The Council of Ten

Chapter 17 - Confrontations Met With Lies (Marco D'Este)

Dedication: For dizzy_panda. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments, the support and for reading. I really appreciate all of this, it means a lot to me :) Even though I haven't been the most loyal reader as of late, even though my updates haven't been consistant - I'm glad you've stuck with me and for that, I thank you :)

Chapter Seventeen – Confrontations Met With Lies (Marco D’Este)

*****

“Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies.” ~Oliver Goldsmith

*****

“Marco D’Este,” said someone behind me. I spun round, startled by the unfamiliar voice in my house. There was a man in a suit standing here, a white mask covered a little more than half his face, a few small diamonds embedded on the right side of it, sparking gently. Although the man could have been anyone, there was no mistaking the mask, the suit. He was one of the Council without his ceremonial outfit that you always saw them wear. The typical black cloak and full face white masked replaced by something a little more casual, yet elegant enough to make me bow my head.

“Signore,” I said, unsure why he was talking to me.

The man walked over to me slowly, a small smile playing upon his face. I didn’t like the look of that smile. “I’ve heard some interesting things about you,” he said, coming to a stop in front of me.

“Oh?” I said, pleased to hear my voice didn’t shake and betray the nerves I felt inside.

“Yes,” said the man, drawing out the word. I didn’t know his name, the Council were so elusive in the way they worked to keep the city safe, you never knew which of their names belonged to which person. Not that they seemed particularly willing to divulge that information as they always wore a mask, keeping their identities hidden. “I know you have it,” said the man in no more than a whisper.

“Have what?” I made myself say. But I knew. Oh I knew very well what he was talking about. The key and the letter. They knew, of course they knew! I had been a fool to try to believe otherwise.

“The box,” snapped the man, eyes narrowing “I don’t really mind about the letter, we already read it but the box, you wretched thing, I want back.”

Lie, Marco, lie you idiot, I thought. “I’m sorry signore, but I really have no idea what you’re talking about,” I spread my hands, feigning innocence. I wasn’t giving it up now, I should have done, but I didn’t. After all, the Council were much better suited to solving the mystery than we were but the fact that Lena had the book given to her bothered me. Only she could read it so there had to be something behind it, right? There was only one way to figure out though, and that way certainly wasn’t getting myself in trouble with the law.

“You rascal, you know very well what I’m talking about,” the man gripped my arm, pulling me to him “you don’t know what you’re messing with, boy, you have no idea what you’re messing with. I advise you to let the adults handle this.”

“I’m really sorry-“ I began only to be cut off by the man.

“I’ll bet you are,” he hissed at me, raising his voice ever so slightly “and if you’re not, you will be before long.” He sighed, calming down “look, if you help us now, we’ll pretend this never happened. You can walk away with a clean record, no trouble, no prison. You’ll be free to work for us in later years, just like your father wants, just give us what we want.”

I scowled deeply and wrenched myself from the man’s grip “I’ll never be a part of your precious Council, and I have nothing for you.”

“Insolent child, if you don’t do this now then there will only be trouble to come. For your own sake, I beg you to co-operate.” His eyes looked so trustworthy then, I knew I had to give in. I knew I had to let him solve it, after all, I was just a boy, what could I do. “Marco, please,” said the man, gently laying a hand on my arm. Then, I felt it. I’d forgotten all about the necklace Lena had brought me, it was just habit that I put it on every morning now. The glass warmed against my skin and I felt, rather than heard, one of the small pebbles crack. It took a few moments for the realization to settle in before my eyes widened and I took a step back, truly afraid for the first time since I’d met him.