The air crackled with the anticipation that hung over the rooftops of Venice. The sky above was awash in deepening shades of indigo, and the fires that Antonio's men had carefully set across the city rooftops glowed like embers in the growing darkness. The warm light from the flames flickered across Amelia's face as she stood with Antonio and Leonardo, watching Ezio make final preparations with the flying machine. She crossed her arms, her gaze shifting between the contraption and the distant silhouette of the Palazzo Ducale.
Ezio adjusted the straps of the glider with focused precision, a determined look etched into his features. Amelia watched him, feeling a twinge of anxiety that she couldn't quite shake. She knew the risks he was about to take—flying across the city, dodging arrows, and hoping Leonardo's invention would keep him in the air. Yet, beneath her worry, a quiet faith in him lingered. He had survived so much already. He had to come back.
Antonio's voice broke through the hum of the city below. "It's time."
Leonardo stepped forward, a spark of pride mingling with nervous energy in his eyes. "You did it, Ezio! It's beautiful!" He gestured towards the glider, his enthusiasm barely contained. "Fly from fire to fire, the heat will lift you back up. Just remember, you need to catch the updrafts from each one."
Ezio glanced toward the glow of the distant fires, then back to Leonardo. "Bene. Got it."
Antonio nodded, his expression serious. "But be careful. There are archers on the rooftops tonight. Avoid their arrows, or this will be a very short trip, amico mio."
Ezio's mouth twitched into a grin, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I wish there was some way I could use my sword while flying this thing."
Leonardo hesitated, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Well... you do have your feet free. If you can get close enough—without, you know, taking an arrow in the head—perhaps you could kick them off the rooftops?"
Ezio's grin widened, a hint of mischief creeping into his eyes. "Nice."
Amelia watched the exchange, feeling the familiar twist in her chest that came whenever he threw himself into these reckless plans. As he stepped closer to the edge, ready to take flight, she moved forward, catching his arm. "Ezio," she said softly, her voice carrying more concern than she intended. "Just... be careful, alright?"
He turned to her, his expression softening for a moment. He reached up, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, his fingers lingering against her cheek. "You know me, Amelia. I'll be back before you know it." He shot her a confident wink, and despite herself, she managed a small smile. Leaning up quickly, she left a kiss on his cheek for good luck.
She released his arm, stepping back as he took his place by the glider. Antonio and Leonardo gave him final nods, and with a deep breath, Ezio leapt into the night sky, the wings catching the first burst of heated air from the fires below.
Amelia's breath caught as she watched him ascend, her heart pounding in time with the beat of the glider's wings. He soared across the cityscape, a shadow against the flames. Leonardo and Antonio continued to watch him, their expressions tense, while she found herself uttering a silent prayer that he would reach the Palazzo safely.
With Ezio gone, the night grew quieter. The distant crackle of flames and the occasional shouts from guards on the streets below filled the silence. Antonio turned his attention to Amelia, gesturing for her to follow as they moved to a safer vantage point to observe. Rosa joined them, her usual flippant demeanor giving way to something more genuine as they settled on a secluded rooftop.
Rosa shot Amelia a sidelong glance, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "So, Amelia... how long have you and Ezio been working together?"
Amelia tensed slightly, caught off guard by the question. "A while," she replied cautiously, watching Rosa's expression closely. "Since Firenze, actually. But we're just... partners." Even as she said it, the words felt inadequate, like they couldn't quite capture the complexities of what she felt.
Rosa raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "He's loyal to you, you know. It's obvious in the way he looks at you. I'll admit I was a little jealous at first... But I can see now that his heart's already spoken for." She gave a light laugh, though it lacked its usual sharpness. "I'm sorry for flirting with him before. I didn't realize."
Amelia blinked, her mind racing to process Rosa's words. She had never considered that Ezio's loyalty might be something more than camaraderie, but hearing it from someone else made her heart skip a beat. "It's... complicated," she said finally, glancing away, her cheeks warming under the scrutiny. "We haven't... talked about any of that."
