Amelia stirred, her mind drifting up from a dark, dreamless sleep. Her body felt like it was wrapped in lead, heavy and unresponsive. For a moment, she couldn't quite place where she was. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of herbs and clean linen. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the light that filtered through a small, curtained window.
The room around her was simple but neat—a small bed, a few wooden shelves lined with jars and tinctures, and a fireplace crackling softly in the corner. The warmth of the fire was welcome, but she still felt a lingering chill deep in her bones. She tried to push herself up, but a sharp pain in her side made her gasp, and she fell back against the pillows with a wince.
"Amelia!" A voice broke through the haze, familiar and filled with relief. Leonardo's face appeared above her, his expression a mix of joy and worry. "You're awake! Grazie a Dio, I was starting to fear the worst."
Amelia managed a weak smile, though the effort made her head spin. "Leo... where...?"
"You're safe," he reassured her quickly, his hands hovering as if he wanted to help her sit up but wasn't sure if he should. "We made it to Forlì. The doctor here has been taking care of you—he's one of the best in the region. He's been monitoring your wound, and... and you're going to be alright." The words tumbled out of him in a rush, as if he'd been holding them in for far too long.
Amelia let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, but the relief was quickly overshadowed by a new worry. She gripped Leonardo's arm, her voice tight with anxiety. "Ezio... where is he? Is he all right?"
Leonardo's face softened, but there was a shadow in his eyes. "I haven't seen him since he left us at the pass. But don't worry, Amelia. I'm sure he's fine. He's tougher than most, you know that." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, but she could see the concern he tried to hide.
"I need to know, Leo. I need to see him," she insisted, her voice cracking slightly with desperation. The thought of something happening to Ezio, of him being out there alone and injured—it gnawed at her, twisting her insides worse than the pain from her wound.
Leonardo nodded, his expression turning serious. "I'll go to the docks. If he's arrived, I'll bring him here myself. Just... please, stay here and rest, all right? The doctor said you shouldn't be moving around yet."
Amelia managed a small nod, though her heart still pounded with worry. As Leonardo gathered his coat and left the room, she forced herself to lie back against the pillows, focusing on the sound of the fire and the rhythmic ticking of a clock in the corner. Every second seemed to stretch into eternity, her mind conjuring images of all the things that could have gone wrong.
She didn't know how much time had passed—minutes, maybe an hour—when the door finally creaked open again. She turned her head, hope surging in her chest, and there he was.
Ezio stepped into the room alone, his clothes travel-worn and stained with dirt, but relief washed over his features the moment his eyes found hers. He crossed the room in two strides, dropping to one knee beside her bed, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek gently. "Amelia... you're awake," he breathed, his voice rough with emotion.
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, but she laughed softly, her voice trembling with both relief and pain. "I thought... I thought you might not make it back. Leo said—"
"I'm here now," he interrupted, his forehead leaning down to touch hers, just as he had in that tender moment before the chase. "I'm not going anywhere."
She closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of his touch, the solid presence of him beside her. It felt like a dream, too fragile to be real, but she clung to it with everything she had. "I'm so glad you're safe, Ezio," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.
He let out a shaky laugh, the sound full of unspoken relief. "And you... You gave us quite a scare, you know that? You should have seen Leonardo in that mountain pass—I thought he would pass out from worry. But he kept you alive, like he promised."
Leonardo cleared his throat from the doorway, stepping inside with a sheepish smile. "I see you found your way here, Ezio. And just in time to. Our dear Amelia has been rather impatient to see you."
Ezio glanced back at Leonardo with a grateful nod, but his hand never left Amelia's. "Thank you, Leo. I owe you—"
Leonardo waved him off, though his smile turned more serious as he moved closer to inspect Amelia's bandages. "No need for thanks, Ezio. I'm just glad I could help." He turned his attention to Amelia, placing a hand on the top of her head affectionately like a brother. His expression softened as he took in her pale face. "You're very lucky, you know," he murmured, adjusting the cloth on her forehead that was keepingher fever down. "Another hour and... well, I'm not sure even I could have done much then."
Amelia swallowed hard, meeting Leonardo's gaze. She could see the weight of those words in his eyes, the truth he didn't want to dwell on. "Thank you, Leo. For everything."
Leonardo's smile returned, small but genuine. "Just promise me you'll take it easy for a while, hmm? No more adventures until you're fully healed."
She tried to laugh, but the effort pulled at the stitches in her side, making her wince. Ezio's grip tightened on her hand, his face etched with concern. "Easy, Amelia. You're still recovering."
She caught the edge of a smirk on his lips, though, and she couldn't help but tease him, even through the pain. "You're one to talk. You look like you wrestled a bear out there."
He chuckled softly, but the sound was full of relief. "It wasn't a bear. Just a few overzealous Borgia soldiers. I think I handled them pretty well."
Leonardo shook his head with an amused sigh. "You two will be the death of me, I swear. But for now, I'll leave you to rest. Try not to give each other any more gray hairs, all right?"
As Leonardo slipped out of the room, Ezio turned his full attention back to her, his thumb brushing gently over her knuckles. He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper meant just for her ears. "You're safe now, Amelia. I promise."
Amelia let her eyes drift closed, holding on to the warmth of his touch, the steady rhythm of his breath. In that moment, with Ezio beside her and Leonardo keeping watch, she allowed herself to believe that everything might just be all right.
