Chapter 50 The deadline
"'Cael… Oh, Cael… I'm yours.'"
Soft curves under his hands. Heat between bodies. Moans of passion.
Someone arguing nearby.
Awareness surged into Cael's mind. He opened his bleary eyes, realizing that the tantalizing vision he had just seen was merely a dream. Not an uncommon kind of dream, too.
More troubling was that the voice in it belonged to Ginevra.
Ginevra. He didn't talk much to her since the time he fed her that cursed broth.
Her admission had disturbed him. It was honest to a fault, which made matters harder for Cael. It would've been so easy if Ginevra just… changed sides! So easy.
But he couldn't treat her badly, either. Especially when he wanted to just kiss those pink lips of hers and soothe her every hurt. Even going to the hospital tent and looking at the wounded didn't help. It was too easy to argue that Ginevra was only following her father's commands.
In a war, people got hurt and died. Whose fault was that? Enzo's.
And by now, Cael hated him with a newfound passion.
He woke himself up with a quick shower of summoned water, then went to the field kitchen just in time to grab breakfast. The soldiers he passed gave him a wide berth, except for one man.
"Oi, Cael! Come sit with us!"
It was Ignazio. The archer sat on a bench improvised from a tree stump together with two other men. Knights, from their Marks, and likely Ignazio's vassals—Cael couldn't remember them with his father, and his memory wasn't so bad yet.
The knights were much more wary of Cael, but as soon as Cael sat near with his food, Ignazio took the lead in conversation, telling some outlandish story about a hunt for a werewolf who turned out to be an unknown to science wolf-like beast with three heads and as huge as a house.
This was even better than breakfast at home. The three-headed wolf was much more interested than the usual breakfast conversations in the Oliveira tower. Cael laughed with everyone at Ignazio's outrageous lies.
He was still smiling to himself when he brought a healer to visit Ginevra with food and a change of bandages. Still cheerful when Father called him over a couple of hours later.
But as soon as Cael stepped into Father's command tent, whatever was left of Cael's mirth dissipated.
"Signore di Vinci. Father," Cael greeted the gathered people and walked towards an empty seat around a large folding table covered with a large map. "You wanted to see me?"
Cael was puzzled about what Silvio di Vinci was doing here. Cael didn't interact with the illusion mage before beyond greetings in passing. If this was a meeting with vassals, then why wasn't Ignazio here?
"Yes, Cael. Our scouts have confirmed that Baroness Montefiore has finished leading the remaining Nuvoloso forces to their own land. They have stopped near to the border, but not close enough to possess threat—and this isn't an illusion, as signore di Vinci had confirmed." Father tapped his fingers on his knee in doubt. His wounded leg was stretched out, still clearly not fit for walking. "But that's not why I called you."
"This is about signora Nuvoloso." Silvio gave Cael a tight-lipped smile. "Our conversation here led to a mention of her person, and I thought to offer my help with her interrogation. Illusionary magic has some splendid spells for inflicting pain without harming the body."
Gianni confirmed his words with a nod. "You told me yourself yesterday, Cael—the same words I told you earlier. Ginevra wouldn't help us unless she's pressed into it." He added more quietly, "The wretched woman likely doesn't know it could even be otherwise."
Cael narrowed his eyes. His gaze pierced Silvio. In this moment, he wished he could not just sense lies, but read thoughts.
He hadn't been particularly well-disposed towards Silvio before, but he was definitely detesting him now.
"Father! She's MY prisoner. It should be my job to deal with her. You told me yourself, we have time now. And whatever Enzo's plans on us are, they are thwarted now."
Gianni angrily jutted out his chin. "You are still my son, Cael. Show more respect." He threw a sharp glance at Silvio, who pretended to miss the discontent between the father and the son.
Cael took a deep breath. Right. Family must keep a united front before all others. Still…
"Regardless. Thank you for the offer, signore di Vinci, but I must refuse. It wouldn't be good to pile this grim duty on you, too."
"Very well. Then I must return to my own men for now. Have a good day, signores." Silvio gave Cael and Ginevra two nods as a farewell, and left the tent.
Cael and Gianni turned towards each other in unison. Their glares met in the air.
"I should have removed her from your care," Father spoke first. "Look at yourself! Now you are defending her, too."
Cael slapped his hands on the table. "Don't you see, Father? It's the only way! The only way she might ever be our ally, instead of an enemy! Ginevra is proud and smart. If she sees that there's true freedom at a stake for her, why would she fight for Enzo instead of against him?"
"Then why was she fighting for Enzo until now? Cael… You have a month. A month from this very day, and before you even ask, as soon as we return to Sanremo di Mare, Ginevra will be deposited in the safest cell I have. If you make no progress with her by then, I will take matters into my hands."
"A month?" Cael frowned. Would that be enough?
"Yes. This will be enough time to decide what's the better plan of action—ransom her to Enzo and risk her another attack, or kill her and deal with Enzo's anger. Probably the latter. Enzo is already our enemy…" Gianni rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It will have to be done quietly."
Cael clenched his fists. A month. Well, he knew he won't budge his Father now. It would have to be enough to change either Ginevra's mind or Father's. Or, if peaceful ways won't work… he will have to come up with a more drastic solution.
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