City of Swords (11 page)

It was a risky strategy but he had to know.

‘Filippo of Bellona has left the city,’ said Ciampi. ‘And he did not look like an engaged man to me.’

‘Nay, it’s too late for that,’ said a corn chandler. ‘The only chance to do anything is now. How many of the army would support Signor Ludovico?’

‘About half,’ said Ciampi, turning to Ludo to encourage him. ‘And more as time passes and we win the hearts of more people.’

‘I think about half the city would be behind him too,’ said the chandler. ‘Why, he even looks like Jacopo, to those of us who can remember the Prince as a young man.’

‘And I say, what does it matter that he’s a . . . I mean, that he wasn’t born in wedlock,’ said the baker. ‘He’s got the right blood and he’d make a better ruler than poor Lucia, so to my mind there’s no question. Let’s have him as our Prince.’

And suddenly everyone was shouting ‘Prince Ludovico! Long live Prince Ludovico di Chimici, Prince of Fortezza!’

Ludo smiled, but he wasn’t fooled by their enthusiasm. He knew that crowds could be fickle. He also knew that Bertoldo Ciampi wanted the generalship of the army as much as he wanted Ludo as his Prince. But for now he was content to accept their homage and their support – especially if it came backed with arms.

‘Oh my God, you’re kidding!’ said Georgia.

Isabel had found her in the library.

‘No, it’s true. Laura’s in hospital.’

‘Is it what we thought?’

‘Yes, she’s cut herself really badly and everything about her self-harming has come out.’

‘I’ll tell Nick,’ said Georgia. ‘Shall we meet at his house after school?’

‘Yes. I’ve already called Sky, and he’ll tell Matt.’

‘Hasn’t Laura got an exam this afternoon?’ asked Georgia.

‘Yes, History, but they’re letting her take it at the hospital if she’s up to it.’

It was a sober gathering in Nick’s attic later that day. Ayesha was with them. Laura’s mother had texted her and Isabel from A & E. And there had been an ominous request to meet them both when Laura was out of danger.

‘She’s going to want to know whether we knew,’ said Ayesha.

‘Well, we didn’t,’ said Isabel. ‘Not for sure.’

‘But we guessed,’ said Georgia, ‘and did nothing about it.’

‘How bad is it?’ asked Matt.

‘Bad enough for Bart’s A & E,’ said Isabel.

‘I’ve had enough of that place,’ said Matt.

There was silence while he and Ayesha, Georgia and Nick all remembered when Matt had put the evil eye on a boy he was jealous of. Jago Jones had ended up in that hospital and none of them doubted he would have died if Matt hadn’t brought the counter-spell back from Talia.

Jago was fine now but he steered clear of Matt and the others at school, looking quite haunted if he bumped into him or Ayesha in the corridor.

‘Me too,’ said Nick, who had had a series of operations at Bart’s.

‘And it’s where Lucien died,’ said Georgia.

‘Laura’s not going to die though, is she?’ said Sky.

‘I hope not!’ said Isabel.

‘But it’s not impossible,’ said Ayesha. ‘If she cut an artery.’

They all looked at her in horror. Then the message tone rang on Isabel’s and Ayesha’s phones at the same time and they leapt to grab them.

Laura out of danger. In hospital overnight.

Ellen

They both read it out aloud at the same time.

‘Thank goodness for that,’ said Sky.

‘What should we do about Fortezza?’ asked Nick suddenly.

‘Fortezza?’ said Georgia. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, we know she wasn’t going back last night, and her Stravagante wouldn’t worry too much if she missed one night. But she won’t be able to stravagate even if she wants to for a few days.’

‘And she won’t have her talisman with her in hospital,’ said Matt. ‘I can’t see them letting her have a sharp blade about her.’

‘That’s a thought,’ said Isabel. ‘I wonder if her parents will take it away from her?’

‘One of us should go,’ said Georgia. ‘And tell Fabio what has happened.’

‘But we don’t know how to travel to Fortezza, do we?’ said Sky. ‘I mean we know now how to get to the other cities but we couldn’t visualise Fabio’s smithy.’

‘We could try,’ said Nick. ‘I could try. I’ve been in a Talian swordsmith’s before. If I tried to imagine it and said the word “Fortezza” out loud, it might work.’

‘No,’ said Georgia. She wasn’t having Nick go off to Talia on his own

‘It’s too risky and someone might recognise you there.’

‘I think I should go to Padavia,’ said Matt. ‘I could see Luciano, and if he can’t help, I could get to Bellezza really quickly if necessary or tell Rodolfo through one of the mirrors.’

