Lair of the Lion

those in need—not just those in her own holding but also the people in the other two holdings. But the more the people loved and followed her, the more jealous the other wives became.
    "The wives of the other dons, Drannacia and Bartolmei, conspired to get rid of her.
    Sophia DeMarco was her name. They began to gossip about her and complain to their husbands that they had seen her with other men, that she was flitting about the countryside with the soldiers, fornicating and holding secret rituals of sacrifice. No one really knew much about Christianity, so it wasn't that difficult to frighten the people. They were willing to believe the worst, and the whispers and accusations were finally carried to her husband.
    It was Don Bartolmei and Don Drannacia who formally accused Sophia of infidelity and human sacrifices."
    Isabella gasped. "How awful! Why would they do that?"
    "Their wives had convinced them, whispering continually that they were doing a service to Don DeMarco, that it would go a long way to healing the rift between the houses if they had the courage to tell the powerful man just what his unfaithful wife was doing. They said she was making him look foolish and went so far as to accuse her of plotting the death of Don DeMarco. The two jealous women paid several soldiers to confess to bedding her. The dons believed her guilty and went to Alexander."
    "Surely he didn't believe them?"
    Sarina sighed softly. "Unfortunately, the evidence seemed overwhelming. It became a witch hunt, with more and more people coming forward, telling tales of devil worship and betrayal. They demanded her death. Sophia pleaded with
    Alexander, begged him to believe in her innocence. She swore to him that she had never betrayed their love. But Alexander's heart had turned to stone. He was angry and jealous and bitter, thinking she had made a fool of him. It is said he went berserk and ranted and raved and publicly condemned her." She glanced around the room as if afraid of being overheard. "It happened here in the palazzo, in the small courtyard in the center of the three towers."
    Isabella shook her head. "What a terrible thing, to have your own husband turn on you."

    A chill went down her spine at the thought of truly incurring Don DeMarco's displeasure.
    "She threw herself on his mercy, wrapped her arms around his knees, and begged him to believe her, swearing again and again to him that she loved him and had been faithful. She was sobbing, begging him to soften his heart and see her through the eyes of their love, but he would not listen." Sarina paused. "Once he uttered the words to condemn her, all was lost to the DeMarco famiglia. The sky darkened, and lightning flashed across the sky.
    Sophia stopped crying and grew silent, her head bowed as she realized there was no hope—
    Alexander had sentenced her to death. She rose to her feet and looked at him with great contempt. She seemed to grow in stature, and she raised her arms to the sky. Lightning flashed from her fingers. She began to speak, saying words the don could not understand at first. Then she looked him directly in the eye.
    "No one spoke, no one moved. Then Sophia uttered these words. 'You do not look upon your own wife with the eyes of compassion and love. You are incapable of mercy, no better than the beasts in the deserts and mountains. I curse you, Alexander DeMarco. I curse you and all your descendants to walk the earth with the beasts, to be seen as the beast, to be one with the beast, to rip the heart from the ones you love, as you have done to me.' Her face looked cold and was set as stone. She looked at the other two dons, and she cursed them, also, that their children would repeat the betrayal of their fathers. As she knelt in front of the executioner, she seemed to soften. 'I will give you this much, Alexander,' she said, 'for my love for you, which has always remained steadfast, and to show you what mercy and compassion are. If one should come along who will see DeMarco as a man and not a beast, one who will tame what is untamable, who will love the unlovable, she will be able to break the curse and save your children's children and all who remain loyal to your house.'"
    Isabella twisted her fingers into the heavy coverlet on her bed in protest of what was coming. She almost stopped Sarina, but it was too late. The housekeeper continued.
    "Before Sophia could utter another word, she was beheaded. Don DeMarco could never take back his angry words. His