Revelations

NINETY

They were awake long before break of day. The morning was cool. Some watery sunlight found its way through the haze.

Shao Jun stood in the road, her pack on her back. Staring into the distance, she was ready to depart. She seemed lost in thought, and only turned when Ezio approached from the villa. His breathing was still labored and heavy.

He came up to her. “It is long way home, no?”

“But there is much to see along the way. Dashi, xiexie nin -Thank you, Mentor.” She bowed slightly.

Ezio was carrying something. A small, ancient box. He held it out to her. “Here. This may be of use one day.”

Jun took it and turned it in her hands. Then she began to open it, but Ezio stopped her.

“No,” he said. “Only if you lose your way.”

She nodded and packed it away. Ezio squinted past Jun, peering up the road. He saw the banners of approaching soldiers.

“You should go,” he said.

Jun followed his gaze, nodded, and set off, toward the vineyards that grew on the other side of the road. Ezio watched her as she made her way quickly over the brow of a nearby hill.

The soldiers rode up soon afterward, and Ezio greeted them. When he looked in Jun’s direction once more, she had disappeared.

A few weeks later, the harvest done, and Marcello’s ninth birthday behind them, he was back in his den, trying to write again. He had made good progress this time. He stared at the last blank sheet in front of him, then dipped his quill and scribbled a few words, concentrating hard. He read them back, and smiled. Then he dropped his quill as a shooting pain in his chest caught him off guard.

There was a knock at the door.

“Yes?” he said, collecting himself and replacing the quill in its stand by the inkwell.

Sofia entered the room.

“Just taking the kids down to Fiesole. We’ll be back just after dark.”

“Good.”

“Market day tomorrow. Are you coming with us?”

“Yes.”

“Sure?”

“I’ll be fine.”

She closed the door behind her. Ezio sat brooding for a moment, then, satisfied, began gathering the papers on his desk, stacking them neatly, and tying a ribbon round them.