He glared at her, then said, “Jensen, go have your meal. I’ll take over.”
“Aye, Captain.” Jensen dashed down the stairs and out the door.
Luciana started down the stairs, intending to ignore the captain, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her across the landing into a corner.
She gasped. “What are you doing?”
“What have you been doing?” he snarled. “Why aren’t you answering my letters?”
Luciana pulled her arm from his grip. This was the man her sister loved? Alberto’s dark eyes were angry, and his lips curled in a way that made her shudder. She jumped when he slammed his hands on the wall on either side of her.
“I’ve written to you four times,” he growled. “Twice I asked you to meet me in our secret place, and twice you left me there waiting.”
She steeled her nerves and looked him in the eye. “It is not safe for us to meet. My betrothed has arrived—”
“No, he hasn’t. He was delayed a few days.”
“What?” Luciana’s head spun. “The man who greeted my father is not my betrothed?”
“That was General Harden.” Alberto chuckled. “You thought you’d have to marry that old man?”
Luciana let out a deep breath. Oh, thank the goddesses!
Alberto suddenly grasped her by the shoulders. “The Beast will be here in a few days. We have to elope!”
She gasped. “Unhand me self. Someone could see—”
“Tomorrow night!” His grip tightened. “Meet me—”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“What?” His fingers dug painfully into her skin. “Don’t back out on me now. I love you. You know that.”
She gritted her teeth. “I am betrothed to another.”
“You love me! You—Ack!” His face contorted with pain, and he jumped back, releasing her.
Pirate growled, his jaws clamped onto Alberto’s leg.
“Get off me!” Alberto yelled.
Luciana slipped by them. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
“What?” Alberto shook his leg, but Pirate held on.
“It’s over!” Luciana ran down the stairs, out the door, and into the courtyard.
She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. The man had unnerved her to the point that her accent had slipped. Thankfully, he hadn’t seemed to notice.
With a shudder, she started toward the western gate. She would probably have bruises on her arms. What had Tatiana seen in that man?
In front of the chapel, she heard a bark behind her. She turned to find Pirate loping toward her.
With a laugh, she knelt down and held out her arms. “My hero!” When he trotted up to her, she gave him a hug, then rubbed his ears. “Good boy. Thank you.”
Pirate sat in front of her, grinning.
“Poor thing.” She cupped his sweet face in her hands. “I bet that ugly oaf tasted awful.” When Pirate whimpered, she laughed and gave him another hug. “Now you wait out here. I have to go inside for confession.”
He gave her a forlorn look.
“I know.” She eyed the chapel. “I’d rather stay out here with you, but this is something I have to do.”
She opened the door and stepped inside. The entrance was dark with stone walls and a smooth stone floor. Candles flickered on a wide table, surrounded by vases filled with sunflowers. The scent of roses hovered in the cool air.
Through a wide, open doorway, she saw rows of wooden pews, lit by the sun streaming through long windows. At the end of the chapel, a few steps ascended to an altar. A large gleaming orb sat on the altar, and an even larger circle of gold was hanging from the high ceiling.
To the side of the altar, she spotted a man in a hooded black robe moving in the dark shadow of an alcove.
“Excuse me, Father?”
He stopped with a jerk, his back turned toward her.
Pirate woofed softly behind her, and she spun around. “What are you doing?” she whispered. “I don’t think dogs are allowed in here.”
He crouched low to the ground and slunk underneath one of the pews.
“Pirate, come out of there.” She leaned over to look at him. He didn’t appear inclined to move. With a sigh, she straightened, then caught a glimpse of the hooded priest slipping into a confessional booth.
You can do this, she assured herself, then strode down the aisle. She opened the door of the booth next to the priest and let herself inside.
It was not quite as dark as she had thought it would be, for there was a small opening at the top of the booth to let in some light. She settled on the wooden chair and glanced toward the metal grate. The man was turned away from her, his face completely hidden by his dark hood.
Was he one of the king’s spies? She would have to be careful and convince the priest she was one of the Enlightened. And not let her accent slip again.
With her best Eberoni accent, she recited the first line. “Greetings, Father. May the Light shine upon you always.”
* * *
Damn, damn, damn!
Leo gritted his teeth. Of all the stupid situations to get himself into. And everything had gone so well up to this point. He’d accompanied Nevis and Brody into the fortress. Brody had shown him the location of Lady Tatiana’s bedchamber before dashing off to the catacombs to shift back into a dog. Then Leo and Nevis had proceeded to the Great Hall, where the midday meal was being served. Leo had remained hidden upstairs on a curtained balcony at the far end of the hall. He assumed it was a gallery for musicians, but with no musicians there, it afforded him the perfect place to study all the people below. When he spotted the three priests busily eating, he hurried to the chapel to search their rooms for the sort of weapons an assassin might have.