Page 113 of Staff of Nightfall

Regulus stared at Adelaide. She couldn’t be giving up. She wouldn’t... But then, he had seen her nightmares. “What are you doing?”

Adelaide slowly stood and faced the sorcerer. “I make you a counter-offer.”

The sorcerer stroked his beard. “Speak quickly.”

“You think your sorcery makes you so strong. Then fight me—fair and square. No hurting Regulus to hurt me. No help from Nolan.” Regulus stood and grabbed her hand. She pulled it away, but not before he sensed her determination. “Chain Nolan and Regulus up and have a fair fight.”

The sorcerer laughed, but it was sharp and angry. “Why would I do that?”

“You defeated me before, but you were cheating, using the staff. You’ve already cheated today.” She held her hands out to her sides. “I’m tired and weakened. So what are you afraid of? Do you think my magic is stronger than your sorcery?”

“Of course not! And it’s not cheating to use every tool at your disposal. Why would I waste energy when I can just continue to torture your mercenary lover until you break?”

Regulus flinched.Please, no!But a warning bell went off in his mind. She wouldn’t. He had to be wrong, she—

“Because if you win and I survive, I’ll serve you,” Adelaide said quietly.

“Adelaide!” Regulus turned her toward him. “Absolutely not.” He would rather Carrick cut him to pieces than Adelaide enslave herself. Ideally, though, the bond would break and let him die first. He understood why she wouldn’t remove it, but he wished she would. He was tired of the pain.

Sorrow made Adelaide’s eyes look dull and lifeless. “My father is...dead.” She swallowed. His heart clenched at the brokenness in her voice. “I can’t let any more of my family die because of me.” She turned back to the sorcerer, leaving a hollow ache in Regulus’ chest.

“But if you win,” Adelaide said, “whether I live or die, you have to promise no harm—no pain, no capture, no killing—will come to my family or Regulus’ men.” Carrick snorted.

The sorcerer raised a brow. “And if you win?”

“I’ll kill you.”

Adelaide and the sorcerer glared ice daggers at each other. Regulus eyed the distance between himself and the sorcerer and tried to judge how far behind him Carrick stood without looking. He could still remember the feel of Carrick’s blade through his heart. The excruciating feeling of dying without the release of death. Until Adelaide’s magic had eased the pain. Until he had stolen her magic, weakening her.

It wasn’t fair. If Regulus could just reach the sorcerer, maybe he could break the monster’s neck. But if either the sorcerer or Carrick attacked him first, all he would accomplish was weakening Adelaide further. Despair pressed against his lungs. No. He wouldn’t give up; not on Adelaide.

The sorcerer fiddled with his belt. “You know what you’re agreeing to, if you lose and don’t die?”

“I’ll accept the mark.” Adelaide’s shoulders slumped.

No.Regulus wanted to say they should take their chances fighting together, fight until death if need be. But if they lost, her family would suffer. Dresden and the rest of his men would suffer.Etiros, help us!

“You realize I’ll marry you off to Carrick,” the sorcerer continued. “You’re too annoying and wearisome to have around all the time. Besides, in a moment of shortsightedness, I technically did promise he could have you.”

Regulus bristled. “You can’t force her to marry him!”

“What about the mercenary?”

“Let him go.”

The sorcerer scoffed. “Unacceptable.”

“If you lose, he dies,” Carrick said, as if he thought he were the one giving orders.

Relief surged in Regulus.I’d be free at least. No more pain. No watching Adelaide suffer and be corrupted by sorcery. Please. Kill me.He shook his head to dislodge the invasive thought. He would never abandon her.

Adelaide gulped. “A compromise. If I die, you can kill him—only him, no one else. But if I lose but live, I’ll remove the bond. Then you let him go.”

“Hm.” The sorcerer looked past her to Carrick. Regulus looked back at Carrick, not bothering to hide his rage—or his heartbreak.

Carrick glowered. “Fine. I can live with that.”

Regulus was about to protest when Adelaide grabbed his hand. Her fear slammed into him. She would sacrifice herself with the hope she protected everyone else. But hope simmered under her desperation. She wanted to win and believed she had a chance. She was just preparing for the worst. It was a daring plan. The plan of a tigress. He squeezed her hand, and hoped she felt his admiration and belief she could win, and not just his fear. But he hated this plan didn’t include him.

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