“Tell Ambrogio to ready himself in case we need to initiate the Geneva protocol. And fetch Gregor,” the Prince added, pressing a fist over his mouth.
The servant bowed a second time and scurried away.
“What’s the Geneva protocol?” Aoibhe asked, her expression curious.
“None of your concern,” the Prince snapped.
Wisely, Aoibhe clamped her mouth shut.
A few minutes later, Gregor appeared, looking a good deal more harried than usual. “My Lord?”
“We have a security breach. Armed men, one with a clerical collar.” The Prince glared at his head of security. “Perhaps you were going to inform me of this?”
“Pardon, my Lord.” Gregor bowed very low. “I was just informed. But I can tell you that the priest is a member of the Curia, a man called Kavanaugh. The team appear to be one of the Curia’s special forces units.”
Aoibhe gasped.
The Prince cursed. “How many are they?”
“A unit of ten, plus the priest, my Lord.”
“Where are they now?”
“They were seen entering the tunnel system near the Piazzale Michelangelo.”
“Wake the army and place them on the highest alert. Send the General to me immediately. Send a message to Rome, informing the king that the Curia has made an illegal incursion. Ask for his support.
“Tell Commander Borek to put together a team of his own and have them report to me here.” The Prince stood, his black velvet robe billowing behind him as he strode down the stairs from his throne.
“Yes, my Lord. Shall I inform the commander of his mission?”
The Prince stopped. “We’re hunting Curia. Tell them to arm accordingly.”
If Gregor could have gone pale, he would have. He bowed quickly and raced out of the council chamber, all decorum cast aside.
“You can’t be serious.” Aoibhe stood, her expression drawn and anxious.
The Prince glared. “At the moment, there are only eleven of them. They must be destroyed before others join them. Even if the Roman sends soldiers immediately using modern transport, they won’t arrive before sunset. We have no choice but to engage the invaders now.”
“We can’t fight the Curia and win.”
“But we can die trying.” He gave her a challenging look. “You have a chance to extend your life, Aoibhe. Join me or die on the spot.”
Aoibhe withdrew a step. “You would commit suicide? For what? A city? A pet?”
The Prince’s eyes glittered. “I’ve grown tired of your insolence. Choose.”
She watched him for a long moment. She nodded.
The Prince turned on his heel and approached the door, with Aoibhe trailing after him.
Chapter Forty-Four
RAVEN SCREAMED and nearly dropped the flashlight.
The thing that had crawled over her foot retreated, its own feet making a scratching noise against the hard dirt floor.
She shone the light ahead in the tunnel and saw a large rat trotting away. It turned and stared back at her.
She shivered.
The tunnel was damp, and the scent of earth and decay filled her nostrils.
She kept her flashlight pointed toward the ground in front of her as she leaned on her cane, her eyes darting warily to and fro.
When she’d gone a thousand feet, she pulled out the cell phone. It was different from her own, but simply arranged. There were only a few applications visible on the screen.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t get a signal.
It took patience and a few minutes to check out the different applications, but eventually she discovered a compass. She found north, which meant she could walk in the direction of the city center. She doubted the tunnels were dug in straight lines. That, coupled with her disability, made the journey from the Piazzale Michelangelo to the city center seem interminable.
Raven put the phone away, since it was impossible to hold it, the flashlight, and her cane all at once.
She continued walking through the tunnel, pausing from time to time in an effort to hear whether someone was coming. All she could hear was the occasional scurry of rats or the distant sound of dripping water.
A few times she passed other tunnels that branched off. On each occasion she stopped to check her compass, continuing to travel north.
She’d been on foot for almost an hour when she felt the hairs lift on the back of her neck. A sudden gust of wind swirled past her.
Something yanked the flashlight out of her hand and switched it off. She heard it thud to the ground.
A low laugh sounded nearby.
She was bathed in absolute darkness, completely disoriented. Something cool grabbed her wrist, toying with the bracelet William had given her.
“Here is the Prince’s pet. Where is your master?”
She pulled her arm away, shrinking from the direction of the voice. “He’s right behind me.”
The voice sounded amused. “I doubt that. It seems the Prince has left his precious pet all alone. How careless of him.”
“Who are you?”
The voice laughed again.
Raven’s heart began to pound. She held her hand out, attempting to locate the wall so she could inch along it. “Show yourself.”
The voice moved closer. “Reveal the spider to the fly? This is far more entertaining.”
“If you’re weak.” Raven’s hand found the wall and she began moving, tightening her grip on her cane.
“Weak?”
“If you’re a vampyre, you can see in the dark. I thought such a powerful species wouldn’t need an advantage.”