Page 92 of Just for a Taste

I folded my arms tightly, and my tone finally broke into overt impatience. “I'm notthatunwell anymore, and hewouldunderstand. Now, please tell me where Signora Rafia is.”

Signora Carbone’s nostrils flared. “She is the only remaining driver who works here, and she is attending to her duties. I am simply obeying orders when I tell you to return to the abbey and resume your schedule.”

It wasn’t as though I could drive myself. Beyond not knowing how to work this electric car, and beyond not having a driver's license in this country, I had the sinking suspicion the remaining car keys were in her pocket, and I would have to pry them from her if I wanted them.

“What orders?” I snapped. “And what duties? Zeno is asleep, and you’re here fiddling around with the cars!” What could she possibly be up to?

Silence, dead silence. Frustration on her face—but something beneath that. Her pupils were dilated, her lips quivering ever so slightly.

Fear. That was fear beneath that frustration.

My arms fell slack. “I-I’m sorry. I understand. You’re just doing your job. I’ll go now.”

She let me leave without another word. Head held low, I walked back into the dining hall. Rather than bothering to set it down, I let the satchel slide out of my hands into a heap on the floor. Several of my pastels toppled out, but I didn’t chase after them.

Breakfast was my favorite, clearly meant to be a celebratory meal. Twotreccine—fried dough topped with sugar, so fluffy and delicious it made donuts jealous, and ice-cold, freshly squeezed orange juice and a hot cappuccino.

Even with the massive feast before me, the room looked emptier than ever, and I felt sicker than I had been with all those tubes and wires. Normally, my mouth would’ve been watering, but it felt as dry as when I had first woken up two weeks ago. I prodded at the food with the fork for a painfully long time.

I didn’t notice them at first, watching me from afar—Lucia’s eyes, which had often flickered to the ground in my presence for the past two weeks, were now staring at me intently beneath a deeply furrowed brow.

“Jesus, Lucia!” I cried, startling.

“Sorry, signorina!” she whispered as she came nearer. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Not that I’m complaining, but what are you still doing here? You usually run off before I even get the chance to say good morning.”

Lucia nodded slowly and looked around. “Is Duca de’ Medici here?”

I glanced at my watch. “No, he’s probably still asleep.” I realized then that the last time I had left bed before Zeno awoke was in Puglia. Would he panic when he woke up without me beside him? Would he go mad?

“Good,” she said quickly. “I have some car keys. We need to go.”

“Uh—why?”

“This is your only chance to leave! All the footpaths will be blocked soon, and Signora Carbone is already shutting off the cars. Duca de’ Medici is going to make it so you can’t leave!”

The only way I would have been more taken aback was if Lucia had told me she’d be serving chicken-fried unicorn for lunch.

“Zeno is what?”

Her voice rose to a desperate pitch. “He says you’re not well, and that someone could get you sick. You need to leave before he wakes up!”

My fingers felt numb. The world felt strangely cold.

“But I don’t want to leave, Lucia. This abbey is my home. I was here formonthswithout leaving. I’ll be fine!”

Lucia scoffed and threw down her arms. “I know you love him, but please don’t be blinded! There’s a difference between not wanting to leave and not being able to.”

She couldn’t be right. This was everything I wanted.Hewas everything I wanted. I didn’t even need to finish my thesis now, did I? We would all be happy here again. Everything would be normal again.

“I—I need to think.” My voice was soft, shaking furiously, along with the rest of my body. “I can’t talk about this right now.”

“You don’t have time to—” Lucia froze. She stared behind me, jaw agape, trembling as much as I was. A shadow rose from behind me. “Oh,” she whimpered. “Duca de’ Medici. What a pleasant surprise.”

I felt the warmth of him lingering long before I saw him or heard his voice.

“Yes,” he said in voice devoid of emotion. “A surprise indeed.”

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