Rosa's smile softened. "Maybe you should. Life's too short, especially for people like us."
Before Amelia could respond, Antonio spoke up, his tone turning more somber as he shifted the subject. "Your father... Matteo... he was a great man. He helped a lot of people back in the day. I always thought he'd be proud of what we've managed to do here in Venezia. How is he? I haven't heard from him in a few years."
The mention of her father's name sent a sharp pang through Amelia's chest, and she struggled to keep her expression steady. She hesitated for a moment, then drew in a breath, steeling herself. "He... He died, Antonio. A few years ago now. The Templars... they got to him."
Antonio's face fell, his expression shifting from surprise to sorrow. He reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Amelia. I didn't know."
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay composed. The memory of her father was still a raw wound, but she wasn't about to let it consume her now. "Thank you. But I think he'd want me to keep fighting... to help Ezio and the others stop this madness." Her voice wavered slightly, but she managed to hold firm.
Antonio nodded, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "He would. And you're doing him proud, Amelia."
She offered a tight-lipped smile, grateful for the kindness but not wanting to dwell on the loss. With a deep breath, she straightened, her eyes focusing on the distant Palazzo Ducale where Ezio's silhouette was barely visible against the glow of the city. "I should get closer to the Palazzo," she said, her tone turning more businesslike as she sought to regain control. "If something goes wrong, he'll need help making his escape."
Rosa nodded, stepping back to give her room. "Stay safe, Amelia."
She shot them both a brief nod, then slipped into the shadows, her mind already shifting to the task ahead. The city streets below were filled with soldiers and tension, and she moved like a wraith among the alleyways, keeping out of sight as she made her way closer to the Palazzo. Her thoughts lingered on Ezio, on the way he had faced the impossible time and time again. She just hoped that this time, luck would be on his side.
As she took up her new position, hidden within a shadowed alcove near the Palazzo's edge, she scanned the skies for any sign of him. The night air was cool against her skin, carrying the distant sounds of the city's unrest. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she knew that whatever came next, she would be ready to face it.
The minutes dragged on, each one heavier than the last. And then, in the distance, she caught sight of movement—a dark figure against the firelit sky, Ezio's glider swooping toward the Palazzo. She held her breath, willing him to make it, to carry through with their plan. But deep down, she knew that whatever happened, she would be there to fight alongside him, as she always had. Amelia pressed her back against a wall, her heart thudding in her chest as she strained to catch any sound that might indicate Ezio's approach. She knew tonight's mission was dangerous—perhaps the most dangerous one yet. Ezio was inside the Palazzo Ducale, and the Doge was dead. All it would take was one guard spotting him near the body for everything to fall apart.
She caught a glimpse of movement down the alley—a figure darting between the shadows. Ezio. He emerged from the darkness, his breath coming in ragged gasps, the tension etched into every line of his face. She immediately saw the strain in his expression, the haunted look that spoke of things going wrong.
"Ezio!" she called softly, stepping forward from the shadows. Her voice was urgent, her eyes scanning the empty street behind him. "What happened? Are you—"
"They saw me, Amelia," he interrupted, his voice low but fierce. "They found the body, and they saw me." He paused, taking a breath to steady himself. "I need to get out of here. Now."
Her stomach twisted with fear, but she forced herself to stay focused, her mind racing. She grabbed his arm, pulling him into the deeper shadows as voices echoed in the distance—guard voices, barking commands. "There's a route by the eastern canals. Fewer guards that way. If you move fast, you might be able to—"
"I can't just run through the city, Amelia. They've got every street locked down," he replied, glancing back toward the growing noise. She saw the struggle in his eyes—his need to stay and fight against the reality that it was too late for that.
Her hand tightened on his arm, her voice dropping to a fierce whisper. "You don't have a choice. If they catch you, it's over. You need to disappear, Ezio. Go somewhere safe."
He hesitated, the weight of the decision hanging heavy between them. She saw the conflict in his eyes, the fight between the desire to stay and the knowledge that he had to leave. Finally, he nodded, his jaw set with grim determination. "You're right," he said, his voice rough. "But I hate leaving you behind like this."
