Page 20 of Staff of Nightfall

Chapter 8

Adelaide smiled asshe dried her tears.“You’re my baby girl.”The tenderness and fear in Mother’s voice had nearly broken her. It didn’t help Adelaide was still reeling from Regulus’ admission his father’s wife had tried to have him killed. Even in hiding, she had never known a life without loving parents.

But she hadn’t expected Mother to be so hesitant. Sure, after those years together in that cottage, they could only have become close or hated each other. Adelaide loved Father, but until Regulus, she didn’t think she could love someone as much as she loved Mother. And Mother had always been protective. She should have expected Mother to fight any suitor.

“I secretly hoped you would stay with me forever.”Adelaide hadn’t been able to keep from crying at that. But Mother understood, even if she didn’t like it.“I’m glad you’ve found someone you can love like I love your father. I just don’t want to see you hurt.”

“There’s something else,” Regulus said as he sat back down on her bed, drawing her attention. “Something the sorcerer—or Kirven, I guess—said that I’ve been wondering about. Something that might help you get your magic back. If that’s what you want.”

“What?” Adelaide sat back on her heels. Hope swelled, followed by suspicion and doubt. “The sorcerer? I don’t want anything to do with sorcery.”

“It wouldn’t be sorcery,” Regulus said quickly. “At least, I don’t think so. The sorcerer wasn’t much for explaining things most of the time.” He sat on the edge of her bed. “One of the ingredients he had me find was the root of a neumenet tree.”

“Absolutely not,” Mother said, folding her arms. “No.”

Adelaide looked between them. “What’s a neumenet tree?”

“According to the sorcerer, it’s a tree that holds a lot of magic.” Regulus looked inquisitively at Mother. “He said a long time ago people would try to conceive children under neumenet trees in the hope of their children being mages. And that it sometimes worked. What do you know about neumenet trees?”

Mother huffed and returned to the armchair. “When we realized Adelaide had magic, I read everything I found, trying to understand and determine how to help her hide.”

“We had books on magic?” Adelaide gaped at her mother, hurt and anger cracking through her heart like searing lightning. “You hid them from me?”

“Yes.” Mother pulled her braid over her shoulder and fiddled with it. “We hoped the less you knew, the easier it would be to keep your abilities concealed. To keep you safe.” She bit her lip. “Maybe that was wrong, but I stand by our decision.”

“And one of these books talked about neumenet trees?” Regulus asked.

“A few of them.” Mother inspected the leather tie on the end of her braid. “Every living thing has some level of magic, tied inextricably to life itself. It is a reminder of Etiros, the creator and source of pure magic. Sentient beings with high levels of magic—like mages—can use that magic to affect the world around them. For unknown reasons, some non-sentient living things are like wells of magical energy. Neumenet trees are exceedingly rare and hold more magical power than any other known thing. There are legends about its power rubbing off on sentient beings that spend time in its shade, from birds to men. Some theorize neumenets actuallyaresentient.”

Adelaide stared at Mother, stinging betrayal making her throat tense. “All these years...you knew about magic and didn’t tell me?”

“Adelaide.” Father looked at her, his eyes sad. “I lost a good friend and a few acquaintances when the Shadow struck. If there was even a chance not using your gift would keep you safe, I was willing to try it.”

Father had mage friends before the Shadow? “You never told me that.” She fidgeted with her hands in her lap.

“Some things are...painful to talk about. And difficult to hear.” Father scratched behind his ear and bit his lip. “How do you tell your child you...” He shook his head. “You can’t tell a child you found a dear friend strangled and hanging from his own balcony because he had the same gifting your child does.” His voice shook. “I wanted you safe. I didn’t want you terrified.”

Silence filled the room as Adelaide stared at her hands. The very air seemed to press in, smothering her. It took her a moment to get her tongue working. “So this tree could help me?”

“It felt ancient and powerful,” Regulus said. “Maybe if it can give an unborn child magic, it can restore yours.”

“Perhaps,” Mother said. “But you can’t go running off on a hunch.” She laid a hand on Adelaide’s head. “Powerful sources of magic attract other powerful magical creatures, both good and evil. The tree might be dangerous. More importantly, it may be best if you are powerless, at least until the sorcerer is dead and can’t take further interest in you. And I don’t want you leaving this castle while that monster Carrick is out there.”

“Best—powerless?” Adelaide sputtered. Mother couldn’t begin to understand the emptiness she felt without her magic flowing through her veins. Or the fear.

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