Undesirable

Chapter 24

Cesare opens the door ever so slightly, before peering down the corridor through the crack, checking the coast is clear. I follow closely behind, as we tiptoe out of the room and towards the staircase, keeping as quiet as we possibly can. I'm positive it is nothing; he has guards surveying this place twenty-four seven, it's impossible for anyone to break in. Though, it has happened once before, and Lady Orsina lost her life because of it. Maybe it is best to double-check, just to be on the safe side.

We reach the top of the stairs and find a pile of broken glass, which used to be a vase, underneath an open window. Cesare bends down to inspect it, before looking out of the window to see if anyone is outside.

Shaking his head, he says, "Someone must have forgotten to lock this." He closes the window and pulls on the curtains. "It must have been the wind."

It's a reasonable explanation, and one I am happy to accept. Now we know there are no intruders and we can go back to bed.

Though the dream is short-lived, as we hear footsteps and unfamiliar voices echoing up the staircase. They are coming from the living room. I sigh, annoyed, before we both creep down the stairs. For once, I see the benefit of everything being made from stone and marble; if we were walking on wood, the floorboards would be creaking and our movement heard. For now, our presence is unknown.

After we make it downstairs, Cesare presses his ear up against the living room doors, trying to figure out how many people are inside. He holds a finger up to me, indicating there is only one, and I nod to say I understand. I could have sworn I heard two people talking, but it must have been the echoes bouncing down the corridors.

Cesare goes to a desk propped up against a wall and opens a drawer to pull out a small dagger. I know it's only for protection, but it's still unsettling to see it in his hands.

Am I about to watch him kill somebody?

His grip tightens around the dagger, as he prepares to enter the room. I have to admit, my heart is beating hard against my chest with the burst of adrenalin whizzing around my veins. We have no idea who is on the other side of the doors, for all we know it could be an armed burglar, or worse, a crazy mass murderer. I'm starting to think Cesare might need a bigger knife.

He kicks the double doors open, nearly knocking them off their hinges, before bursting into the room.

The intruder drops everything that he is holding and it all crashes to the floor, as he holds up his hands in surrender. When I get a good look at him, I realise he is just a kid, only late teens at the very most. He is dressed head to toe in some sort of fur and leather, and his bright red hair looks like it hasn't been properly brushed or cleaned in weeks. The dirt from his boots and clothes has managed to rub off onto his face, suggesting he has been without a wash for some time.

He lets out a scream but doesn't run. I thought he would have tried to attack us, or be scared at the very least. Yet, he looks more startled by our presence than anything else, like he wasn't expecting us to be in.

"Cesare?" The boy says, as a look of relief grows on his face.

"Kel." Cesare beams, running over to the boy and embracing him as if he's an old friend. The Higher Tier has weird ways of dealing with intruders. I thought there was going to be more stabbing and bleeding, and fewer hugs. "What are you doing here? Is everyone ok? Is Fia alright?"

"Fiametta is fine," He replies, his hand still resting on Cesare's shoulder. "We were on a supply run and things went south. So, we thought we would hide out here while things calmed down. I didn't realise you were back."

"I returned three months ago. Your spies are pretty sloppy if they missed that," He says, as if teasing the boy. "You owe me a vase, by the way. You broke it climbing through my window."