She offered a tight, brave smile, though her heart ached at the thought of him going. "I'll be fine. Antonio and Rosa need help keeping things in order here. I'll stay in Venice, work with them... make sure the Templars don't gain any more ground. You just focus on staying alive."
For a moment, there was silence, the weight of unspoken words lingering between them. Amelia could feel the pressure of time slipping away, the urgency that clawed at her chest as the guards' shouts grew nearer. She reached up, touching his cheek lightly, her expression softening despite the tension. "Just... promise me you'll come back," she said, her voice barely more than a breath.
His gaze softened as he covered her hand with his, leaning into her touch for the briefest of moments. "I promise, Amelia. I'll come back, no matter how long it takes."
She forced a smile, even as a lump rose in her throat. "And when you do, I'll be right here, probably knee-deep in trouble without you to bail me out."
He chuckled, though the sound was tinged with sadness. "I'd expect nothing less."
As they stood there in the shadows, the urgency of the situation pressing in on them, Amelia's heart twisted with a sense of finality. The guards' voices drew closer, but in that moment, all she could focus on was Ezio, the man who had become her closest ally, her constant presence, and more than she had ever allowed herself to admit.
Without thinking, she reached up, cupping his face in her hands. He looked at her with a mixture of surprise and something softer, deeper, in his eyes—something that made her pulse quicken despite the danger surrounding them. She could feel the roughness of his stubble beneath her fingers, the warmth of his skin, and the rapid beat of his heart matching her own.
"Just come back to me," she whispered, her voice cracking despite her attempt to stay strong.
He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, she closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his in a sudden, desperate kiss. It wasn't soft or tentative—there wasn't time for that. It was fierce and urgent, filled with all the words she couldn't say, all the fears she couldn't voice. She felt his breath hitch in surprise, but then his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer as he returned the kiss with equal intensity.
For a moment, the world around them seemed to disappear, and all that existed was the warmth of his lips, the steady strength of his embrace, and the bittersweet taste of goodbye. It was a promise and a plea, a way to hold onto him even as she knew she had to let him go.
When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting together as if neither of them could quite bear to let go yet. She saw the raw emotion in his eyes, the unspoken words that lingered between them, and she felt her own resolve falter.
"Amelia…" he began, his voice rough with emotion, but she shook her head, forcing a smile through the ache in her chest, and the tears in her eyes.
"Just go, Ezio. Before I change my mind and decide to run with you," she said, her voice barely steady, even as tears stung at the corners of her eyes.
He nodded, a small, pained smile tugging at his lips. "I'll come back, I swear it," he promised again, his voice low and fierce, as if he could will the words into being.
With a final squeeze of her hand, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, the dark alleys swallowing him up. Amelia watched until he vanished from sight, her hand brushing against her lips where his kiss still lingered, warm and bittersweet.
The voices of the guards grew louder, closer now, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. As he disappeared from sight, she turned her attention to the guards approaching the palazzo, slipping out of her hiding place and leading them in the wrong direction. She could hear the tension in their voices as they searched for the assassin, but by the time they reached the alley where she had hidden with Ezio, he was already gone.
Amelia's heart pounded in her chest, still echoing with the feeling of Ezio's kiss—a kiss that had felt like both a goodbye and a promise. But there was no time to dwell on that now. The reality of the danger pressed in on her as she positioned herself in the shadows of a narrow alley, her blades at the ready. It was up to her to keep the guards focused on her, to buy him the time he needed to get away. She drew in a breath, steadying herself, and then stepped into the path of the oncoming guards, making herself visible just enough to catch their attention.
"There she is!" one of them shouted, pointing a sword in her direction. "She's one of the assassins! Don't let her escape!"
Amelia smirked, forcing a bravado she didn't quite feel as she raised her daggers, letting the moonlight catch on their polished edges. "Come and try, bastardi (bastards)," she taunted, her voice carrying over the clamor of footsteps.
