The Serpent's Curse by Lisa Maxwell

Author:Lisa Maxwell [Maxwell, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: 2021-04-13T00:00:00+00:00

OUTMANEUVERED

1902—New York

Viola Vaccarelli barely trusted herself to speak as she walked alongside Theo, back to his carriage. She wasn’t exactly sure how she’d lost the argument against him helping with the Order, but she had. Even Jianyu and Cela had agreed that if she wasn’t willing to use Nibsy, they needed a way to get more information than what she might glean from her brother. And she wasn’t willing to risk working with Nibsy. Viola knew her refusal to work with the little snake had confused them all—Viola included. But how could she explain to them why she was so afraid to take Nibsy’s bargain when she couldn’t even explain it to herself ?

They thought her reluctance was because she hated Nibsy—and she did. But they did not understand that she could not give Nibsy what he wanted—information against Paul. Information that would likely destroy her brother. It didn’t matter that Paolo could take care of himself or that he did not deserve her protection. Viola would have gladly destroyed Paul herself if it hadn’t been for what that action would do to their mother.

Pasqualina Vaccarelli loved her son like she loved her saints. In her eyes, Paolino could do no wrong, and if he had done wrong, Viola’s mother would never willingly admit it. Losing Paolo might well kill their mother. And if it didn’t kill her? If Pasqualina ever found out that Viola had been involved in orchestrating Paolo’s downfall? Certainly that would turn any love her mother might yet hold for Viola to hatred.

She wasn’t sure why it mattered. Viola could not even explain to herself why she still cared, when her family had never been particularly kind or loving to her. They had never accepted her, not for the magic that lived beneath her skin nor for her headstrong temper nor for her unwillingness to find a nice boy and settle for the life she was supposed to want. They’d never looked at her with the clear affection that Abel had shown Cela, but they were still her family, weren’t they? They were her blood, and she could not quite bring herself to betray them… not completely.

And if her mother had made life difficult for Viola, wasn’t that only a mother’s right? Pasqualina could not help having a daughter who refused to be meek and subservient, who would not take a man and settle down to a proper life. She could not help having a daughter born with the old magic, one who used that power to break the Lord’s commandments with such impunity. Perhaps Pasqualina Vaccarelli had never shown Viola the patience that she reserved only for Paolo, but she had tried to show Viola what was right. That was surely a sign of her mother’s love… wasn’t it?

When they reached the carriage, Theo opened the door and offered Viola his hand, as he always did. Ever the gentleman, even if Viola was nothing like a lady. From the expression he wore, Theo was far too pleased with himself and far too sure as well.

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