as Lion leaned back and
stretched his legs out before him, his gaze on the fire. "Ruling all the city-states of Italy
would only whet Damari's appetite. He thinks to reign over the world." Lion's lips
tightened. "But he'll not use the Wind Dancer to buy him more power."
"The Wind Dancer?"
"A statue belonging to my family." In the firelight Lion's rugged features were softened
to real handsomeness in sharp contrast to the bitter tone of his voice. "While I was away
in France negotiating the purchase of another shipyard, he bribed one of my servants at
Mandara, a man called Giuseppe, to steal it and bring it to him. He's now keeping the
statue at his palazzo at Solinari."
"How do you know?"
"Lorenzo and I chased down Giuseppe and asked him a number of pertinent questions.
He was delighted to answer... eventually."
Sanchia, shivered and looked away from the stark brutality of his expression. "If the
statue is yours, why don't you just march in and take it? Lorenzo said you were a
condottiere."
"It may come to that. However, I disbanded my armies two years ago and it would take a
good deal of time to form another condotti. I do not wish to bring Damari, even Borgia
perhaps, down on Mandara until I have a chance to refortify. Mandara is well guarded
but not strong enough to withstand a thrust by Borgia."
"Borgia?" Her gaze flew back to his face.
"Oh, you've heard of the illustrious Duke Valentino?" Lion's lips twisted. "But of course.
All of Italy knows of the great Cesare."
"Yes, I've heard of him." Who in Florence was not familiar with the name? Borgia had
been eyeing Florence with greed and speculation for many years and, after his recently
completed conquest of the Romagna, every week there had been a new rumor that the
duke was on the march to lay siege to the city. "I've heard that he wishes to rule all Italy,
but who is this Damari?"
"Damari is a condottiere who is now serving under Borgia's banner. They have similar
goals and similar methods for obtaining them."
Sanchia didn't have to ask the nature of those methods. The ruthless slaughter of women
and children, the maiming of innocents by the captains serving Borgia had become
legend over the years. "Then why do you not let him have the statue? You can buy
others."
"There is no other statue like it in the world. It's part of my family history." His voice
vibrated with intensity. "We guard it." He paused. "And it guards us."
"I don't understand."
"You don't have to understand. All you have to do is go to the palazzo, steal the key from
the officer on guard, and bring it to me."
"It sounds very simple."
Lion's hands closed on the arms of his chair. "We'll make it so. No harm will come to
you, I promise."
"I take comfort from your promise. I fear I'd not look forward to facing your Messer
Damari. Men such as he don't regard the life of a slave as having any more value than a
cool drink of water." She lifted her shoulder and let it drop expressively. "Less, if they
have no thirst."
"Just do what I say and you'll not even see Damari. We've laid a path of gold to get into
the palazzo and buy the information as to the location of the store house where Damari
keeps his treasures."
"And you're sure Damari will have your Wind Dancer there?"
He smiled crookedly. "Oh yes, it will be there. Damari regards the Wind Dancer as the
ultimate treasure."
"Why?" Sanchia took a final sip of wine before setting the wooden goblet on the hearth.
"You said it was important to your family, but why should it be important to him?"
"Because it belongs to me," Lion said grimly. "And he knows I want it back. He knows I
have
to get it back."
"But why would Borgia let himself be swayed by Damari into protecting it?"
"The pope is a greedy man and dazzled by all things ancient and classical. Pope
Alexander's treasury grows daily with the loot Cesare brings to Rome from his conquests.
As long as Cesare continues to send him such treasure Alexander will protect his clever
son and give
stretched his legs out before him, his gaze on the fire. "Ruling all the city-states of Italy
would only whet Damari's appetite. He thinks to reign over the world." Lion's lips
tightened. "But he'll not use the Wind Dancer to buy him more power."
"The Wind Dancer?"
"A statue belonging to my family." In the firelight Lion's rugged features were softened
to real handsomeness in sharp contrast to the bitter tone of his voice. "While I was away
in France negotiating the purchase of another shipyard, he bribed one of my servants at
Mandara, a man called Giuseppe, to steal it and bring it to him. He's now keeping the
statue at his palazzo at Solinari."
"How do you know?"
"Lorenzo and I chased down Giuseppe and asked him a number of pertinent questions.
He was delighted to answer... eventually."
Sanchia, shivered and looked away from the stark brutality of his expression. "If the
statue is yours, why don't you just march in and take it? Lorenzo said you were a
condottiere."
"It may come to that. However, I disbanded my armies two years ago and it would take a
good deal of time to form another condotti. I do not wish to bring Damari, even Borgia
perhaps, down on Mandara until I have a chance to refortify. Mandara is well guarded
but not strong enough to withstand a thrust by Borgia."
"Borgia?" Her gaze flew back to his face.
"Oh, you've heard of the illustrious Duke Valentino?" Lion's lips twisted. "But of course.
All of Italy knows of the great Cesare."
"Yes, I've heard of him." Who in Florence was not familiar with the name? Borgia had
been eyeing Florence with greed and speculation for many years and, after his recently
completed conquest of the Romagna, every week there had been a new rumor that the
duke was on the march to lay siege to the city. "I've heard that he wishes to rule all Italy,
but who is this Damari?"
"Damari is a condottiere who is now serving under Borgia's banner. They have similar
goals and similar methods for obtaining them."
Sanchia didn't have to ask the nature of those methods. The ruthless slaughter of women
and children, the maiming of innocents by the captains serving Borgia had become
legend over the years. "Then why do you not let him have the statue? You can buy
others."
"There is no other statue like it in the world. It's part of my family history." His voice
vibrated with intensity. "We guard it." He paused. "And it guards us."
"I don't understand."
"You don't have to understand. All you have to do is go to the palazzo, steal the key from
the officer on guard, and bring it to me."
"It sounds very simple."
Lion's hands closed on the arms of his chair. "We'll make it so. No harm will come to
you, I promise."
"I take comfort from your promise. I fear I'd not look forward to facing your Messer
Damari. Men such as he don't regard the life of a slave as having any more value than a
cool drink of water." She lifted her shoulder and let it drop expressively. "Less, if they
have no thirst."
"Just do what I say and you'll not even see Damari. We've laid a path of gold to get into
the palazzo and buy the information as to the location of the store house where Damari
keeps his treasures."
"And you're sure Damari will have your Wind Dancer there?"
He smiled crookedly. "Oh yes, it will be there. Damari regards the Wind Dancer as the
ultimate treasure."
"Why?" Sanchia took a final sip of wine before setting the wooden goblet on the hearth.
"You said it was important to your family, but why should it be important to him?"
"Because it belongs to me," Lion said grimly. "And he knows I want it back. He knows I
have
to get it back."
"But why would Borgia let himself be swayed by Damari into protecting it?"
"The pope is a greedy man and dazzled by all things ancient and classical. Pope
Alexander's treasury grows daily with the loot Cesare brings to Rome from his conquests.
As long as Cesare continues to send him such treasure Alexander will protect his clever
son and give
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