend that one terrible spring ball, because Antonio wouldn't go. She'd tried apologizing with a flower today -- an old joke from that ball.

Laelia had just been scared and angry and helpless. The words had been there, not for him, but the entire world. The entire, unjust world. For Antonio, for the Reaper, for herself. But Giacinto had been there, in her way to do the right thing and she'd said that. No. Screamed it.

And he'd looked like she had slapped him. Her chest tightened. Giacinto was the funniest man on earth. The sweet fake smile he currently tried poisoning Alessandro with made her stomach roll. "Gio..." Laelia started. She could do this! "I'm --"

"Don't." Giacinto held up his hand.

"But--"

"I don't want to hear it."