The study smelled of stale coffee and adrenaline. It was barely dawn, but neither Mara nor Nico had slept since walking out of the garden.
Nico stood behind the desk, his jacket removed and his dark shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms. He hadn't stopped moving since they returned inside.
Mara sat in the leather chair opposite him, a half-empty cup of black coffee cooling by her elbow. She felt the exhaustion deep in her bones, but the adrenaline kept her mind terrifyingly clear.
The formal Council notice lay dead centre on the mahogany desk, bearing Don Greco's embossed seal.
Friday. Nine AM.
"The Marinos are gone," Luca said, dragging a red marker through a name on the large whiteboard they had rolled in. He favoured his uninjured arm, moving stiffly. "Carla delivered them to Greco last night. That gives him four guaranteed votes before the session even opens."
"Greco isn't wasting time," Mara noted, leaning over the desk to look at the board.
