"De Verceuil!" Ugolini cried. "That pestilence in red robes! If only I had had him poisoned."
Had Daoud been one of the faithful who fought beside Manfred?
Sophia's throat almost closed with fear as she asked the question. "What of—David of Trebizond?"
Again that little frown and shake of the head, aimed at her alone. "More of him later." There must be things he did not want to say in front of the two Venetians.
But she persisted. "Is he alive? Is he unhurt?"
Sordello nodded gravely, his yellowish eyes holding hers. "He was alive when I last saw him, Madonna."
She let out a long breath. The ache of fear in her stomach eased. Even if the battle were lost, Daoud would manage to live through it and get back to her. Perhaps Sordello was his messenger.
She felt safer on her feet. She pushed herself up and moved slowly toward the door leading to the balcony outside. Downstairs, Scipio started barking again.
"Capitano," said one of the archers. "Are we to stand here talking all night? There is a whole town for the taking here, and we are missing our chance."
"Hush, Juliano," said Sordello. "You see before you two very important and wealthy followers of the late King Manfred. What they can offer us by way of ransom will be far more than the trinkets you could pick up raiding some merchant's home."