This Vicious Grace (The Last Finestra #1)(80)

Alessa blinked once. Twice.

Kamaria crossed her arms. “But. Obviously, the final decision is yours, and when you pick me, I’ll fight the Consiglio myself if they don’t put their stamp on it. So. Choose.”

Of all the scenarios she’d mentally prepared for, Alessa hadn’t made it this far into the realm of the impossible.

Kamaria wasn’t wrong about who she’d prefer, but she’d made a promise. While she hadn’t expected more than one Fonte to vie for the position, the fact remained: she’d promised she wouldn’t choose. They’d done their part by volunteering, and the Consiglio had done theirs. The only way to keep her word was to accept the official verdict.

“I’m sorry, Nina,” Alessa said. “But I have to accept the—”

“No! You can’t have him!” Nina’s gift exploded with her rage, and the nearest window shattered.

The world erupted into a deadly rainbow of flying glass.

Dante shielded Alessa, but her ears rang in the silence that followed.

Still, she couldn’t mistake what Nina said next.

“I should have dropped a hundred statues on you.”

Alessa dug her fingernails into her palms, but a glass-fronted cabinet bowed and wavered like a bubble about to pop, and another wave of glass burst across the room.

“Stop it, Nina!” Josef shouted. “What have you done?”

Nina’s anger dissolved into pitiful sobs.

Kamaria lay curled on the floor, clutching her leg as blood spread across her buff-colored pants.

Dante took Alessa’s chin, turning her face to him. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” she said, ducking away. “Kaleb, how bad is it?”

Kaleb pressed on Kamaria’s leg. “Bleeding’s slowing. She’ll be okay, but she’ll have a wicked scar.”

Alessa turned to see Dante pulling a massive shard of glass from his shoulder. He sagged against the wall, sliding down it to sit. Cursing at herself, Alessa hurried to give him cover. She hadn’t even asked if he was hurt. He’d heal, but the sight of exposed muscle and bone turned her stomach, and the remnants of his tattered sleeve weren’t enough to hide the damage.

“Help Kamaria. I’ll be fine,” Dante said to Alessa.

“I know you will, but they don’t.” She looked around desperately for something to cover his torn flesh as it began to knit together.

The door flew open. Guards stared, open-mouthed, at the room dusted with glass and blood.

“There was an accident,” Alessa said. “Get bandages. Go!”

It took them a moment, but the Cittadella guards were tasked with protecting the Finestra and Fonte, not arguing, and their training kicked in.

“Saida and Kaleb, help Kamaria to the couch. Elevate her leg.”

Kaleb gaped at Dante. “What about—”

“Just do it.” Alessa bent farther, blocking Kaleb’s view.

“I’m sorry,” Nina cried. “I never wanted to hurt anyone. This was an accident.”

Unlike the statue.

Alessa clenched her teeth. First, she had to take care of Kamaria and protect Dante’s secret. Then, she’d deal with Nina’s betrayal.

Saida rushed inside with an armful of bandages, colliding with Nina, who seemed struck by the need to make amends and tried to wrestle them from her. Rolling her eyes, Saida shoved a handful into Nina’s hands and took the rest to where Kamaria lay on the couch, forearm over her eyes.

Alessa held up a hand to stop Nina, but she kept coming, her red-rimmed eyes fixed on Dante’s shoulder, where he was trying, unsuccessfully, to cover what was left of his injury with his free hand.

Nina stopped mid-stride and shrieked.

“What?” Saida said. “What’s wrong?”

Heaving for breath, Nina pointed. “Ghiotte!”

Kamaria groaned.

“Oh,” said Saida. “Yeah. I had a hunch.”

Teeth bared in a snarl, Dante struggled to his feet as Kaleb stalked over. He’d never looked more like a cornered animal, and it made Alessa ache.

Kaleb stopped a safe distance away. “No wonder you win every fight. I should have known.”

“What is wrong with all of you?” Nina cried. “He’s the reason she killed Emer and Ilsi and Hugo.”

“Dante wasn’t even here when my previous Fontes died,” Alessa said. “He’s done nothing but help us.”

Nina shook her head. “No, he’s evil. A killer.”

“Like you almost became today?” Alessa said. “Or when you used your gift to knock a statue on me?”

Nina began to sob. “I didn’t want to. I was scared.”

“For Dea’s sake, Nina, you tried to kill the Finestra,” Kaleb said. “Take it down a notch with the righteous indignation. Dante had more than enough opportunity to kill us all, but so far, you’re the only one who’s tried to.”

“Nina.” Josef said, jaw tight. “If word gets out about this, it won’t be good for anyone.”

An understatement. If the public suspected a ghiotte had infiltrated the Cittadella, they’d blame him for every death she’d caused. Few would listen to reason.

“I’ll leave.” Dante said.

“No!” Alessa couldn’t tell who’d yelled louder—her, Saida, or Kamaria.