Page 106 of Staff of Nightfall

“Sacrifice?” Regulus’ brow wrinkled. “Why, because I nearly died?”

“That’s part of it, yes. You sacrificed yourself for her, but the amount of energy she put into you to createthatmark—she was ready to give up her power entirely to save you. She could have killed herself with the effort.”

What?Regulus’ mouth fell into a silentoh.A surge of love and gratitude fought with guilt.No wonder she slept for so long.

The sorcerer crossed his arms and shook his head, his features sagging and weary. “When I used the staff on you, the sorcery in it tried to overpower the magic in you to kill you and failed. All that destructive magical energy had to go somewhere, so it did—back onto my staff.” He snarled the words. “I had hoped it said something about her power, that she might have the strength to repair the staff. But this,” he pointed at Regulus’ arm, his disgust apparent, “this isn’t because of the power of her magic, just her love. It’s a cyclical strengthening based on your sickening affection for each other. Your love strengthens the bond, the bond strengthens your love, and so forth, making the protection magic in you stronger than the destructive magic was in the staff. It’s useless to me, unless I want to use you as a shield.”

“Oh, yes,” Regulus said with a scowl, “howdaresomething exist you can’t twist to use for your own selfish needs.”

The sorcerer lifted an eyebrow, then waved his hand. “Carrick, he’s all yours.”

“What?” Panic crawled up Regulus’ spine. “I answered your questions! I won’t beg for myself, but for Adelaide? Please. Don’t.” He desperately looked at Carrick. “I’m begging you. Don’t hurt her.”

“Actually,” the sorcerer said, “what I want more than anything right now is to hurt your precious mage for making a mess of all my plans. I’d do it myself, but I’m tired, and need to rest and think so I can figure out where to find my stupid brother.”

Regulus clenched his fists in a useless gesture of defiance. “But—”

“Carrick, don’t cut any appendages off, especially not his head.” The sorcerer sounded bored. “Other than that, go ahead and let all that rage and resentment that’s been making you insufferable out on him.” The sorcerer started back toward the fire, then paused. “And for the love of sorcery, gag him so I don’t have to listen to his screams and protestations.”

“I answered your questions!” The chains dug into Regulus’ chest as he strained against them. “No, you can’t—I answered your questions!”

Carrick pulled off his blood-stained doublet and cut a long, thick strip, paying no attention to Regulus.

He switched tactics. “Carrick, you have to realize this won’t help you win her. She won’t forgive you.”

Carrick shoved the fabric into Regulus’ mouth and tied it behind his head. “I’m not trying to win her heart anymore, mercenary. She doesn’t want me, and she likely never will. She won’t forgive me, anyway.” Uncertainty flickered over his expression. “Not after I killed her father.”

Regulus stopped straining against the chains. Her father... His eyes bulged. Alfred Belanger was...dead? Carrick killed him?Oh, Adelaide.

“He got in my way.” Carrick shrugged, but from the tone of his voice and the pinch of his brows, he was troubled. “I’d kill you, too, but apparently I’m not allowed.” He shifted over to Regulus’ right arm. “I had hoped once you were dead, she would be free to want me. But I see now...” He dug the dagger into Regulus’ forearm and began cutting around the mark. Regulus screamed into the gag. “She’s given her heart too completely to you for it to ever be mine. She could have had my love. Now she will know my vengeance.”

Carrick pried the chunk of flesh bearing Adelaide’s mark, the mark of a lover’s bond, out of his arm. Regulus sagged against the tree, black spots clouding his vision. Bile rose in his mouth but had nowhere to go against the gag, so he swallowed it back down. He closed his eyes and bit down hard on the gag.

Numbing warmth spread over his forearm until the pain faded away. Still, tears soaked into the gag pulling at the sides of his mouth. He let his head fall forward and leaned in exhaustion against the chains. Carrick rubbed at his arm, and Regulus opened his eyes as Carrick pulled his hand away. On his arm, beneath the smeared red, Adelaide’s mark stood out as clear as ever.

“Hm. Unsurprising, but disappointing.” Carrick flicked a spray of blood off the dagger. “I want to be clear, though.” He used the dagger to lift Regulus’ chin, forcing him to look at Carrick’s face. “I’ve admitted I can’t force her love. But I will still have her. I’ve never been one to walk away. My parents said my reckless, bull-headed determination was cute when I was a child, but is...what was it? Boorish now. But then, I was always their least favorite son.” He turned the dagger so the edge sliced into the underside of Regulus’ chin. “I don’t like losing. Adelaide will be my wife, even if I have to keep her collared and chained.”

Regulus pushed his tongue against the gag, trying to force it out of the way so he could tell Carrick off. His face burned from his neck to his scalp. He pulled at the chains, willing them to break even as the shackles cut into his wrists and the effort pulled at his shoulders. He kept his eyes locked on Carrick’s and hoped Carrick could see his rage.

“I never liked you, mercenary. A peasant masquerading as a lord.” Carrick lowered the dagger. “But trust me, at this point, I hate you as much as you hate me.” He stabbed the dagger into Regulus’ thigh. Regulus grimaced, then groaned as Carrick dragged the dagger down several inches. “Maybe His Highness will let me keep you. If Adelaide misbehaves, I can just hurt you.” He twisted the dagger. Regulus shook as he bit back a scream. “Knowing that her bad behavior will spill your blood and cause you both pain might help keep her docile.” He pulled the dagger out of Regulus’ leg with a sickening squelch. “Should help with holding her to her promise.”

Promise?Regulus raised his eyes from his leg to Carrick.

Carrick laughed. “Oh, she didn’t tell you? Before you came barreling in and nearly got yourself killed, she promised me that once she and I are married—and we will be—she will be, and I quote, ‘a dutiful, affectionate wife.’” He sneered.

Regulus felt like he had been punched in the gut. Was that the only reason Carrick had stopped that day? He pulled at the chains, his muscles bulging. He pictured his hands closing around Carrick’s neck. The chain made a squeaking groan as it pulled against the tree. But it wouldn’t break. There was no point, so he stopped struggling and sagged against the chains, his head hanging as guilt crushed him.

“That’s right.” Carrick examined the blood-soaked tip of the dagger. “Be a good mongrel dog and accept your leash.”

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