Page 112 of Prince of Shadow and Ash

It was surreal to see Regulus with cruelty in his eyes. To hear him talk about himself as someone else. Her heel caught on an uneven bit of stone, and she fell backward.

“He can bring you to me, you help me, everybody lives and is happy. Or he can kill you.” Regulus lunged.

She half-heartedly stabbed toward his right shoulder, but he grabbed the blade with his left hand. Blood seeped between his fingers.

“You can’t kill him to save yourself,” Regulus’ voice said. “His life is tied to mine. So long as I live, he lives.” Regulus’ right hand closed around her neck.

His large hand encircled her throat and squeezed, his skin hot against her throat. She released the dagger and pulled at his fingers, coughing and choking. He pulled her to her knees. Her throat and lungs burned from the effort to breathe. Her thoughts turned fuzzy. He dropped her dagger, and it clattered to the ground.

“Please,” she croaked, “stop...”

The edges of her sight turned black. Bright spots swam in her vision as Regulus’ sneering face went in and out of focus. She scratched at his hand but felt herself weakening.Etiros, he’s going to kill me! I’m. Going. To. Die.

He released her and stepped back. She fell on her hands and knees, gasping for air and coughing. Her throat felt raw, like she had been screaming. Her neck ached and throbbed. She looked up in fear as she struggled to catch her breath. But Regulus had withdrawn a couple feet and collapsed to his knees on the ground. He rested his arms on his legs, palms up, his left hand dripping blood, and stared at the floor.

Dresden, one hand clutching his head, staggered over. He hesitantly put a hand on Regulus’ shoulder. Regulus flinched, but otherwise didn’t move.

Adelaide healed her neck and dropped her hands to the cool stone. As her breathing evened out, she eyed Regulus, trying to determine if he had regained control. His cheeks glistened in the sunlight, and she realized he was crying.

She moved closer, swallowing back her fear. That wasn’t him. Regulus wouldn’t hurt her. Not as himself. Slowly, she reached for him. “Regulus...”

He drew back from her touch. “Don’t,” he whispered. “Don’t come close.”

She looked at her hand and pulled it back. “Oh. Right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“What?” Regulus looked up, his brow furrowed above watery eyes. “Why are you apologizing?”

She swallowed, her mouth still dry. “For hurting you.”

Bewilderment showed in his expression. “You...think I blame you?” He laughed, but it was a bitter, angry sound. “You tried to help. Then I...” He choked and looked away. “I hurtyou. I’m sorry. I feared something like this would happen.” He hung his head, his chin resting on his chest. “I should have stayed far away from you. I should have ended this before it began.”

She wrapped her arms around her torso as his words slashed into her heart. Her gaze dropped to the stone floor. “You wish we didn’t know each other?”

“Maybe the sorcerer would have picked someone else if you hadn’t been with me when he searched for a mage. Now you’re part of my mess. Now you’re in danger.” His voice seemed small in the vast hall.

She moved closer to him. Blood pooled on his left hand. If she attempted to heal it, would her magic clash with the sorcery within him again? It hadn’t last time she healed him. But the fury in his eyes as he had strangled her made her hesitate.Coward.

“I’ve tried everything to break the bond.” Regulus clenched his fists. The muscles in his neck bulged with tension. Understanding of the scars on his arm dragged her heart down to her gut. “I can’t even die.” The whispered words hung in the air between them.

Dresden paced back and forth behind Regulus’ bent form, his hands clasped behind his back. “You have to help him. The sorcerer said if Regulus brings you to him, his debt will be repaid. He will be free.”

Regulus shook his head. “He could be lying.”

“Here.” Adelaide took his left hand, pulled back the fingers. “Let me...” Blood still covered his hand, but she didn’t see a cut. “You...healed.”

“Hm?” He looked down. “Oh. Yes.”

“I thought sorcery couldn’t heal.”

“Not the way pure magic does,” Regulus said. “This is evil. Corrupted. It hurts as it heals...and sometimes after. It leaves scars. And it doesn’t heal minor injuries. Just ones that affect my ability to be a useful slave. I could have bled out. My bond to the sorcerer won’t allow that. So it healed.” His tone was flat, emotionless.

“Reg.” Dresden sat at the table. “You can’t avoid this.”

“I know,” Regulus murmured. He looked at Adelaide, sorrow and apology in his eyes. “I can’t let him...Ican’t kill you. Or Dresden. Or Harold. Innocent people, people I care about, will die at my hand.” His gaze fell to her throat, his face twisting with horror. “I can’t control myself when he takes over, but I can see and feel everything. It’s as if I’m a puppet that has gained consciousness and sensation, but I can only do what the puppet master wishes. I could—” His voice cracked, and he looked away again.

She shuddered, remembering his hand crushing her throat.He was suffering as much as I was.She pressed his blood-stained hand between hers, but he pulled away. She wiped his blood off on her dress. “Regulus—”

“I could feel your skin.” His jaw pulsed as he clenched and unclenched his teeth. “I felt your throat as you tried to breathe, your hands trying to pull mine away. I saw the fear and panic in your eyes. And I couldn’t stop it. I tried. Etiros, I tried. I only stopped when he let me go. When he had gotten his point across.”

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