hands. Then we can all go straight south to Tartessos and I’ll put you on the boat to Tingis myself. You’ll be perfectly safe once I have the stone. The stone is the key. We’ll show it to everyone we meet on the road, and by the time we walk into the capital we’ll have a procession of thousands of pilgrims with us. No soldiers will stop you. No Italians will swing a sword at you. You’ll be back home with your daughter in your arms before you know it.”
Menna. Taziri stared down at her left hand, her fingers wrapping lightly around the plates and rods attached to her glove to support her hand. The two little fingers twitched, their nerves all dead leaving the flesh numb and rubbery. Home.
“Two days to find your magic stone? That’s not too bad.” Dante frowned. “How big is it?”
“What?”
“How big is the skyfire stone?”
Lorenzo blinked. “I have no idea.”
Dante rolled his eyes. “Well, what if it’s too big to carry? It’s a meteorite, right? It could be the size of a boulder. It could be bigger than this church.”
“I’ve just assumed it will be the same as the one I saw in the New World. I have a special harness with clay pads to carry it. But if the stone is too big?” The hidalgo shrugged. “We’ll figure something out.”
“And what happens if we don’t find it?” Taziri asked. “What happens then?”
Lorenzo exhaled slowly. “Then I will escort you all to Barcelona and put you on the first boat to Rome. I swear it. Either way, you’ll be safely off Espani soil by the end of the week.”
Dante scowled. “I suppose that’s the best deal we’re going to get.”
Shahera touched Taziri’s knee. The girl was smiling mischievously. “Oh come on, we’ve come this far already. Don’t you want to see if this stone of his is real? It’d be the greatest story ever. You have to be curious!”
Of course I’m curious. I’m an engineer, after all. But I’m also a patriot, and a wife, and mother, and very tired and very cold person. She stared at the hidalgo. “Two days?”
“Two days.” He nodded.
Taziri nodded back and stood up, stretching and groaning. “Then let’s get the horses ready to go. Before I change my mind.”
Day Seven
Chapter 19. Qhora
After one night in the cell, Qhora was ready to leave. The surgeon had done a fine job stitching up Gaspar’s arm and the young diestro had slept soundly through the night with Hector watching over him. Morning brought no sun, only a brighter haze outside the window. A soldier brought a tray of porridge bowls and as she sat eating her lukewarm breakfast she wondered what Lorenzo might be eating just then. Porridge, she guessed.
When the soldier returned to collect the bowls, he was followed by Salvator Fabris and the Espani major.
“Good morning, Signora Quesada,” Salvator said. “It would seem your husband has abandoned you. I’ve just received a report that he was seen leaving the city this morning before dawn, under cover of darkness, with several confederates. No doubt one of them was the young man who accosted me in the nude last night and then mysteriously vanished from this cell. Now, you and I both know what your husband is going to do. He may have the journal, but I’ve read the journal. Unfortunately, I did not have time to properly analyze all of the information in it. So, my question to you is, where exactly is Lorenzo going now?”
“I wouldn’t tell you if I knew,” she said. “But thank you for informing me that he is now at least two hours ahead of you and therefore far beyond your reach.”
The Italian nodded curtly. “Yes, well, I had rather hoped to simply intercept your husband when he returned from his little expedition, and thus save myself the trouble of following him. But since he didn’t even attempt to save you last night, I can no longer assume if or when he might return for you at all, and I do not like to be kept waiting. So I’ll just have to find another role for you to play. Major, kindly release the lady, shackle her, and place her on my horse. I’m leaving immediately.”
Qhora opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted before she could begin.
“Yes, you are leaving, but the lady will not be accompanying you,” the major said.
“Won’t she?” Salvator turned on the shorter man. “Need I remind you of my letter of command from Lord Admiral Magellan? It clearly states my acting rank as commander, which exceeds yours, major. You will follow my commands or I will find someone else who will. I only overlooked your incompetence regarding the escaped boy because I assumed Don Lorenzo would not leave without his precious wife. But since that is no longer the case, your incompetence is once again at issue.”
Qhora saw a pair of nervous young soldiers hovering in the open doorway across the room.
“Yes, yes.” The major sighed. “Your letter bought my obedience last night when I had no reason to doubt your actions or intentions. But you are persecuting Don Lorenzo Quesada, a war hero, and without offering a single accusation or shred of evidence to warrant such action. And now you have imprisoned the Don’s wife and students, again without charges or evidence. From what you have said this morning, it is clear you are simply abusing these poor people for your own purposes, and that I will not allow.”
Two more soldiers appeared in the doorway.
“Have you any idea what the admiral will do when he learns of this treason?” Salvator asked.
“I very much doubt the admiral will look kindly on your abuses of power, but at any rate, I swore no oath to the admiral or any other officer. I swore my oath to my sovereigns, to Prince Valero and to God.” The major gave his soldiers a little wave of his fingers and the young men filtered into the room to stand behind him. “What you are doing here, sir, violates the Father’s command for justice and the Son’s entreaty for mercy and compassion. So you can report my actions to my superiors however you wish, but you will do so after you leave my barracks, right now.” He gestured to the far door.
“I think not.” Salvator snapped his fingers. “Men, please remove the major and place him under house arrest. And prepare my horse and the lady for my departure. I’ll need an escort of six of your best riders and sharpest shooters.”
Qhora glanced back at Hector and Gaspar on the bench behind her. What will happen to them after Fabris takes me away? Who will look after them?
The soldiers did not move.
“Today, gentlemen,” Salvator said.
The soldiers still did not move.
The major said, “It would seem you have much to learn about what it means to be a soldier, sir. Especially an Espani soldier.”
“Any man who divides his loyalty between two masters is of no use to anyone.” Salvator strode to the far door by himself.
“I disagree,” the major said. “But a man who has no loyalty to anyone is a danger to everyone. Take care, Senor Fabris. I will send my own report on this affair to your admiral, and my general, and perhaps to the minister of war, as well. Good day, sir.”
The door slammed behind Salvator.
Qhora released the breath she was holding. “Thank you, major. I cannot thank you enough. You’ve saved my life, and my husband’s, and his students’ as well. Thank you so much.”
The major shrugged as he unlocked the cell door. “It was nothing, senora. I was merely doing my duty. My only regret is that I did not do so earlier. It is extremely rare that any officer has just cause to question an order, let alone a senior officer. I admit, I was not prepared to do so until this moment.”
She saw how pale the older man had become, his forehead beaded with sweat, his veined hand shaking. When the cell door opened, she stepped out and took his hand. “I understand, and thank you again. I’ve said it before and I’m certain I will say it again, that the Espani are the most honorable people I have ever had the privilege to know. But now I need to go. My husband is still in danger.”
