Page 104 of Prince of Shadow and Ash

Chapter 38

REGULUS STARED AT THEclosed front door. All his anger—at the sorcerer, at magic, at Carrick, at the sheriff—had melted away, leaving him hollow and numb. What had just happened?

“Did you see anything?” he demanded of Dresden. “Did he hurt her?”

“I was too focused on you.” Dresden’s look of pity grated on his nerves. “But she looked unharmed.”

Nolan must have threatened her. There was no way shewantedto marry that villain. She couldn’t.

Regulus stepped toward the door, his heart fracturing while Adelaide calling Nolanmy lovereplayed in his mind. “Something’s going on.”

Dresden blocked his path. “They have a small army. Carrick will have you killed if you try to stop them from leaving.”

Regulus groaned and turned away. But then...there might be one blessing here. He had asked Etiros for aid, and now he had a valid barrier to bringing Adelaide to the sorcerer. Carrick would see to it he never went near her again. As much as it hurt, Regulus could let her marry that rogue if it kept her safe from the sorcerer. He ran back to his room, ignoring his men’s shouted questions. Once he had locked the door to his room, he pulled the mirror back out. He had never tried this, but why shouldn’t it work?

“I need to talk to you.”

Nothing.

“It’s about the mage.”

After a moment, the mirror shimmered, and the sorcerer appeared. “What? What is it?”

“I can’t bring you Adelaide Belanger. She is beyond my reach.”

“Likely story.”

“She’s engaged to a personal enemy of mine.” He closed his eyes for a moment, the words bitter. He worked his jaw, forced himself to continue. To see the blessing in this waking nightmare. “He’s taken her, and he won’t let me near her. Who else is there?”

“There is no one else!” the sorcerer shrieked. He took a deep breath, then spoke calmly. “She’s in no danger from me. I need her to open a door. That’s all.”

“But there is no way for me—” He gasped as his mark burned. He wanted to claw it off, but he knew that didn’t work, so he gritted his teeth against the pain.

“You’ve killed a dragon! You can handle some nobleman!” The pain in his arm subsided. “It’s simple. Once she helps me, I’ll remove the mark and let you both go. I’ll be gracious and give you two days to bring her to me. But if in two days I don’t have her, you will carve your friend’s heart from his chest. And I’ll kill the mage when I’m done with her.” The sorcerer disappeared.

Regulus stared at his reflection, his mind blank. Someone knocked on his door. More by habit than by conscious decision, he crossed to the door and opened it. Dresden walked in, followed by Magnus.

Regulus moved back, his footsteps heavy. “He wants Adelaide.”

“Carrick? Obviously.”

“The sorcerer.” Regulus sank onto his bed, exhausted. Magnus jumped up and laid his head on his lap. He couldn’t even muster the energy to stroke Magnus’ head.

“What? Why?”

“He needs her magic. He says he doesn’t want to hurt her.” Regulus stared at the cold fireplace. “Bringing her will repay my debt. And if I don’t...” His gaze darted to Dresden as he shuddered. “You’re all in danger.”

“Then what’s the problem? You know what you have to do, so let’s make a plan.”

“I can’t!”

“Because of Carrick?”

“Because I love her!” Traitorous tears ran hot down Regulus’ cheeks. He wiped them away and looked down at Magnus’ large furry head in his lap. “What if the sorcerer takes her captive? What if he makesherhis slave? Or—”

“What if you don’t do it?” Dresden asked roughly. He stood across from Regulus with a forbidding expression, his arms crossed. “Best-case scenario, he sends someone else. Someone who might hurt her. Worst case—you kill us all, kill the Drummonds’ guards to get her, and take her while not yourself and covered in the blood of her family and friends. You don’t have a choice, Reg.”

He opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to think of a response. He had considered having Dresden chain him in the cellar, where the sorcerer couldn’t make him hurt anyone. But that was assuming the sorcerer couldn’t use sorcery to lose his bonds. And didn’t account for the sorcerer sending someone else. He had killed every mage in Monparth without Regulus, he could capture one inexperienced mage without him.

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