Chapter 8 - THE FIFTH CHAIR
Anthony refused to let Sebastian go beneath the river without understanding the phrase.
For once, Sebastian listened.
They brought in Marcus Dorne, an eighty-year-old former Moretti driver who had served Sebastian’s grandfather before retiring.
Marcus did not bow.
Old men who survived long enough stopped performing respect.
Sebastian placed the saint key on the table.
Marcus stared at it.
“Where?”
“Adrian.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Of course.”
“You know the symbol.”
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
“The faceless saint was the sign of the fifth chair.”
“We know that.”
“No.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You know the public fifth chair.”
Sebastian’s expression hardened.
Marcus continued:
“Boss.”
He touched one finger to the table.
“Blood.”
Second.
“Money.”
Third.
“Force.”
Fourth.
“Memory.”
Fifth.
Sebastian frowned.
“Memory?”
“The person responsible for remembering every debt the other four wanted forgotten.”
“The Shadow?”
Marcus shook his head.
“The Shadow was separate.”
“Second fifth seat.”
“Yes.”
“What did it do?”
“Killed the Table if the Table became dangerous to the family.”
Anthony laughed softly.
“A fail-safe.”
“A butcher.”
Marcus looked at Sebastian.
“Depending on who held it.”
“Who chose the Shadow?”
“Nobody.”
“Then how?”
“Previous Shadow chose the next.”
“Identity?”
“Hidden.”
“From the boss?”
“Especially.”
Sebastian stared.
His father tolerated a man he could not identify.
That sounded unlike Vittorio.
Unless Vittorio believed he controlled him anyway.
“Who held it under my father?”
Marcus’s expression changed.
“You don’t want that answer.”
“I’m tired of people deciding what I want.”
Marcus nodded.
“Paolo.”
Helena’s husband.
Sebastian stared.
“Paolo was Shadow.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Vittorio kill him?”
“Because Paolo decided Vittorio had become the threat.”
The entire old conflict changed.
Paolo had not merely opposed Vittorio politically.
He had been carrying out his role.
“And after Paolo?”
“Someone inherited it.”
“Who?”
“I never knew.”
“Adrian?”
“No.”
“August?”
“No.”
“Victor Shaw?”
Marcus laughed.
“Victor couldn’t keep a birthday surprise secret.”
Sebastian almost smiled.
“Then who?”
Marcus looked toward the door.
“I know one thing.”
“What?”
“The Shadow always had access to the children.”
Sebastian’s face hardened.
“Why?”
“Because if the boss became dangerous, the next generation had to survive.”
“Protect them?”
“Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“Sometimes the Shadow removed them.”
The word landed.
Removed.
Sent away.
Hidden.
Or killed.
Sebastian thought of Helena threatening the orphanage.
Adrian saying Leo was the lock.
“Why Leo?”
Marcus examined the key.
“The fifth-chair system could only be reopened by a direct descendant of the person who closed it.”
“Who closed it?”
“Your father.”
“So me.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
Sebastian stared.
“Adrian.”
“Why?”
“Vittorio never trusted you enough to teach you the old rites.”
Sebastian laughed bitterly.
“Finally an insult I can appreciate.”
Marcus continued:
“He taught Adrian.”
Silence.
“Why the younger son?”
“Because you were already becoming boss.”
“Adrian was backup.”
“More than backup.”
Marcus looked at him.
“He was trained to judge you.”
Sebastian did not move.
His younger brother had not merely challenged him because of personality.
Vittorio had secretly raised Adrian to watch Sebastian.
To stop him if necessary.
The thought should have created betrayal.
Instead Sebastian felt shame.
Adrian had spent years criticizing exactly the habits Sebastian inherited from Vittorio.
Perhaps that had been his job before it became his conscience.
“And Leo?”
“Adrian’s son inherits nothing automatically.”
“Good.”
“But he may carry the last sequence Adrian taught.”
“The nursery song.”
Marcus’s eyes sharpened.
“You know it?”
Sebastian said nothing.
Enough.
Marcus leaned back.
“If the burned man wants Leo, he needs what Adrian put inside the child’s memory.”
Sebastian’s face hardened.
“He won’t get him.”
Marcus nodded.
“Then go under the river without him.”
“That’s the plan.”
Marcus gave him a sad look.
“Which is exactly what Adrian probably expected you to do.”
Sebastian paused.
“What does that mean?”
“Your brother knew you would protect the child.”
“Yes.”
“So if Adrian built a trap…”
May you like
Marcus looked at the faceless saint.
“He built it for you.”
