The Books & Braun Dossier by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris

Author:Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris [Ballantine, Pip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ImagineThat! Studios

A Christmas to Die for

by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

Siena, Italy

December, 1894

* * *

Even an assassin must go home for Christmas.

Sophia del Morte was not smiling when she stepped down onto the airship's gangway, and looked around at the swells of people within the aeroport; some embracing one another in delight while others familiar counterparts greeted one another in a distinctly chilly manner. There was no need to take survey of the tiny travel centre as Sophia knew it intimately. It was packed with a crowd of bustling travellers, but considering the time of year, this was to be expected.

A quick hairpin into the nape of the neck of those plodding in front of her would move things along, but such initiative would not win Nonna’s approval. The matriarch of the del Morte family did not appreciate attracting such attention this close to the family village. Nonna's wrath was not something even Sophia wanted to face.

The town of Siena was pretty, with its caramel coloured buildings, rooftops sprinkled with snow, and the elegant Torre del Mangia towering above the Piazza del Campo, but it was not her final destination. This was merely a waypoint before reaching Monteriggioni, because this was as close as conventional transportation could get her. Her Nonna and relatives would not allow anything as dangerous as an airship to get close to their mountain village. This insistence was well known amongst the local provinces, so much in fact the local government agreed to designate the aerospace above Monteriggioni a “no-fly” zone. It was safer that way.

In light of this, Sophia now faced a day of horseback riding, cross-country to reach Monteriggioni; nothing like an hour testing her thighs’ endurance to get into the Christmas spirit.

Picking up her small valise, she strode towards the exit leading to the main street, the pending holiday with her family turning over and over in her head. She kept her hat tilted at a ridiculous angle so it obscured most of her face, but the concealed occulars in the rim allowed her to have proper peripheral vision of the street. It would be most humiliating to be caught unawares so close to her birthplace.

However, to the citizens of Siena she was only a woman in a stylish green dress. Much as it was in the travel centre, there was a throng of people outside. The majority were returning locals like herself, meandering and milling about. This made Sophia's journey to the local stables particularly frustrating, because there another crowd had gathered. More waiting. Lovely.

So she stood in the chill with the rest of the rabble, waiting for her turn to find a suitable horse for the final leg of her journey.

"Sophia!" the voice behind her called.

She spun on her heel, her hand already pulling free her muff pistol, but the grip on its handle immediately slackened.

Mio dio, she swore inwardly. Why me?

Ortensia. Sophia had been delayed so late in leaving London that she would be arriving with Ortensia.

The black sheep of the

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