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Chi semina spine, non vada scalzo.

If you scatter thorns, don’t go barefoot.

DAYS BEFORE DIVORANDO: 27

The wind whistled outside as night fell, but the air in Tomo’s room tasted as stale as the crypt.

Propped up in bed on a pile of pillows, his eyes were black pools of shadow against his ashen skin.

From his bedside, Renata turned as Alessa entered on whisper-soft feet. “He’s resting,” Renata said in warning.

“I won’t stay. I just needed to see…”

“Come in, child.” A wan smile spread across Tomo’s face and he released Renata’s hand. “Put on some tea, won’t you, love?”

Renata shot Alessa a sharp look as she left the room.

“Sit, sit. Leave your guilt outside,” Tomo said. “I’m a weak old man, and I was overdue for one of my spells. A bit too much excitement, that’s all.” He patted the bed beside him, but sheperched in a brocade chair instead. He might want to show that he wasn’t afraid of her, but she was afraid of herself.

“You aren’t old, Tomo.”

He smiled. “Age is relative. When I was your age, I saw a man of forty as a day shy of a hundred.”

“I’m just thankful you’re okay. I thought—” She squeezed her eyes shut against the memory of the color leaching from his face. “You were very brave to volunteer.”

He tutted. “I only made it worse. Renata said you had to call off the remainder of the lesson.”

“Everyone was worried about you. We’ll start fresh in the morning.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Get some rest. I can manage without you.”

His eyes drifted shut. “I know you can. You’re meant to bring people together, Alessa.”

With the echo of her name in her ears, Alessa slipped out of the room, wiping her eyes.

“Will he be okay?” Dante asked.

“I don’t know, but if the Fontes weren’t terrified before, they are now.”

“Did you even touch him? It happened so fast I couldn’t tell.”

“Barely. It doesn’t matter. Today was supposed to reassure them. Instead they saw the last Fonte suffer a heart spasm the moment we touched. I’ll be fortunate if they show up for tomorrow’s training at all.”

As they made their way upstairs, sobs, faint but unmistakable, echoed from the library. Alessa held up a hand to warn Dante.

“I’ll volunteer,” came Josef’s voice from inside. “You go home with your family.”

Alessa tried to retreat, inching backward, but ran into a Dante-shaped wall.

“And what aboutyourfamily?” Nina asked. “Haven’t they lost enough?”

“I’m sure whoever she chooses will be… fine,” Josef said, his tone soothing.

“Fine? Ending up like Tomo, or worse?” Nina sniffed loudly. “Renata was agoodFinestra and she still broke him. Can you imagine whatthis onewill do?”

This one.Alessa hugged herself.