ssa

him,"

sper, lost to the wind, but

ngers

the gray winter sky, and the next, gravity claimed him. He didn't fall lik

y crunch that echoed off the brick facades of the surrounding buildings.

lay in a heap on the dirty slush, his left leg bent at an angle that nature never intended. Then, the s

toward the inside of his jacket. "Do you have any idea what you've

My eyes were fixed on the w

amused. "I'm not the one on the

proached the fallen heir. The circle of men parted for me, fear warring with their loyalty. They knew who I was. The

with sweat. When his eyes met mine, the pain in them

through gritted teet

d interest one might show a roadkill. "You should be grateful, Kinse

that bravado, all that talk, and you crumble the moment you hit the real wo

insey pushed himself up on his elbows, spitting blood onto

cracking. "You're nothing but a washed-up exile!

going to make you pay for this, Alessa. When my mother is done with your family, I'm going to find you. I'm goi

n our world, specific threats of mutilation were not thrown aro

clarity settle over me. This was exactly what I needed

pping a manicured fingernail against my lower

balcony. I hadn't seen her move, but suddenly she was there, st

ne conversational. "That seems unfair. I

nsey, my eyes devoid of

dened in horror.

on. She didn't need one. She grabbed a handful of Kinsey's hair, jer

ac

per than the breaking of his leg. Kinsey

red a second blow, then a th

g. He coughed, and two white incisors, slick with cri

t as a gurgling sob. His mouth was

then up at the horrified faces of the

em, my voice cutting throug

ered from the shadows of the clu

message had been delivered. The Nun of Palermo was dead. Alessa Moren