leaned in, whispering against her ear. “Do not let your presence be known until it is too late for him to st rike.”
She shuddered. “That’s imposs ible.”
“No, not impossible. You are better off being small and smart than dominating and dumb.”
“Mea ning?”
“Winning a fight has more to do with using your wit than using your muscles, Princess.” His lips parted into a broad smile, displaying a row of perfect, white t eeth.
She stared at him, not knowing how to an swer.
“Battles are not won or lost based on the size or might of the army, but on the wisdom or foolishness of the men fighting them.”
“Oh.”
“If you are wise in your approach, you shall own the edge. Even if your opponent is twice as powerful. Even if you are outnumbered. There is always a way out, you must simply fin d it.”
“Wise in your approach, own the edge…”
“Come, Your Highness—we practice a gain.”
Over the next hour, Bruno trained her to defend herself with the wooden dagger, showing the primary target region to make a lethal stab into an opponent. She listened to his instructions carefully, concentrating on perfecting her technique. When the lesson was over, he sunk into a low bow, taking her hand to kis s it.
“I hope that my instructions today will be of use to you in the future, Prin cess.”
“Thank you. I won’t forget this, interesting lesson.” She gathered her gloves and turned, nodding to him before closing the door of the Black Hall behind her.
“Neither shall I, my lovely princess,” he whispered. “Neither sha ll I.”
CHAPTER 6
PERSPECTIVES
Marisa entered the library for her history and philosophy lessons with Cozimo, noticing that he was engrossed in a large leather book that covered half of the t able.
“So, my dear, let us see how much you have learned from the last lesson,” he said.
Although she knew it wasn’t proper protocol, Marisa allowed Cozimo to address her in terms of endearment whenever they were alone. In the short time that she had known him, she had developed a soft spot for the white-haired, elderly man. He was the closest thing she’d ever had to a grandfa ther.
Lord Cozimo Laurentine Arroyo had lived at Crocetta Castle since the age of thirteen when he was first indentured into the service of her great-grandfather, King Petrus. Now in his mid-eighties, Cozimo had served all the members of the Fiore family including Marisa’s parents and grandparents. Long after he worked off his indenture to King Petrus, he remained at the palace, teaching and inspiring the next generation of monarchs. He was the longest-serving member of the Order of the Crimson Paladin Knights, acting as its chief adv isor.
Cozimo began the lesson by quizzing her on the final battle of the Chalcedonic Wars. Known as the Battle of Ambrogia, it was destined to be the key skirmish that would tip the balance of power back into the Fiore family’s f avor.
“Your Highness, please be so kind as to give me a brief history of Abbadon in your own w ords.”
“A long time ago,” she recalled, “an arrogant soldier named Rodolfo Tiamo conquered the holy city of Ambrogia by stealing the throne from the Fiore family. With the help of a group of corrupt men, he sent the Fiores into exile on an island off the coast of Terra cina.
“As the Chalcedonic Wars raged on for many years, the Tiamo dynasty produced a long line of cruel tyrants who maintained control of the city until one of Tiamo’s descendants, Lord Berengar, made the critical error of allowing his old enemy, Petrus Fiore to escape exile. When Petrus confronted Lord Berengar and killed him in hand-to-hand combat, it was the turning point of the battle that ultimately tipped the scales back in favor of the Fiore dyn asty.
“After Petrus had successfully recovered the throne and the holy ground of Ambrogia, he was crowned king of Crocetta and Supreme Ruler of Carnelia. He annexed the city of Abbadon to keep it from falling into enemy
She shuddered. “That’s imposs ible.”
“No, not impossible. You are better off being small and smart than dominating and dumb.”
“Mea ning?”
“Winning a fight has more to do with using your wit than using your muscles, Princess.” His lips parted into a broad smile, displaying a row of perfect, white t eeth.
She stared at him, not knowing how to an swer.
“Battles are not won or lost based on the size or might of the army, but on the wisdom or foolishness of the men fighting them.”
“Oh.”
“If you are wise in your approach, you shall own the edge. Even if your opponent is twice as powerful. Even if you are outnumbered. There is always a way out, you must simply fin d it.”
“Wise in your approach, own the edge…”
“Come, Your Highness—we practice a gain.”
Over the next hour, Bruno trained her to defend herself with the wooden dagger, showing the primary target region to make a lethal stab into an opponent. She listened to his instructions carefully, concentrating on perfecting her technique. When the lesson was over, he sunk into a low bow, taking her hand to kis s it.
“I hope that my instructions today will be of use to you in the future, Prin cess.”
“Thank you. I won’t forget this, interesting lesson.” She gathered her gloves and turned, nodding to him before closing the door of the Black Hall behind her.
“Neither shall I, my lovely princess,” he whispered. “Neither sha ll I.”
CHAPTER 6
PERSPECTIVES
Marisa entered the library for her history and philosophy lessons with Cozimo, noticing that he was engrossed in a large leather book that covered half of the t able.
“So, my dear, let us see how much you have learned from the last lesson,” he said.
Although she knew it wasn’t proper protocol, Marisa allowed Cozimo to address her in terms of endearment whenever they were alone. In the short time that she had known him, she had developed a soft spot for the white-haired, elderly man. He was the closest thing she’d ever had to a grandfa ther.
Lord Cozimo Laurentine Arroyo had lived at Crocetta Castle since the age of thirteen when he was first indentured into the service of her great-grandfather, King Petrus. Now in his mid-eighties, Cozimo had served all the members of the Fiore family including Marisa’s parents and grandparents. Long after he worked off his indenture to King Petrus, he remained at the palace, teaching and inspiring the next generation of monarchs. He was the longest-serving member of the Order of the Crimson Paladin Knights, acting as its chief adv isor.
Cozimo began the lesson by quizzing her on the final battle of the Chalcedonic Wars. Known as the Battle of Ambrogia, it was destined to be the key skirmish that would tip the balance of power back into the Fiore family’s f avor.
“Your Highness, please be so kind as to give me a brief history of Abbadon in your own w ords.”
“A long time ago,” she recalled, “an arrogant soldier named Rodolfo Tiamo conquered the holy city of Ambrogia by stealing the throne from the Fiore family. With the help of a group of corrupt men, he sent the Fiores into exile on an island off the coast of Terra cina.
“As the Chalcedonic Wars raged on for many years, the Tiamo dynasty produced a long line of cruel tyrants who maintained control of the city until one of Tiamo’s descendants, Lord Berengar, made the critical error of allowing his old enemy, Petrus Fiore to escape exile. When Petrus confronted Lord Berengar and killed him in hand-to-hand combat, it was the turning point of the battle that ultimately tipped the scales back in favor of the Fiore dyn asty.
“After Petrus had successfully recovered the throne and the holy ground of Ambrogia, he was crowned king of Crocetta and Supreme Ruler of Carnelia. He annexed the city of Abbadon to keep it from falling into enemy
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