Chapter 2
My heart was pounding as I burst through the door of Carlos' Blacksmiths. He was waiting for me at the table and as soon as he saw me he jumped to his feet.
"Is it true?" he asked, but before I had a chance to answer his head dropped and his eyes grew dark as coal.
"Thomas Francetti has had them arrested, where he has taken them, I do not know," my face fell as the full impact of what had happened fell on me. I felt sick to my stomach, the worry bubbled and boiled inside of me and soon I was shaking with rage. Carlos put his hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye.
"Do not despair Stephino," he said, trying to be supporting, "I'm sure there is a-" he was cut off as a young urchin ran into the room,
"I've found them, the old ones. They're in the Torre di Nera," the young child exclaimed, "third story, west side,"
My hand went for my sword and in a flash it was at the boy's throat,
"If you speak false I swear," I whispered menacingly at the petrified child,
"Stephino!" snapped Carlos, "control yourself," he pushed the sword's blade from the boy's throat, "this is Pedro, one of my most trusted of informants," the boy smiled nervously, rubbing his throat, "if he says it is, then it is," I looked away, putting away my blade, I held out a hand,
"I apologise for my rashness Pedro," I said, quietly, "It was not my place to doubt you," the young boy shook my hand and smiled sheepishly,
"I never told a lie in me life signore," he said, I nodded face still sullen,
"so now we know where they are, next we have to talk to them," Carlos could always see further than the next step, "if Francetti had them arrested then he probably has the guard up to a maximum,"
"I'll go to father," I said, my gut doing summersaults in anticipation, "I'll cut down anyone who stands in my way,"
"No," said Carlos, "as I said the Torre di Nera is probably at maximum security, you'd be cut down in seconds, despite all of Guiseppe's teaching." He paused, "this will need a great deal of stealth, not to mention silence," I nodded, before turning on my heal and heading for the door,
"Good luck," Pedro called. I reached for the, handle but a soft hand caught my wrist.
"Are you sure about this?" Isabelle asked,
"If it was your family," I said, eyes down, "I know you'd do the same." She nodded in understanding, not looking me in the eye. I kissed her hand, promising to inform her upon my return. Her hand gripped mine as I slipped it from her grasp. Somehow I could tell she didn't want me to go. Leaving her in the door I disappeared into the ever growing darkness.
As soon as I left the house I took to the roof tops. I sprinted like the wind towards the largest tower in the city. This was the Torre di Nera. Home to Trieste's most deadly criminals and villains, the tower was the second most heavily guarded place other than the Palace. This was unlike anything I'd done before. To trespass here meant death. But I had to find my family. My feet carried me forward across the roves, over the gaps, along the beams. Soon the far off rise was now a gigantic wall of stone on top of me. To any normal person, the smooth bricked walls of the tower looked impenetrable. To me, however, it was a pathway. Gathering speed I lept for a cell window, my fingers wrapping around the cool bars. Slowly I climbed, like a spider on the wall. Up, up, up I went, flattening against the wall every time a patrol passed by, soon I was at my father's floor.
"Guiseppe," I called softly, "Giuseppe DeCorta, it's me, your son." Above me there was a shuffle and a hand appeared at the window,
"Stephino?" asked father,
"What is going on?" I asked, "Are you and mother ok?"
"I took a bit of a beating, but your mother is alright. Have you gone to Carlos?" he asked.
"Yes I… wait..." the penny dropped, "you knew this would happen?"
"Not at this cost and not like this," my father seemed genuinely traumatised, "but there is no time for that now," I was confused and hurt at the same time, my father had known about this but done nothing. I couldn't believe it
"What is the meaning of this? You must tell me,"
"There's no time," my father was almost beside himself, "Stephino you must listen, go to my study, in the desk is a small leaver. Pull it. This opens a compartment. Beyond the compartment is a box, open it. Take everything inside to Carlos, tell him that this is my legacy. Do you understand?" I nodded, "good, Inside the box is also a set of documents. These are the names of all those responsible. But at the moment it will all seem foreign, but all of this is important,"
"But father,"
"No Stephino, this is important, you must do everything I have said to you." There was a clang and the sound of feet,
"Quick go, before you're caught,"
"I swear I will find who has done this," with that I let go of the bars.
After climbing out of the hay I set off at run towards the villa. It was past midnight and the only people on the streets were ghosts. As I weaved in and out of the tight streets and vaulted over boxes, the searing worry that all was lost for my mother and father was almost over whelming. To be put in the Torre di Nera meant an imminent death sentence. At the time I had no idea of my father's past but as I came to my street, I remembered all the comings and goings from my father's visitors. Some of whom had been armed to the teeth. Pushing oven the door to the villa, I tried to concentrate. It took me some time to get the secret door open but when I did, two arms of the Book case stretched out too me, as if welcoming me home. In the space was a stair-case, which wound down into the darkness below. Lighting a candle, I took it with me. The deeper I got, the faster my heart pounded. I couldn't believe the scale at which my father had his secrets. Further and further I went, until the ground levelled out and I reached what seemed like a circular room. To my immediate left and right were two fire baths, which ignited instantly as I touched the candle to their skin. What I saw both shocked, and amazed me. Before me was indeed a spherical room, with seven huge Statues located around the borders, chests of gold, jewels and other precious things lay scattered about with a massive chest in the centre. The flame light flickered and moved treacherously however I didn't pay much attention to the mystic names upon the statues. Slowly I moved towards the box in the centre. The chest it's self was antique. A mahogany casket with the DeCorta coat of arms engraved on the lid, below a symbol I didn't understand. I tried the lid. It was unlocked. Cautiously I pulled open the lid, letting it rest back on its hinges.
Reaching inside, I pulled out a pearl white cloak and lay it on the lid, letting the material drape over the side. Next came a jacket rather like my own. I put it beside the cloak and reached back inside the casket. Two silver wrist bands caught my eye. Each was or ornately designed with the same strange symbol as the box embossed on top. The base was strange but I didn't examine it closely. As well was a beautiful curved knife, finely placed in a white leather back-sheath. I drew the shimmering blade, reflecting the flickering flames wickedly. I pulled the straps around my back and secured the blade in place. Finally there were the documents. They were wrapped in a brown leather pouch, for protection. I stuffed the pouches into the pockets of my jacket and wrapped what was left in the cloak. Taking one last look into the chamber, I left. With more questions than I had answers.
Back in the blacksmiths I lay the items on the table, rattling off questions to Carlos, who stared blankly off into the void. Finally, when my questions had flooded into silence, spoke.
"Do you know what your father is?"
"He's a merchant and a sailor," I said in sure what he meant
"Yes," he said softly, "and no. What do you know of the order of assassins?"
"I've heard legends and stories but I thought they died out ages ago..."
Carlos laughed, "Dead? We are very much alive."
"Wait," I said, the penny finally dropping, "you're not," I trailed off
"Nothing is true Stephino," he said, picking up one of the silver wrist braces. He pressed the tiny leaver, and a metal blade shot out, with a sickening slick, "it is only permitted." He smiled and stood up proudly, "I am the second in command for the assassin order here, in Trieste. Second, only to your father." I was shocked, Carlos didn't seem surprised of the shock, and "he has an excellent talent for hiding the truth. Although he didn't seem it, he was probably the best assassin since Altiär, many years ago. You have your place among our order too. But that comes later. For now you must sleep, you need your strength." He pressed the leaver on the brace again and the knife retracted. "Tomorrow we train. Tomorrow night, we plan. And then we save your family." He chucked both braces to me, "or you kill Francetti"