Page 18 of Prince of Shadow and Ash

“Oh.” Adelaide moved the scarf to her neck. “Calligraphy, sewing. I love reading.”Probably best not to mention the ancient dagger technique of Khastalland. Obviously can’t mention the magic.

“Do you enjoy dancing?” Nolan inquired.

“Of course.”

“Brilliant.” Nolan stepped closer to her and placed his hand on her lower back.

A knot formed in Adelaide’s throat and her whole body tensed. But stepping away would appear insulting.

“I was thinking, Father, that it has been far too long since a proper dance has been held in Etchy Barony.” Nolan’s tone was too sweet, taking on a pleading, manipulative edge. He smiled at Adelaide. “Youwouldjoin us, wouldn’t you?”

She mustered her politest tone. “Certainly, Sir Carrick.”

“Please.” Nolan rubbed his thumb against her back, and she straightened uncomfortably. “I do hope you will call me Nolan.”

“Oh, we hardly know each other, Sir Carrick.” She looked to his parents. “That hardly seems appropriate at this time.”

The baron chuckled. “You could learn something from her, Nolan.”

“Well, I’ll certainly do my best to remedy that and get to know you as soon as possible, Lady Belanger.” Nolan smiled coyly and moved his hand to her hip. Heat rushed to her face. Worse, heat was building in the palm of her right hand. She clenched her fists.Control it.

Adelaide cleared her throat, every fiber of her body on alert. “Forgive me, Baron Carrick, Baroness.” Her words came out in a rushed gasp. “But I...” She couldn’t come up with a reasonable excuse to leave. “I...need a moment. To freshen up.” She bobbed a half curtsy. “Thank you for coming,” she added breathlessly before hurrying off.

She darted into a parlor off the main hall and leaned on the back of a couch, her right hand still clenched. Faint rays of moonlight crisscrossed the floor following the lattice-work on the window. Her chest heaved as she realized she’d been holding her breath.“He’s a scoundrel.”That’s what Minerva had said.“Be careful.”She stared at the logs stacked in the cold fireplace.The nerve...Never had a man dared be so forward with her. She exhaled slowly, trying to steady her breathing.It was nothing. He just put his hand on my back.

Unexpectedly.

For no reason.

She groaned and opened her clenched fist, letting the warmth grow as magic flowed into her palm. Her skin glowed sky blue. She thrust her hand toward the fireplace, directing her energy into a stream of yellow-orange fire that hit the logs with a crackling roar. She let the energy wane, the magic recede. The extra warmth and the light in her palm faded away. With a sigh, she sank down onto the couch. Nolan hadn’t done anything terribly wrong. But she’d still felt trapped.I’ve never liked being trapped.

The door opened and she darted to her feet. “Oh—Minerva.” She sat back down. “I know; I should be out there. I just...needed a moment.”

Minerva eased the door closed. She looked at Adelaide, at the lively fire and back again. “Some servant is going to take the fall for that, you know.”

Adelaide blushed. “I’ll put it out before I leave.”

Minerva sat next to her. “Is everything all right? I saw you walking away from the baron and baroness in a hurry.” She paused. “Did they say something...unkind?”

“Oh, no. Nolan Carrick is—friendly. I wasn’t sure how to react.” They sat in silence for a moment. “Do you know anything about Lord Hargreaves? Sir Nolan said some odd things.”

Minerva leaned back against the couch. “I know he’s illegitimate and because of that was sent away when he was very young. It’s why he’s Lord of Arrano, not Lord Arrano.”

No wonder he doesn’t care about lineages.Adelaide’s heart wrenched.But being treated differently for something that’s not your fault...sent away from the people you love. The life you know.She clutched the pillow tighter.I understand how that feels. Even if not that extreme.

Minerva must have known what she was thinking, because she put her arm around Adelaide’s shoulders. “He worked as a mercenary until he inherited Arrano when the legitimate heir died childless. Other than that, only rumors.”

So hewasa mercenary.Adelaide tucked an escaped strand of hair behind her ear and turned so she could see Minerva’s face. This hairstyle wasnotcooperating tonight. “What sort of rumors?”

Minerva shifted, her hand resting on her stomach. “When he arrived to claim Arrano, his step-mother was still alive, as was his half-brother’s wife. They put forth a champion to challenge him. People say he won the duel too easily. No one has heard from the Arrano ladies since. Rational minds say they went to family in Craigailte. But between that and the fact he often disappears alone and has never once invited anyone into Arrano castle, it’s led to some wild speculation.” She chuckled. “My personal favorite is he’s a vampire.”

Adelaide laughed in disbelief. “He’s hardly pale enough for that.”

“There are other stories. He’s a sorcerer. He made a deal with a demon to get his father’s estate and title. He’s hiding something terrible in his castle. Some say he’s still a mercenary.”

Adelaide frowned. None of this lined up with the sweet, slightly awkward man she had talked to. “If people think he’s so horrible, why did Lord and Lady Drummond invite him?”

“Oh, it would be terribly impolite not to,” Minerva said matter-of-factly. “So most people invite him, although he doesn’t always come. I suspect some nobles do so out of fear. If he is a supernatural being or demonic servant, they fear offending him.” She shrugged. “But mostly people are curious. They hope one day he will observe proper social protocol and return the invite, and they can see inside Arrano.”

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