The first guard lunged at her, and she twisted aside, her blade finding the gap in his armor with a swift, practiced strike. He crumpled to the ground, but the others surged forward, their swords cutting through the air toward her. She spun and blocked, deflecting the blows as best as she could, but they were relentless, pressing in on her from all sides.
Her muscles burned with the effort, and she could feel sweat beading on her brow as she danced between strikes, her movements growing more desperate with every passing second. The guards were well-trained, their attacks coordinated, and they fought with the cold efficiency of men who knew they had the advantage in numbers. For every guard she took down, another seemed to take his place.
She gritted her teeth as a blade grazed her arm, the pain biting through her focus. She retaliated with a fierce slash, forcing the guard back, but the others closed in around her. Panic clawed at the edges of her mind—she couldn't let herself be overwhelmed, not now, not when Ezio needed her to keep them occupied. Amelia felt herself being driven back, her breathing turning ragged as the guards continued to press their assault. Her arms ached from parrying their blows, and a fierce strike to her side sent her stumbling, her vision swimming for a moment as pain lanced through her ribs. Her back hit the stone wall of the alley, and she realized with a sick twist of fear that she was cornered.
One of the guards smirked, his sword raised for a killing blow. "Nowhere to run, little assassin," he sneered.
Amelia's grip tightened on her daggers, her mind racing for a way out. She wouldn't go down easily, even if this was the end. She braced herself, ready to make one last desperate stand—
But then, the sound of running footsteps reached her ears, and a familiar voice called out, sharp with urgency. "Get away from her!"
Rosa appeared at the mouth of the alley, an arrow already nocked to her bow. She loosed it without hesitation, the arrow finding its mark in the guard's neck. He crumpled, choking on his own blood, and the other guards turned in surprise. Antonio's men followed, flooding into the alley with swords and clubs at the ready. They fell upon the remaining guards, catching them off guard with the ferocity of their attack. Amelia felt the pressure ease as Rosa reached her side, her expression tight with concern.
"You're bleeding, cara (dear)," Rosa muttered, glancing at the cut on Amelia's arm as she helped her to her feet.
Amelia gave her a tired smile, trying to ignore the way her legs trembled beneath her. "Just a scratch," she lied, though the pain still throbbed dully beneath her skin. "Thanks for the rescue."
Rosa's expression softened, a hint of admiration in her eyes. "You held them off longer than most would have. But you're not invincible, you know."
Before Amelia could respond, Antonio approached, wiping his sword clean on the cloak of a fallen guard. "We need to get you back to safety. Leonardo's shop is the nearest refuge."
Amelia nodded, glancing one last time down the alley where Ezio had disappeared. She could only hope he had made it far enough by now. She allowed Rosa and Antonio's men to guide her back through the winding streets, leaning on Rosa's support more than she'd care to admit. The adrenaline that had kept her moving was ebbing away, leaving her feeling drained and hollow.
When they finally reached Leonardo's shop, the dim light of the workshop was a welcome sight. Leonardo himself rushed forward, his face etched with concern as he took in her disheveled appearance and the blood staining her tunic.
"Amelia, Dio mio (my God), what happened?" he asked, his voice thick with worry as he helped her to sit on a stool near his workbench.
She managed a weak smile, trying to brush off his concern. "Just a little run-in with the guards. Nothing I couldn't handle... mostly." But as she sank down, the weight of the night's events hit her all at once, and she closed her eyes, exhaustion seeping into her bones.
Leonardo clucked his tongue, fussing over her as he fetched bandages and a basin of water. "You're lucky you weren't captured," he said, though his hands were gentle as he cleaned the cut on her arm.
Amelia winced but nodded. "I'll be fine, Leo. I'm more worried about Ezio... He's going to have a harder time staying hidden with all of Venice looking for him."
Leonardo's expression softened, and he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He'll find a way, Amelia. He always does. And you... you'll have a safe place here for as long as you need it."
She nodded, biting back the sting of tears that threatened to spill. "Thank you, Leonardo," she whispered, her voice rough with emotion. It was a small comfort, but right now, it was enough to know she wasn't alone.