No one could think of any objections to that.

‘I’ll go tonight,’ said Matt. ‘Don’t worry, Yesh, you can watch over me if you like.’

Professor Constantin the printer was startled by the sudden arrival of Matt in his private room off the Scriptorium. He hadn’t seen him for months.

‘Matteo!’ he said. ‘You nearly gave me a heart attack! But it’s wonderful to see you. Are you well?’

Matt filled him in quickly on the current situation and asked if he could find Luciano for him.

‘Of course, though he’s not my most conscientious student,’ said the professor. ‘He should be in a class right now, but I can’t swear he’ll be there.’

He told Matt where to find the
Cavaliere
in the University building and said he would see him back in the Scriptorium before sunset.

Matt breathed deeply as he loped along Salt Street; it was a while since he had been in Padavia and he had not realised how much he had missed it. But he couldn’t stop to enjoy it; he was a man on a mission.

He cannoned into a solid figure who did a classic double take.

‘Matteo!’ It was Cesare, Luciano and Georgia’s friend from Remora. He was studying in Padavia too. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Hey, Cesare,’ said Matt, giving him a hug. ‘Bit complicated to explain. I’m looking for Luciano.’

‘Oh, we’re going to meet at the Fencing School,’ said Cesare. ‘I’ll take you there.’

The two boys walked companionably to the school, where they met a tall curly-haired young man with a mask and a foil.

‘Luciano,’ called Cesare, ‘look who it is! Matteo needs your help.’

The fencing practice was quickly abandoned and Luciano took them back to the house that Silvia used to live in. He fetched a hand-mirror from his bedroom and before long Rodolfo’s dark face appeared in the glass.

Luciano!
he thought-spoke.
What has happened?

Nothing here
, replied Luciano.
But we need to get a message to Fortezza, to Fabio.

What is it?

Can you tell him his Stravagante is not well?
said Luciano.
She is in hospital and won’t be back in Talia for a while.

Is she going to be all right?
asked Rodolfo.
Is it because of her stravagations?

I think so, and no
, said Luciano.
Only she didn’t stravagate last night, and Fabio might worry if she doesn’t come for a few days.

He decided not to go into the notion that Laura might have given up stravagating for good; he had never met her and didn’t know how serious she might be about that. And he definitely didn’t want to have to explain self-harming to Rodolfo.

Rodolfo turned away and Luciano could envisage him turning knobs and levers to ‘tune in’ to Fortezza.

The three young men drank some wine together while they waited, brought by Alfredo, the old servant who had been in Rodolfo’s employ when Luciano first met him.

‘She’s a self-harmer, you say?’ Luciano asked Matt.

Matt nodded over his pewter cup, remembering the taste of Bellezzan red. He was more of a beer drinker himself.

‘Seems like it,’ he said.

‘I don’t understand,’ said Cesare. ‘She cuts herself? Why?’

Matt realised that this must be a phenomenon unknown in Talia. And it was hard to explain to someone who had no experience of the idea.

‘There are enough people trying to harm others in Talia, without doing any damage to yourself,’ said Cesare.

At that moment, Rodolfo’s face swam back into view.

I forgot to send greetings to Matteo
, he said.
Thank him for bringing the news. But things are bad in Fortezza as it is. Fabio tells me that Ludo is challenging Lucia for the crown. And half the army has gone over to his side.

Chapter 7

Family Loyalty

The di Chimici family, being without benefit of a communication system like Rodolfo’s mirrors, took longer to hear the news. And when it came, it produced a variety of reactions.

Fabrizio’s, predictably, was rage.

‘He has taken my cousin hostage? How dare he?’

The messenger, who had barely escaped Fortezza with his own life, was afraid that he had ridden full pelt into almost as great danger. The Grand Duke was puce with outrage and had grabbed him by his jerkin and nearly hauled him off the floor.

‘Hush, Rizio!’ said Grand Duchess Caterina. ‘You are frightening Bino.’

Only his wife could have got away with hushing Fabrizio in this mood. ‘Bino’, his baby son and heir, obligingly began to whimper.

Fabrizio relaxed his grip on the messenger.

‘Not exactly taken her hostage, Your Grace,’ he said, flashing the Grand Duchess a grateful look. ‘She is safe in the castle with Princess Carolina. A small remnant of the army loyal to your family is guarding them against the rebels.’

‘A small remnant? You mean the rest of the army have gone over to that, that gypsy’s camp?’