I stared at Stefano, shock pinning me silent for several long, heart-pounding seconds. “A... blood spell?” I finally managed to say, the words barely escaping my throat.

With a chuckle, Stefano nodded. “Ornella told me herself, hoping I’d become an ally. She’s still worried that Emiliano might turn her armies against her. She isn’t sure whether he and Emiliano share the same bloodline, so she’s avoided taking that risk. I doubt Emiliano even knows about the spell—he probably ...