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“She’s falling apart.”
“I’m sorry.” Alessa folded in on herself. “It won’t happen during battle, I promise.”
Kaleb made a face. “Just let me do it already.”
Kamaria glared. “Dowhat?”
“Take his place. Obviously. We all know why she’s a mess. I’ll take a snooze behind bars, and you’ll be able to keep your mind on the fight.”
Alessa wrinkled her brow. “I don’t think the people of Saverio will trade their Fonte for a ghiotte.”
“They don’t have to know,” Kaleb said grimly. “One man in a crypt is as good as another if you’re afraid to get too close.”
“If people found out—”
“They lock the Fortezza until the battle is over, and anyone who tries to open the gates after midnight tonight gets kicked out. All I have to do is avoid turning around until the gates are shut, and it’s done. It’s a win-win, really. For everyone but me.”
“Why would you do that?”
Kaleb picked at his fingernails. “He’ll be a lot more useful than me on that peak. I can’t say I was looking forward to fighting, but it turns out I’m even less excited to sit around and hide under blankets like a worthless lump. So, give him a sword and shove me in with the dead. At least I’ll be helping insomeway.”
“And how do you suggest we switch you without anyone noticing?” Kamaria asked.
Kaleb collapsed into his chair. “Do you expect me to do all the work here?”
“I have an idea.” Alessa lit up with hope. “I happen to have a brother who owes me a favor.”
“Well?” Kaleb asked, stepping out from behind Alessa’s screen. “How do I look?” In Dante’s clothing, with his hair darkened by grease, Kaleb could have tricked most people into thinking he was Dante. Not Alessa, though. Maybe, if she didn’t look straight at him. No, not even then. But his disguise would have to be good enough.
As far as Renata and Tomo knew, Alessa, Kaleb, Kamaria, and Josef were holed up in her suite, strategizing and exchanging last-minute advice. It wasn’tentirelyfalse. They just had another victory to secure first.
Kaleb leaned against the wall, crossed his arms, and glared at Josef and Kamaria. “Not bad, eh?”
“Spot on,” Alessa said. It felt wrong to laugh at a time like this, but they were all nervous, and laughter might be the best release.
Kamaria jabbed Kaleb in the side. “You just have to lie down and not move. This isn’t the time to get cocky.”
Kaleb looked down his nose at Kamaria and picked up a large, hunter green cloak with a magenta lining, swooping it over his shoulders. “Kammy, I wasborncocky.”
“Gross.” Kamaria made a gagging face. In tan-colored pants tied at the waist with twine, her hair covered by a plaid cap, Kamaria looked like the world’s prettiest delivery boy. With any luck, no one would recognize her and wonder why so many Fontes were wandering around the crypts hours before the Cittadella was locked in preparation for Divorando.
“Can we please stay on task?” Alessa asked. “Josef, you’ll be waiting. Kamaria?”
“Ready.” Kamaria pulled a matchbox from her pocket and struck a match. With a flare, she made the flickering spot of fire hop from the match to a lantern waiting on the table nearby, growing and shrinking the flame until it was precisely as she wanted it. “This will be fun.”
“If we don’t get caught,” Alessa said.
“What are they going to do?” Kaleb said. “Banish us? Too late now. They lock up at midnight. No one in, no one out until the war is won. Or lost. Please don’t lose, though. I’m going to be so mad if I spend my last days in some nasty jail cell.”
Alessa blew out a breath. “I guess we’re ready, then.”
Kamaria gave Alessa a saucy wink and tipped her cap.
Below the Cittadella, the main tunnel rumbled with voices.The air was thick with shared breath and the constant noise of people. People, everywhere.
Alessa and Kaleb stopped frequently to accept words of encouragement and share sympathetic smiles with the Altarians, who were mixed in with Saverians.
On Alessa’s arm, Kaleb flashed grins and blew kisses, making a spectacle of waving his cloak around to be sure everyone saw him in it.
