"Now, we must wait for the energy to be fully transferred to you. Only then, and once the conditions have been met, will the curse be broken," the stregona reminded.
Taren raised an eyebrow. Luca's eyes flickered over to Taren, who looked as if he was restraining himself from strangling the stregona. It seemed that despite each attempt to progress forward, there was a new roadblock that the curse presented.
"And how long will it take for the energy to transfer?"
"It may take days. Weeks. Mont–" Taren's face darkened, which didn't go unnoticed by the Stregona.
"Can we expedite it?"
"Certainly…" the Stregona tilted her head. Then, she pointed a bony finger between Taren and Ginevra. "The bond between you is weak. Didn't you say you were married? How about starting to sleep together?" she offered nonchalantly.
Everyone's face in the room flushed varying shades of red. Luca, however, seemed to be enjoying himself. He leaned back against the pillar behind him, crossing one leg over the other.
"I like this woman. Finally someone who talks sense," he smirked, mouth turning up into his cat-like grin.
Ginevra stared at the marble floor, at least until her cheeks cooled a bit.
Taren raised an eyebrow.
The Stregona folded her arms. "Well, don't look at me like two shy teenagers!" she cried.
***
Since the ritual had ended, Ginevra felt light-headed and every step she took felt as if she were dragging weights. She willingly took the witch doctor's advice to rest and slipped through the door of the gallery room into the hall.
She heard her name and turned to see Boni walking towards her.
"The Stregona may be learned in energy, but I am responsible for your well-being," Boni's soft sea green eyes smiled down at her. He took her wrist and with an expert hand pressed his two fingers against. His gaze remained on his fingers as they both stood still, in a comfortable silence. A strand of hair fell forward. At the close of the minute, he looked up at her, a gentle smile breaking across his lips. He tucked the strand behind his ear.
"Transferring a curse – not everyone can do that. It takes an incredible amount of will-power and intent,"
"Well, I am Francesca's granddaughter," Ginevra replied.
Boni nodded. "Please take care to rest – I'll tell your maid to bring some camomile tea up to your room."
Boni looked after Ginevra's receding figure, brow furrowed, waiting until she had turned the corner to return to the gallery room. He strode with intent to where Taren was standing.
"The curse was successfully transferred to Ginevra. You got what you wanted."
Taren handed a letter to Nicco and turned to Boni. "We just transferred it. Finding the conditions is another matter."
"Taren, Ginevra is not a skilled mage or an enchantress. Her body is not used to the amount of energy contained in curses and other such spiritual elements. It's a heavy toll for any person to take, let alone someone who's…"
Taren raised an eyebrow, shooting a sharp, icy look at Boni.
"...recently been under significant stress. She needs to rest."
"And she is. You will look after her well-being, but in the end, it's the contract that needs to be dissolved, for your sake as much as mine. That's the only way anything can change."
"Very well. As the family doctor, this is my humble advice."
At Boni's words, Taren dropped the arm of the hand holding the papers. His sharp blue eyes met Boni's calm greens.
"Hurting Ginevra is not my intent," Taren told him. Nicco approached them before Boni could respond, holding another letter in his hand. Boni had been on the verge of turning away, but something about Nicco's furrowed brow and downturned lips pulled him back.
Nicco cleared his throat, but his voice, instead of becoming louder, went down by an octave.
"Everything has been prepared for tonight."
"Good. It's a new moon tonight. If we wait we won't get a better opportunity."
Nicco nodded in affirmation. "My sentiments exactly."
Taren cast a cursory glance at Boni, who had been listening intently, with far more interest than one would expect from a doctor, before turning his gaze back to Nicco.
"Have the steel bows been prepared?"
Nicco nodded.
"And the back ups?" Nicco nodded in affirmation once again.
"Good. Then, we'll meet at our usual place."
Nicco gave one last nod of the head, as if it were a routine he was already used to.
The three men broke up; Taren returning to his study, Boni to his quarters, while Nicco went to attend to a couple more correspondences which had come in that morning.