Page 121 of Prince of Shadow and Ash

Chapter 45

THE HIGHER THEY RODEup into the mountains, the denser the forest became. Pines and firs overtook deciduous trees. Adelaide scanned the forest while Regulus consulted the map and the scribbled directions written on the back. She listened to the rustling of pine needles and creak of branches. The irregular chitter of squirrels and chirping of birds.

Regulus looked at the map, at the trees, back at the map. “All I see are trees. Ithinkwe’re still headed in the right direction, but...these notes aren’t particularly helpful.”

“I say we keep going straight.”

“You sound awfully confident.” He cocked a brow. “How do you know?”

She shrugged. “The mark. It doesn’t hurt. That means we’re going the right way, right?”

“Not necessarily.” He dragged his hand over his face. “It just means we’re trying to obey.”

“Hm.” She looked around again. “You have a better idea?”

“Fair point.”

They rode until her stomach twisted with hunger. Regulus pulled some jerky from his saddlebag, but they didn’t stop. The dry, chewy jerky mostly tasted like salt, but it quelled the rumbling in her stomach. They rode out of the trees into a wide path, overgrown with grass. It stretched out to the right and curved up further into the mountains to their left.

“I think this is it,” he said, consulting the map.

The winding trail upward narrowed the higher it progressed into the mountains until the encroaching brush forced them to ride single file. It was midafternoon and long shadows stretched across the path when they reached a fork. A dilapidated wooden sign pointed to the left branch and said only “Craigailte.” The branch to the right was little more than a steep footpath over tangled roots and exposed bedrock.

“Well,” she looked at the path to the right, “we’re not going to Craigailte.”

“No.” Regulus dismounted. He pulled up the sprawling branches of a juniper bush, revealing a cairn covered in blue-green juniper berries. “We’ll have to leave the horses. We’ll tie them off the path, out of sight.”

He made her wear his cloak. She didn’t argue. The air already held a chill. She was glad she’d worn one of her riding dresses with sleeves. Regulus pulled his helm out of the saddlebag and put it on. He tied the saddlebag over his shoulder, and they set out up the footpath.

Trees and bushes caught on her dress and cloak and gravel shifted under her feet. The scent of pine and falling leaves filled the air. Regulus walked ahead of her, scanning the trees and warning her of loose and slippery rocks.

“I don’t know what we’ll find at the top,” Regulus said as he picked his way around a sapling growing out of the middle of the path. “There are many dangerous creatures in these mountains, and the sorcerer mentioned there might be something guarding the opal. If we’re attacked, I want you to run. Get to safety.”

Adelaide stopped short, offended that he would expect her to leave him behind—or that she couldn’t help. “You’re joking, right?”

“About your safety? Never.” He glanced over his bulky pauldron, but she couldn’t see his eyes under the black, horned helm. “I can’t die. I’ll catch up.”

“I can’t either, remember?” She held up her right arm, even though her sleeve covered the sorcerer’s mark.

Regulus turned around and took off his helm. His gaze dragged across the ground before meeting her eyes. “I’ve been brought back from the brink of death more times than I care to count.” His voice strained. “Ithurts, Adelaide. It still feels like dying. And the sorcerer’s magic isn’t like yours. There’s no comfort or relief. Just pain that slowly fades.”

That sounded horrible, but she wouldn’t back down. “I won’t abandon you.” She met his gaze, challenging him. “I have my dagger and my knives. I have my magic. You know I can help.”

“I don’t want you to suffer if you don’t have to. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“And I don’t wantyouto get hurt!” Emotion she hadn’t even realized she had been holding in rushed out and tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. “I don’t want to be here! I don’t want to help this sorcerer, I don’t want to have this mark on my arm, I don’t want to think about my sister not knowing if I’m all right, I don’t want to wonder if Nolan is threatening my family trying to find me! We don’t always get what we want!” She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes.

“But Iwantto help you.” She looked up and whispered, “Let me help you.”

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