“I’d rather die with you!”
“If you survive, a part of me will survive also.” He took her wrist, marveling at the slim arm that lay below the gold bracelet he’d given her. “Don’t let your death be added to my sins.”
“Father is still inside the city. If I can get a message to him, maybe we can negotiate a truce.”
“It’s too late.” He released her.
She leaned against the throne, taking the weight off her injured leg. “I have to try.”
“I will lead my troops into battle. My mind would rest easier if I knew you were safe. Go to Sarah.”
“Listen to me, William.” She bent at the waist, her green eyes sparking with anger. “I’m not giving up. I’m not going to let you give up either. War with the Curia is suicide. You’ll die in battle, and I’ll die at your side because I won’t leave you.
“You say there’s no way for us to escape Italy without being hunted by the Roman. So our only option is to try to make peace with the Curia and prevent a genocide.”
William laughed bitterly. “They don’t want peace.”
“Father does.”
“He wants peace and he comes to my city with soldiers?”
“I’m sorry about the citizens who were killed. But Father must have some influence if he was able to command a group of soldiers. I want to talk to him. I want to try.”
William stood quickly. He touched her hair, her eyebrows, and her cheeks. “At least he can keep you safe. If you remain with me, you could be killed, or turned, or made someone’s pet.”
“I’m not interested in making a deal with the Curia to save my own ass. It’s both of us or nothing.”
William’s forehead crinkled. “They are marching three hundred soldiers here to destroy me. They will never spare my life. And even if they did, there’s the Roman to contend with. I am as good as dead, Cassita. Save yourself.”
Her cheeks reddened with anger. “I am not giving up, William Malet. Don’t you dare give up.”
William’s gray eyes searched hers for a long time.
Almost imperceptibly, he nodded.
She wrapped her arms around him.
“It seems fitting,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair.
“What is fitting?”
“That you should be my only hope.” He held her tightly, as if by his hold he could ensure their safety.
He tipped her chin up and kissed her, cupping her face with both hands.
William shouted for his guards and asked one of them to retrieve Gregor. When Gregor arrived, the Prince and Raven accompanied him to one of the communications rooms hidden in Palazzo Riccardi.
“Curia troops are on their way.” Father’s voice could be heard through the speakerphone.
“Yes, we know that.” Raven exchanged a look with William.
“The Roman won’t protect him. We know he was ordered to surrender you, and he refused.”
“War means death—death for the Curia and death for the Florentines. You don’t want the lives of all those people on your conscience. Help me stop it,” Raven pleaded.
Father paused. “War is not in our interests. But my superiors will not rest until the Prince is captured and destroyed. I will not rest until you are safe.”
“You offer nothing,” William said, shaking his head at Raven.
“Wait.” Father cleared his throat. “My superiors want regime change. Our intelligence indicates the Roman wants the same. Surrender the city and Raven, and we will have peace.”
“Once again you offer nothing,” William growled. “My people and I would rather die fighting than turn the city over to the Curia.”
“There are agents inside the city. Even now, they have been assembled. War could break out at any moment. I am the only one standing between you and certain death.”
William’s expression hardened. “This conversation is over.”
“Wait! Let me speak to you directly.”
William’s gaze moved to Raven. “Your folly, priest, is that you think you can divide and conquer. You speak to both of us or neither.”
“Release her from your thrall, and we can have an open conversation.”
“I can hear you, Father.” Raven threw her hands up in frustration. “I can hear, and I can speak for myself. I’m not in anyone’s thrall, and you need to listen to me. I’m trying to help you save countless lives.”
“Very well.” The priest drew a deep breath. “I may have a solution that would benefit both of us.”
The Prince scowled. “I thought lying was a sin.”
“Tell us,” Raven interjected. “What’s your solution?”
The priest mumbled part of the Hail Mary.
“What do you propose?” the Prince pressed, his eyes fixed on Raven.
“As I said, my superiors want regime change and so does the Roman. It’s coming, and there’s nothing that can be done to stop it.
“But the Curia offers exorcisms on rare occasions, to return a vampyre to his former state. I believe I can persuade my superiors to exorcise you in exchange for the city.”
“No.” Raven gripped William’s arm, an expression of horror on her face. “That means you’ll kill him.”
“An exorcism is not an execution.” Father’s tone was insistent. “We can free you, William. We can return you to what you once were.”