As the days passed, she saw less and less of him until she wondered if he had simply decided to live in his office. She knew he did come home mostly when she wasn't in because his papers were always moved on his table and occasionally she had seen a few books missing from the bookshelf and then replaced later on.
She spent her days training with Borso and her Uncle was immensely satisfied by the progress she was making. Claudia wasn't sure about her abilities yet, because when she went to bed, all her muscles would ache and she would spend the night tossing and turning in her bed, distracted by the thoughts of where Machiavelli was, to the point that she would be exhausted the next day.
"You need to take your rest." Her Mother would keep reminding her, but the minute she closed her eyes, she would start dreaming about Cesare and then wake up with a start and remember that Machiavelli had told her she was safe. Then she would get depressed when she realized she hadn't seen Machiavelli in weeks.
Two days later, her Uncle came to the house with La Volpe.
"I think it's time we go to Roma." He said. "Claudia is ready to fight once more, aren't you?" He stroked her hair and then turned to La Volpe.
"I have set up my inn there. My thieves are ready to aid you."
"Bene, I have learnt that Bartolomeo is stationed there as well. Now all that is left is the courtesans." Uncle Mario said.
"My spies tell me that the Madame there hasn't been performing her duties well." La Volpe said.
"She will have to be dismissed." Uncle Mario said resolutely. "Once we are there, we'll have to find a replacement."
"Do we have a Hideout?" Claudia asked, opening up a box to put her clothes in.
"Bartolomeo's cousin Fabio will aid us." Uncle Mario said.
Claudia opened the cupboard to remove her weapons. She picked up a dagger, then placed it in her belt. "So have you informed Machiavelli?"
There was a pause for several minutes, but Claudia didn't realize as she gathered her ammunition. "He's in Roma." Her Uncle said, a bit diffidently. "He's been in Roma for the past month."
Claudia dropped the knife with a clatter on the floor. While she bent to pick it up, she could sense her Mother's eyes on her.
"He's in Roma?" she asked, straightening.
"That man is full of secrets." La Volpe said. "He didn't tell his own wife."
Claudia swallowed and then turned to the cupboard again. Machiavelli was in Roma, without her? Why hadn't he told her? He had promised that she would be the one to avenge herself, and now he was in Roma?
She clenched her jaw, picked up a bundle of her clothes and threw them inside the box, trying to ignore the burst of anger rushing through her veins.
"He didn't tell us either." La Volpe continued. "I found out from my spies. That man will no longer receive any help from my thieves."
"La Volpe, do not forget that Machiavelli is an assassin." Uncle Mario said.
"If you want my thieves to help bring down the Borgia, we will not work with Machiavelli." He replied. "I'm only doing this for you and the rest of the Assassins. Not that traitor! I am gathering proof against him and soon you shall see his true colors too."
Claudia contemplated throwing a knife at La Volpe to silence him. His hatred for her husband was starting to irk her. If he didn't shut up, she was afraid she might lash out in the worst possible way.
"We will see you in Roma then." Her Uncle said and then turned away from him. La Volpe muttered under his breath and left.
Claudia closed her box and took a deep breath; finally finding calm after La Volpe had left.
"You are ready to leave?"
Claudia nodded and then frowned. "Si, I have packed all my weapons. Unfortunately I don't have my Hidden blades anymore."
"They took them from you?"
Claudia nodded. "Never mind, I shall ask Leonardo to fashion them for me again."
She saw her Uncle press his lips together and become pale suddenly. It was then that Claudia noticed that ever since she had been found, she hadn't heard from Leonardo at all. Expecting the worst, she had to ask.
"Is he…is Leonardo…safe?"
"I certainly hope so." Her Uncle said.
"What do you mean?"
"Antonio has informed us that Leonardo was taken away by the Borgia to help them. What for, is still a secret to us, although it may be for the Apple." Her Uncle said and then handed her a pouch of money. "Only an intelligent mind such as his, could decipher the mysteries of the Apple."
"I cannot believe no one has told me this." She said, taking the money pouch and putting it in her case. She sat down on her bed, feeling all her muscles tense up. Her husband had gone without informing her and her friend was being forced to work for the Templars. She would have to do everything in her power to help Leonardo. And then a thought occurred to her. "Does Machiavelli know?"
"Probably." Uncle Mario looked at her Mother and they both looked dubious. "Machiavelli hasn't contacted anyone of us."
"But that doesn't mean that La Volpe's words have any truth in them." Her Mother said quickly.
Claudia looked at the both of them, her mouth agape. "Are you both implying that Machiavelli maybe working against us?"
There was a pause again as her Uncle and Mother looked at each other and then at her, as if struggling to confirm their suspicions.
"There is no proof!" Claudia said.
Her Uncle and Mother exchanged another look and Claudia got up, wanting so badly to throw something against the wall and watch it shatter into pieces.
"Just tell me." She demanded.
"He was an ambassador to the Papal court." Her Uncle replied cautiously, as if expecting her to burst into a tirade. "La Volpe's thieves have seen him with Cesare. Apparently he was a personal guest at his court."
"Impossible!" Claudia said. She wanted to scream but to her annoyance, she was closer to tears. "He knows what Cesare did to me. There is no way he would be fraternizing with him."
"There is more." Her Mother said.
Claudia felt her heart sink. What could be more terrible than Machiavelli roaming around with Cesare?
"He was seen with a woman." Her Mother said.
"A woman?"
"La Volpe said her name was Marietta."
Claudia felt her muscles relaxing. "That is his friend." She said.
Her Mother frowned. "Except La Volpe says that his spies have seen them together behaving as if they were a couple."
"Tell me this." Claudia said and clasping her hands tight together. "If you think he's a traitor too, then why defend him when La Volpe accuses him?"
"We will not accept these accusations until they are proven and we've seen it with our own eyes." Uncle Mario said.
"Essato, Claudia." Her Mother said. "We do trust Niccolò, but we cannot turn a blind eye to what we've learnt either. He has been behaving strangely the past few months."
"He has been worried about me." She replied stonily. She still couldn't believe she was hearing these things about Machiavelli but had to admit that it was his secretive ways that always generated only distrust among his peers.
"We know that." Her Uncle said, although his voice was pitchy, as if he were lying.
"No, you don't!" Claudia snapped. "He has been constantly worried about me and hasn't been sleeping nights, plotting revenge against the Borgia. So all of you may throw whatever accusations you want at him, I refuse to even listen to them!"
"Claudia…" Her Mother requested. "I just want you to be prepared for when we find him in Roma."
Claudia picked up her box and her weapons. "I shall be waiting by the docks." She said and strode out of the room, her anger palpitating through her veins.
When she finally reached the docks, she put down her case and folded her arms. It was all La Volpe's fault. He was poisoning everyone's minds and that would be the day when she would let his venomous filth enter her mind.
The other passengers started to board the ship and Claudia followed them, walking to the other side of the deck as her Mother and Uncle climbed aboard. She needed that time to cool her raging temper and also to try not to feel betrayed by Machiavelli for leaving her in Firenze.
His abrupt leave had caused the Assassins to distrust him and she wondered how many more mistakes he had made in Roma. And what was he doing roaming around with Cesare Borgia?
