The Last Song

stopped myself. What would my uncle be doing in the Grand Inquisitor’s palace? I dismissed all thoughts of Tio Diego when Fray Armand stopped in front of a door at the very end of the hall. A familiar with a dagger tucked into his black sash was leaning against it. He straightened up at the sight of us and saluted smartly.
    “Father Armand! What can I do for you?” he asked.
    “Announce Doña Isabel de Cardosa to his excellency.”
    The familiar swung the door open and I followed him into the chamber. Both Yussuf and the monk stayed behind.
    “Doña Isabel de Cardosa to see your grace,” the familiar announced. He backed out of the room and gently closed the door.
    I waited for the Grand Inquisitor to acknowledge me. A magnificent candelabra obscured my view of Torquemada, sitting behind it, across the room. I had only a glimpse of the top of his head, with its monk’s tonsure. Behind this hidden figure stood a familiar. I looked around the room to calm myself. It was a large chamber that was dark even in the daytime. There were no windows. Burning torches cast mysterious shadows.The walls were whitewashed, matching the snowy damask tablecloth that covered a long, carved table in the middle of the room. It was set with a wealth of silver dishes.
    “Hurry up, you fool! I am hungry,” cried a petulant voice. I recognized it immediately. The man peered around the candelabra. It was the Grand Inquisitor himself.
    “Doña Isabel? Come closer.”
    My knees were knocking so hard that I could barely cross the long expanse of carpet to his table. I was too frightened to meet his eyes, so I fixed my gaze on a unicorn’s horn that lay on the table in front of him. It was the first unicorn’s horn that I had ever seen, for they are very rare. Papa had shown me a drawing of one in a book when I was a little girl. He told me that it had magical powers.
    A piece of dark bread rested on a silver plate. Beside it was a bowl of dates. A dish of gruel looked so unappetizing that I wouldn’t have offered it to one of my servants. The familiar tasted everything on the table.
    “The food is safe to eat, your excellency,” he said.
    The Grand Inquisitor broke off a corner of the bread and chewed it thoughtfully. Suddenly, a small monkey crawled out from underneath the table andhopped up onto the chair next to Torquemada. I was so surprised that I jumped.
    “Don’t be afraid,” Torquemada said. “Miguel is my friend.”
    Torquemada held out a date. The monkey grabbed it with his paws. Torquemada turned his attention back to me. I curtsied deeply.
    “What brings you to my humble lodging, Doña Isabel?”
    He did not ask me to sit down, so I remained on my feet, quaking.
    “I must speak to you, excellency.”
    “What can I do for you?”
    “I have a delicate matter to discuss, your grace. I would appreciate if my words were heard only by yourself.” I nodded my head toward the food taster.
    The friar straightened up in his seat. “I believe that we met only once before, Doña Isabel. I barely know your father. How could your words be so important that they must be for my ears only?”
    His sharp words stung.
    “I am only thinking of you, excellency, not of myself,” I muttered. “My request is such that neither you nor I would want to share it with the world.”
    His eyes narrowed and he waved the food taster out of the room. “You have a lot of gall, my lady. Whatdo you want from me? Be quick. I have but a few moments.”
    Fear paralyzed me. I tried to speak, but no sound left my throat. Torquemada held out his arm and the monkey hopped onto it. He began to scratch the animal’s back.
    “What do you want?” he repeated.
    “Your excellency, my father … my father, Enrique de Cardosa …” I finally stammered.
    “What about him?”
    He began to drum his fingers on top of the table.
    I took a deep breath. “Your grace, a terrible injustice has been done. False accusations have been made against my father. The Inquisition arrested him because of them. My father is no heretic. He is a good Christian.” All my years of going to Father Juan’s mass made this lie easier to tell.
    I forced myself to speak in measured tones although I wanted to scream and cry and beat the table with my fists. When the monkey nuzzled Torquemada’s chin, the Grand Inquisitor’s gaze shifted to his pet. He fed it another date and I began to breathe again.
    “How dare you question the holy Inquisition.” The cold pebbles that