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“Aaahhh!” Opera Singer scurried forward, taking his plate.
Raving King Roger whirled around to Dante, his blue eyes flashing behind his cracked glasses. “Boy! Serve me this instant or I’ll have you put in the Iron Maiden! Nails will pierce your chest, front to back!”
Dante reached for the last plate, but Raving King Roger snatched it from him.
“How dare you? I’ll have youshot!”
Dante edged back to his corner.
The flap opened at the top of the door, and Renzo peeked through. “Prince Pinocchio, you hungry?”
“Yes.”
“Then beg!”
Dante’s stomach growled. “May I have breakfast, I’m begging—”
“Say please, you spoiled brat! You’re no prince in here!”
“May I have breakfast,please? I’m begging!”
“No!” Renzo guffawed again. “You think you make the rules? You don’t!”
Suddenly, someone else peeked through the flap. Renzo’s wife, Teresa. “Dante, is that you?” she asked, her eyes rounding.
“Yes, may I have breakfast, please?” Dante started to the door, but Biter growled at him.
Raving King Roger pointed at the door. “Boy, leave! Servants aren’t to linger! I’ll have your head on the chopping block!”
The flap closed, and Dante edged back into his corner, his stomach rumbling.
“Aaaahhh!” Opera Singer was screaming, so Dante couldn’t hear what Renzo and Teresa were saying in the hall.
“Renzo, what’s Dante doing inthere?” Teresa threw up her hands. “I thought you put him back in his cell. He shouldn’t be in with adults. They’ll drive him crazy, and Biter isdangerous.”
“He tried to run away. This is what he gets.”
“It’s only because he misses his family. He’s a child. We should let him go—”
“Wecan’t. We made a deal. We’ve been paid. You spent the money quickly enough.” Renzo simmered. “I’m tired of the same argument. Don’t bring it up again.”
Teresa pursed her lips. “Okay, let’s compromise, since you like deals so much. I agree to let Dante stay in the madhouse, but I willnotlet you keep him in that cell. Children are not to be housed with adults.”
Renzo snorted. “Listen to you, quoting chapter and verse.”
“Put him back in his old cell.”
“No. The Prince needs to be taken down a peg. He’ll stay until I say.”
“End of the week, get him out.”
“End of themonth. Don’t test me, wife.”
“Don’t threaten me, husband.” Teresa locked eyes with him, and Renzo looked daggers at her, but he wouldn’t let her stop him.
He had plans.
Big plans.
