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Chapter 87

"Uncle!" Ezio greeted him, more surprised than anything else. "What are you doing here? Is there trouble in Monteriggioni?"

"I should certainly hope not," Mario laughed. "I've only been gone for a day or so."

"Did you get my letter?"

"I did, and that is why I am here."

"What do you mean? What is going on?"

"Not here," Mario said, looking around the room. "We'll talk in the morning on our way back to Monteriggioni."

"We are not going to Firenze?"

Mario shook his head. "Enjoy your supper, Ezio. I'm going to get some rest. Meet me by the stables in the morning."

He left the room and Ezio waited for the innkeeper to prepare supper for the guests. The younger Assassin was almost too lost in his thoughts to eat, but hunger from a day of travelling got the better of him. For the same reason, when he got to the room that had been prepared for him, he was able to find sleep quickly.

When he woke up, he quickly gathered his belongings and went outside. The sun had already risen and the townspeople were going about their daily business, many recovering from the storm of the previous night. He looked over to the stables and found his uncle untying his horse and ran over to join him.

"Apologies, uncle. It seems I overslept."

"Not to worry, nipote. You'll be better prepared for the journey. If we ride quickly, we can reach Monteriggioni by nightfall."

Ezio nodded and went to prepare his horse. When both men were ready, they set off.

They made sure they were about an hour away from the town before speaking again, just to ensure nobody would be able to hear them.

"We have not heard anything from Firenze in several months," Mario finally informed Ezio. "Both Paola and La Volpe have been silent."

"That isn't like them," Ezio said. "Are they alright?"

"Most likely, sì. They are experienced Assassins who know every inch of that city. Still, this probably means something is wrong."

"Is that why you intercepted me?"

"Precisely. We don't want you in the city until we are certain of what is going on."

"What if it is the man I am looking for? This…Savonarola? If he has the Apple…"

"Then we will know about it soon enough," Mario interrupted.

"What about Paola and La Volpe?"

"They know of its power, just like us. If what you suspect is true, they can handle themselves until they get to a safer place."

Ezio nodded, but he wasn't entirely convinced. From what he had been told, his father was as skilled an Assassin as any, but it didn't save him from the rope, let alone this powerful artifact.

"There is other news," Mario continued. "It's much more troubling, I'm afraid."

"What is it?"

"I've received word from Machiavelli in Roma. Rodrigo Borgia has been elected to the papacy."

"What?!" Ezio stopped his horse for a moment to process this revelation.

"There was little we could do, unfortunately. He bought off most of the cardinals, so, short of killing them, we had no way to stop the election."

"Why don't we ride for Roma, then? If we know where he is, why not kill him and be done with it?"

"Because he has command of an army now, and Il Vaticano is well guarded. We may know where he is, but it does us little good until we can get to him."

Ezio sighed. "Then we must find the Apple before he sends his army to recover it for him."

"Indeed. Then we can find a way to eliminate him."

"The longer he stays under the protection of his guards, the more careless he is likely to become," Ezio thought aloud. "Perhaps this will work to our advantage, in time."

"Now you are thinking like a true Assassin," Mario laughed. "Come, we still have much ground to cover before the sun sets."