Swords drawn, Daoud and Lorenzo stood back-to-back in the shadowy
courtyard. Lorenzo faced the six men who had emerged from the end of the
alley and were now fanning out to surround them. Daoud confronted the
four who had jumped down into the campiello.
A shutter opened on the overhanging second floor of a house, and Daoud
glanced up to see a face. The shutter slammed with a finality that
declared the householder wanted nothing to do with what was going on
below.
It was too dark to see the faces of the men before him. They wore dark
capes, and two of them carried long daggers in one hand and swords in
the other. One shadowy figure stepped forward now, and Daoud wondered if
they were going to challenge him.
"Messere, let us speak quickly. You are David of Trebizond, are you
not?"
The man had asked the question in an urgent but respectful tone.