Chapter 12 The Russio Mansion and the Exchange
Abby, Scipio, the gang and Ida were sitting in the garden of the church of the merciful sisters listening to one of the nuns talk about the wing. It belonged to a creature on a wooden merry - go - round.
"There are five creatures on it" the nun started
"I know, a lion, a mermaid, a fish man with a big fork, a seahorse and a uni -" Bo was interrupted by Abby.
"A unicorn" She breathed.
A flash of recognition flushed over Abby's memories. She had seen the merry - go - round before, when she was young in the Russio Mansion. She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard the nun spoke
"If a child goes round and round on it they become a adult and if an adult goes round and round on it they become a child again." The nun said.
Scipio and Abby looked at each other. This was the answer to their problems. They're escape plan. Scipio got up and moved toward the nun.
"Does the merry - go - round really work?" Scipio asked the nun standing in the middle of circle.
"Yes, my great- grandmother saw it" the nun answered.
Ida, Abby, Scipio and the gang left the church garden. A little while later Ida, Scipio, Abby, Prosper, Riccio and Mosca were in Ida's boat. They were going to be early to their meeting with the Conte at this rate. The note the Conte left with Barbarossa that Hornet, Prosper and Bo had picked put the day before said 1:00 am sharp. None of them knew what the Conte would think of people who were early.
Abby checked her watch 8:00pm. It was going to take them an hour to reach the meeting point.
"Before we see the Conte can we make a stop. It is about the wing. I want to check something before we hand it over." Abby spoke up, looking at the others.
"Sure, lead the way" Ida said as she turned the wheel following Abby directions.
A little while later the boat stopped in front of Casa Massimo.
"Why are we here" Mosca asked with anger in his voice pointing at Scipio's house.
"No we are not going to Scipio's. We are going into that house" Abby pointed across the Canal.
The house she pointed at, had marble columns around the entrance. It also had gold trim on the roof. The house looked dark and ominous as they all walked up to the door.
"Are you sure you want to do this" Scipio whispered into Abby's ear as he held her hand.
"Yes, we want answers and this place has them." Abby said as she let go of Scipio and walked up to the golden front door.
"Does anyone have a key?" Riccio asked.
"I do" Abby replied fighting back tears. This was the first time she was scared to walk through the door. She didn't want to be right.
Did her parents know about the merry - go - round? Did they ride it? Did they leave her in a horrible life to enjoy their youth again? She pushed the thoughts out of her head, they weren't true. But maybe they knew it existed. The thought lingered as Abby pulled out a golden chain from under her black shirt. There was a medallion hanging from the chain. It had a intricate vine design on it which made the outline of it look like a flower. In the middle was a big sapphire while six smaller sapphires circled it. Abby took the necklace off and walked closer to the door. It was then that Prosper noticed the same design on the front doors, but something was off about the bigger design on the door. The sapphire in the middle had a small hole in it. Abby walked up to design. As she did the rest of the gang and Ida stepped back except Scipio who step up behind Abby. Abby put the medallion into the hole of the sapphire. It fit perfectly. She turned the medallion and the door swung open. She took the necklace out of its place on the door and put it back around her neck tucking it into her black shirt.
"My parents were geniuses and had a flare for the dramatics and magical side." Abby remarked as the gang looked wide eyed at the doors opening by themselves.
"Welcome to Casa Russio, my home" Abby stated grandly as they entered the mansion.
They entered a grand foyer. Their steps echo on the marble floor. The furniture was covered with white cloth. They followed Abby and Scipio into study. The walls were plain dark oak much different than the entrance. The rest of the house looked elegant but simple. Not like the Massimo Mansion.
"My parents did not need their house to look like a jewelry box" Abby stated as she when behind the desk. Scipio followed her.
"Most of the stuff we looted came from this house. Who was going to report it stolen? Me?" She added looking through a giant cherrywood cabinet behind the desk.
She pulled out a large box off one of the shelves. She carried it out to a grand living room that looked more like the entrance than the rest of the house. As she entered the gang saw her stare at a large portrait above the grand fireplace.
"Who are those" Prosper whispered to Scipio as they watched Abby stare at the painting.
In the portrait was a man in his mid thirties, his green eyes stood out against his dark brown straight hair, with his right arm around a woman who was also in her mid thirties, who had brown eyes and blonde curly hair, her left arm was draped over the man's shoulder while her right hand was on her hip. The man's left arm laid proudly on the shoulder of a 10 year old girl. The girl's curly hair matched the woman's but it was the same color has the man's. The girl's eyes were the most beautiful emerald green anyone had ever seen.
"That's my parents and me at 10 years old" Abby said to the group, all of whom were staring at the girl in the painting. Scipio thought she still look that beautiful even at 16.
Abby put the box on the floor and took off the lid.
"She did not lie about being an orphan" Scipio added, staring loving at Abby, who started searching through the box, "her parents died in a tragic boat accident hours after this was painted."
Abby searched through the box it was filled with pictures.
"What are you searching for" Hornet asked as she hunched over Abby's shoulder
"I don't know, but I will know when I see it" Abby replied flipping through pictures.
Finally she stopped and stood up. She held onto a picture tightly and she walked over to Scipio.
"It is real and I think it works. My parents knew about it" Abby said tolding the photo up to Scipio.
In the photo there was Abby's mom and dad standing next to a wooden unicorn which was attached to a wooden circular plank. Other creatures were attached to the wood plank but the one at caught Scipio's attention was the wooden winged lion, which only had one wing.
"We have to go if we are to make your appointment Thief Lords. We will follow the Conte after we give him the wing. " Ida chimed in.
Everyone filed out of the mansion and Abby closed the door. They entered Ida's boat. Abby was the last one to leave the house, but before she entered the she pulled out a key from a silver chain necklace, took it off, locked the door, and put the necklace back on. She then entered the boat.
"Scipio better steer and you, Ida better hide" Mosca said as he pulled a blanket over his shoulders.
Scipio had already put on his mask and was starting the engine. Ida put a blanket over herself to hide from the Conte. Prosper helped Riccio detach the boat from the dock. Scipio pulled away into the middle of the canal, while Abby stood by him, putting her mask on.
They came upon a boat, with a red lantern. This was a the Conte's boat.
After some talking Scipio handed over the wing and the old woman with the Conte gave Scipio the money in a black bag.
"Don't you want to count it Thief Lord" she asked.
Scipio handed the bag to Prosper. Prosper, Riccio, and Mosca opened the bag. There was more money in that bag than anyone on that boat had seen in person. Prosper nodded to Scipio.
"Looks like it is all there, I believe you to be a man of your word." Scipio replied shivering. It was very cold out on the water.
"Goodbye" the Conte said as he and the old woman drove off.
Quietly Ida emerged from her hiding place under the blankets and stood behind the wheel. She effortlessly guided the boat behind the Conte's boat.
The Conte's boat pulled into a boat house on Isola Segreta.
"The Secret Isle" Abby whispered under her breathe, "My parent's boat accident was around here. I always blamed the island, since they said it was haunted."
"No, we are not going closer to a haunted island" Riccio shook his head. There was a hint of fear in his voice.
Ida turned off the engine and the gang just watched as the Conte and the woman got off the boat. They heard dogs barking toward the water and gunshots.
"Everyone down" Ida said as she turned the boat around and drove off.