"How many guards were on watch?"
"Six."
"And them?"
"They didn't see anything."
I leaned back in my chair.
"So four people entered an empty house without taking anything, while six guards didn't see them?"
Carlo nodded.
"Correct."
I looked at Dad.
"So what did they do?"
Dad finally picked up his cup.
The coffee inside was already cold.
He didn't drink it.
"They left something behind."
"What?"
Dad looked at me.
"A message."
The room suddenly felt even quieter.
I glanced at Lorenzo.
He hadn't changed.
Only his eyes shifted slightly toward Dad.
"For whom?"
Dad didn't answer right away.
I started to get annoyed.
"For whom?"
"The old families."
I frowned.
"All of them?"
"We don't know yet."
"Then what's the message say?"
Dad set down his cup.
"Three words."
I waited.
"Not yet."
I almost laughed.
"Seriously?"
Dad didn't answer.
"Four people entered San Aurelio. Six guards didn't see them. They left behind a mysterious message, and now everyone in this room is acting like someone just died."
No one contradicted me.
I stood.
"Who died?"
"No one yet."
Dad's answer made me stop.
"Yet?"
He looked at me.
That was one word he shouldn't have used.
Yet.
I sat back down.
"Who are they looking for?"
Dad shifted his gaze to Carlo.
Carlo drew a breath.
"Unknown."
I let out a small laugh.
"There are an awful lot of things we don't know yet."
No one laughed with me.
I looked at them one by one.
Dad.
Carlo.
Lorenzo.
And suddenly I realized something.
They all looked like people waiting for something.
Not trying to figure it out.
Waiting.
I looked at Lorenzo a little longer.
"Why are you so quiet?"
He looked at me.
"I'm listening."
"And you're not surprised?"
"No."
I turned quickly to Dad.
"He already knew?"
Lorenzo didn't answer.
Dad did.
"He knows part of it."
I gave a short laugh.
"Of course."
I stood again.
"Everyone knows part of it."
I walked over to the window.
The sea was still the same.
Calm.
As if nothing in the world was wrong.
I hated the sea.
Today, more than usual.
"Then tell me."
Dad didn't answer.
I turned around.
"What is really going on?"
"Alessa."
"Dad."
"You don't need to know everything yet."
I smiled.
Coldly.
"Then why did you bring me here?"
Dad looked at me.
"Because what happened in San Aurelio may be connected to you."
I didn't answer right away.
The wind outside sounded louder.
"May be?"
"Yes."
"How?"
Dad was silent.
I looked at Carlo.
He was silent too.
Then I looked at Lorenzo.
He was still calm.
I started getting annoyed.
"You know something."
"A little."
"What?"
"Not enough yet."
I walked toward him.
"Then find out."
"I'll try."
"When?"
"I already have."
I stopped.
Already?
I stared at him.
"Since when?"
"Since before I came here."
I felt something stir in my chest.
Not fear.
I wasn't easily frightened.
It was more like the feeling of discovering a door I'd always thought didn't exist.
"So you really did know."
"Part of it."
"And you still came?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Lorenzo looked at me.
"Because your father asked me to."
I laughed softly.
"Same answer."
"It is."
I wanted to argue, but Dad stood up.
"Enough."
The tone of his voice made me fall silent.
He walked to the window.
For a moment, his back was turned to us.
Then he said,
"We're going back to Bellacosta."
I turned around.
"Now?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you staying at sea."
I almost said that I was safe here.
But then I saw Carlo.
He had already signaled one of the crew outside.
An order to change course.
I frowned.
"Where are we headed?"
"Valdoro."
I fell silent.
Not San Aurelio.
Valdoro.
The center of Bellacosta's government and business.
A place where people in suits could destroy someone's life without ever touching a weapon.