The Outcast Blade Read Free Page A

lady.”
    “To my mother’s estate at Alta Mofacon. Leo will be happy there and I’ll be away from this sewer of a city.”
    And from you
. Tycho knew what she was saying.
    Across his shoulder Lord Roderigo wore a sash with the lion of St Mark, signifying he was here in his capacity of head of the Venetian customs service.
    “My lord,” Lady Giulietta said.
    Roderigo bowed. Looking beyond her, he let his jaw drop at the richness of Tycho’s doublet. Although what stunned him was the half-sword at Tycho’s hip.
    “He’s been knighted.” Atilo’s tone was disapproving.
    “For his part in the battle?”
    “Before that.”
    “He was a
slave
.”
    “Indeed,” Atilo said.
    “I was knighted for what I
would
do.” Tycho’s smile was bland. “King Janus believed I might be of some small help.”
    “And were you?”
    “He won the battle for us,” Giulietta said flatly.
    “How did he do that, my lady?”
    “No idea. We were sent below.”
    Lord Roderigo believed he saw a boy pretending to be a man. An ex-slave pretending to be a knight. Tycho was happy to let him think this since Roderigo was Prince Alonzo’s man and it was Alonzo who had Tycho sold into slavery.
    “When do we go ashore?”
    “Who said anything about going ashore?”
    “You’re here. I doubt you’d come in person if we had to remain aboard. So, since you’re here, we’re going ashore.”
    Roderigo’s stare was thoughtful. “Food has been landed at San Lazar,” he admitted. “Also wine, ale and new clothes. Because of Lord Atilo’s great victory the Council have shortened quarantine to ten days.”
    That was an impressive concession.
    “But it’s a leper island,” Desdaio protested.
    “My lady, no leper has been there in fifty years. Nowadays, the White Crucifers treat those wounded in battle. Since there have been no battles in Venice for twenty years,” Roderigo shrugged, “they have time enough for prayer. My lady Giulietta, if you’ll take the first boat…?”
    She smiled graciously.
    “And, Sir Tycho, if you’ll travel with her?”
    Lady Giulietta’s smile turned to a scowl.
    Stone steps disappearing under dark waves were a common occurrence in Venice, where such runs helped adjust for tidal differences. Most of the water steps in the island city were algae-greenand slippery underfoot. The steps up to the
fondamenta
, the stone-lined embankment at San Lazar, had been scrubbed so clean on the Prior’s orders that the chisel marks of the original masons could be seen.
    “My lady.” The Prior bowed.
    “Lord Prior.”
    His knights wore mail under their cloaks and carried swords. Their mail looked unscrubbed and almost rusty, but the recently sharpened edges of their blades glittered in the torchlight.
    “This is an unusual honour, my lady.”
    Giulietta’s mouth twisted and she was about to say something rude when Tycho stepped forward. “I’m Sir Tycho.”
    The Prior stared doubtfully.
    “Lord Atilo will be here soon.” Tycho still found it hard not to say
my master
. Although that relationship was done and its ashes sour in both their mouths. “He presents his compliments, and thanks you for your hospitality. In particular, the hospitality you extend to Lady Giulietta and Lady Desdaio. He knows…”
    “It’s true, Desdaio Bribanzo is with him?”
    “Yes,” Tycho said.
    The Prior pursed his lips. “They will be given separate quarters.”
    “I doubt she’d have it any other way,” Giulietta said tartly. “And if she did I doubt my lord Atilo would allow it.”
    The Prior kept his disapproval to himself after that.

2
    White Crucifers dedicated themselves to poverty, chastity and protecting pilgrims on the journey to Jerusalem. They avoided the company of women whenever possible, and it had been over a century since the last one set foot on St Lazar. It being well known that the female sex carried the taint of sin. And so, five hundred young monks prayed, worked their gardens, practised their weapons