The Exiled Blade: Act Three of the Assassini by Jon Courtenay Grimwood Page A

and both died . . .” This time he did reach for her, although it was to grip her shoulders rather than hug her. “So I know what it feels like. I’m sorry.”
    “When did this happen?”
    “Four years ago.”
    Four years?
Lady Giulietta thought about that. Four years and Frederick was
still
mourning the loss of his wife from an arranged marriage and a child who wasn’t even a boy? Behind her, someone stepped forward.
    “T-these are d-deep matters.”
    “I’m sorry . . . I should have . . .”
    Duke Marco waved away the young prince’s apology. “If I w-was you, I’d h-have wanted to talk to her first, t-too. But you’d better . . .” He smiled and pointed to his mother, who accepted Prince Frederick’s bow with a thoughtful expression.
    “You understand,” she said. “I have no idea what you’re talking about?”
    “Of course.” The prince bowed again to show he did.
    “So . . . Accepting that. You came all this way to tell my niece how sorry you were for this thing that we don’t accept has happened?”
    Prince Frederick hesitated. “I wanted to tell her how sorry I was. That I knew how much it hurts to lose a child. Also, we never got a chance to meet.”
    “You thought you might try wooing her again?”
    The prince looked shocked. “Oh no,” he said. “I know she’s going to marry Lord Tycho. All Europe knows.” He meant the thin sliver of the nobility who cared about such matters.
    “But it doesn’t hurt to be seen trying?”
    He blushed, looked behind him to check his courtiers weren’t listening. “It gave me an excuse to leave court. I’m still in disgrace, you know. Although not as much as I could be. Since I returned something my father wanted.”
    “The
WolfeSelle
.”
    His shocked expression made Giulietta smile.
    “One of the worst kept secrets in the city,” Alexa said tartly.
    The
WolfeSelle
was the
krieghund
’s totem, an ancient sword revered by the Wolf Brothers and wielded by their leader. It seemed absurd that this should be the shy young man standing in front of Giulietta, but she’d seen him fight in wolf form that night on Giudecca, when Tycho offered to return the
WolfeSelle
if the
krieghund
would join him in rescuing her. They’d fought and mostly died, and Tycho kept his word, returning the blade to the Assassini’s oldest enemy. “You were saying,” Duchess Alexa murmured. “About being in disgrace?”
    “Out of favour might be more accurate. My father is busy besieging heretics in Bohemia. Life on campaign is . . .” Frederick hesitated. “Less fun than it might be. So I thought . . . And I did want to say how sorry I was.” His smile faded at the mention of Giulietta’s dead child.
    Lady Giulietta wondered if she should tell him Leo was still alive.

16
    In the hours that followed, Prince Frederick and his small court settled themselves at the Fontego dei Tedeschi, his father’s warehouse just below the Rialto Bridge. Rooms were cleared and stables found for the horses. The land on which the warehouse stood was German, according to the rules governing
fondaci
. The land was German and so were the laws applied inside. By the time night fell – which was early, this being the start of winter – Frederick had made the rounds of his men, checking they were housed properly and settled into their chambers.
    The last thing Frederick did before retiring was send for one of his men and give him a message for his father. Frederick had let Alexa believe he was here without the emperor’s blessing. In fact, he had left court with permission. It was time to make his first report.
    “Yes, highness . . .” The man bowed low.
    Standing at the window a few minutes later, Frederick watched a young wolf skulk out on to the ice of the Canalasso and disappear into the night. The journey across the snows would be brutal, but his message would arrive. If anyone could clear the distance and arrive safely it was them. They were
krieghund
.
    In the same hour, on the