"Believe it or don't. If it turns out to be false, it's no loss to you either way, Miss Marchetti."

After Sienna left, I curled into the corner of the bed, my body burning with fever, my lower abdomen seized with stabbing pain. No one came.

Looking back now, meeting Cesare Delgado was the single greatest regret of my life.

Through the haze of unconsciousness, I caught a blurred glimpse of colored flares arcing past the window, their light bleeding through the curtains in reds and greens that only someone raised inside the Valente compound would recognize.

Only then did I let out a breath and smile.

Long ago, my father and I had made a pact: whenever the colored flares went up, it meant I was in danger, and someone would come to take me away.

At some point, Cesare appeared. He sat at the edge of my bed for a long time.

When he saw me open my eyes, he touched my forehead. "The fever's broken. Come on, sit up and have some porridge."

I struggled upright. "Sienna came. She forced an entire bowl of that sterilizing concoction down my throat. Did you know?"

Cesare's expression faltered for a moment. He lowered his gaze. "I knew."

"You knew?"

I clenched every muscle in my body to keep the tears from falling.

He reached for my hand. I pulled away.

"Serafina, she was only protecting herself. If you'd given birth, where would that leave her and her child? It's only human nature."

I let out a hollow laugh. Human nature. What a convenient excuse.

Cesare set the bowl down and continued. "After Sienna went home, she had terrible stomach pains. It's possible our child's spirit unsettled her..."

He looked at me, hesitating, then pressed on.

"There's a priest at the Chapel of Santa Maria della Croce. Go to him and ask him to perform rites for the child's soul. Then climb all nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine steps on your hands and knees, one bow per step, and bring back a blessed charm for Sienna. Do that, and we can put this whole matter behind us. Alright?"

I stared at him, my eyes burning red.

"Cesare Delgado, you and I are finished. If you want a blessed charm, go get it yourself."

I dragged myself off the bed, trying to leave this wretched place.

He blocked my path.