The next morning Amelia found herself trying to keep her breathing steady as she leaned against the rail of the dock, the morning mist curling around her and the scent of salt heavy in the air. Her side ached fiercely, the wound a constant throb beneath the bandages, each step a reminder of how close she had come to losing everything. She focused on the distant horizon, where the sea met the sky, and tried to steady the anxious flutter in her chest. She had survived the worst of it, she reminded herself, but the shadow of her injury lingered like a ghost, haunting her every movement.
Ezio and Leonardo spoke to the sailor about boarding, their voices low and determined, but the quiet clamor of the docks and the clanking of chains from the ships around them made it hard to catch every word. Amelia caught fragments of the conversation, enough to piece together that the ship's captain wasn't keen on letting them board without the proper paperwork. She glanced at Ezio as he turned to her, his brow furrowed in thought. Despite the pain gnawing at her side, she managed a small, tired smile for him, knowing he was worried about her. He had been more protective than usual since she had been stabbed, as if afraid that letting her out of his sight for a moment might mean losing her again.
"You look like you're about to march into battle, Ezio," she teased softly, trying to lighten the mood despite the lingering tightness in her voice.
Ezio's expression softened as he looked at her, and he reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear with a tenderness that made her heart twist. "You're not the only one who gets to worry, Amelia," he replied, his voice low. "I'm not putting you on this ship if you're not ready."
She swallowed, trying to ignore the way his touch sent a warmth through her that had nothing to do with the morning sun. "I'll be fine. We don't have time to waste. We need to get to Venice, remember?"
Before he could argue further, the sailor interrupted, demanding a pass that neither of them had. And then, in the midst of their negotiations, a woman's voice pierced through the air, desperate and urgent. Amelia straightened slightly, wincing as the movement pulled at the stitches in her side. Ezio's gaze snapped to the source of the noise, and he exchanged a quick look with her before rushing off toward the woman dangling from the dockside structure. She watched him go, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite herself. He always had to play the hero.
As she leaned back against a nearby crate, the pain flaring in her side again, Amelia tried to distract herself from the ache with thoughts of what lay ahead. Venice, with its labyrinth of canals and shadowy alleys, held promise but also danger. They needed allies, but more than that, they needed time. Time for her to heal, time to regain their strength. She pressed a hand to her side, feeling the warm, sticky dampness where her bandages had shifted. She grimaced but forced herself to breathe through it.
Leonardo's voice broke through her thoughts, his tone filled with a mix of exasperation and concern. "Amelia, I truly don't think this is wise. You shouldn't be traveling in your condition. It's far too soon. Your wound—"
She shook her head, cutting him off with a determined look. "We don't have a choice, Leo. Borgia's men are still out there, and I'm not going to be a sitting target."
Leonardo sighed, wringing his hands as he glanced between her and the approaching ship. "If you insist on this madness, at least promise me you'll rest once you're on board. I don't want to lose you, Amelia."
A pang of guilt hit her at the worry in his voice, but she managed a reassuring smile. "I promise, Leonardo. I'll rest as soon as we're safely away from here."
She tried to keep her tone light, but the truth was, she was struggling to push through the pain, each step reminding her how close she still was to the edge of collapse. As she watched Ezio return with the mysterious woman, Caterina, her jaw tightened involuntarily at the sight of their easy smiles and shared banter.
Caterina's words carried easily over the bustling docks. "Oh, you're good. The ladies must like you."
Amelia looked away, trying to ignore the jealousy that twisted inside her like a knife. She had never thought of herself as the type to feel insecure, but seeing someone else so effortlessly capture Ezio's attention made her feel more vulnerable than any blade. She clutched the edge of her cloak tighter around her, trying to keep her expression neutral as Ezio and Caterina exchanged their pleasantries. Leo reached over and placed his hand on her shoulder, seeing her discomfort with the situation. She reached up and squeezed his fingers in thank you, but let go just as quickly.
When Ezio returned, his gaze immediately sought hers, and Amelia tried to hide the way her heart leapt at the concern she saw in his eyes. He stepped closer, his voice dropping as he murmured, "You're sure you're up for this?"
Amelia forced a small, wry smile, even as the ache in her side flared again. "I'm tougher than I look, Ezio."
He gave her a long, searching look, his hand lingering on her arm for a moment longer than necessary before he nodded. "Indeed you are. Come on then, leoncina(little lion)."
Leonardo hovered nearby, still looking uncertain, but he let out a resigned sigh as he helped steady her as they made their way toward the ship. The sailor waved them on board, his previous sternness replaced with a deferential nod, and they finally moved toward their destination.
As they stepped onto the ship, the salty breeze tugging at her hair, Amelia couldn't help but cast a last glance back at the town they were leaving behind. It was strange to feel so torn—between the safety she craved and the urgency of the mission that drove her forward. But as Ezio moved beside her, the warmth of his presence offering an unspoken reassurance, she allowed herself to hope that they might finally be gaining the upper hand, even if just for a moment.
But the image of Caterina's lingering smile and the way it had made her chest tighten followed her as they boarded. And as she settled into the cabin, trying to find a position that didn't pull painfully at her stitches, she couldn't help but wonder if the growing distance between herself and Ezio was something she'd have to face sooner than she'd expected.