Page 48 of Staff of Nightfall

He pursed his lips. “Your parents did the same, didn’t they? Forbade you from accessing the energy burning through you, tried to force you to ignore the roar of power, to pretend you weren’t what you are.”

His words hit too close to her heart, and her gaze fell. Anger snapped her back to her senses, and she snarled at him. “Because of you! Because it wasn’t safe!”

“Different circumstances, same lack of understanding.” Kirven leaned back. “The difference between us is I didn’t accept my cage. I left to find my own tutors. And you know what I discovered? Sorcery is far more interesting. More fun. More...useful.” He reached toward her, and she shied away with a whimper from the torture that would doubtless accompany his touch. He grinned and leaned back. “See? Anyway, I learned quickly. Made some of my tutors nervous. I realized the best way to use a tutor was to have them teach you everything they knew, then kill them by draining their magic. Then they couldn’t try to stop you, their knowledge died with them, and your power temporarily strengthened.”

She grimaced as revulsion filled her.

“When I thought I was ready, I returned to claim my throne and punish those who denied me my birthright. But I miscalculated.” He pulled the left side of his robe and tunic away from his neck and shoulder. Twisting white and pink scars covered every inch of exposed skin. “A gift from one of my father’s mages.” He shifted his collar back into place. “A burn covering most of the left side of my body. Don’t worry,” he said as she stared at his shoulder with horror, “after I learned how to track them all down, I killed every mage in the kingdom, including the ones who did this to me. So no one could stop me next time I tried to claim my throne. And yet,” he cocked his head, “here you are.”

“Then kill me.” She’d meant it as a challenge. But her voice was so weak and desperate, it sounded like a plea.

“Don’t you see? I’m offering to help you. To teach you. All this power, don’t you want to learn how to use it properly? Don’t you want to learn everything you are capable of?” Kirven’s eyes narrowed. “You have a choice, Adelaide. On the one hand, you have a future as Carrick’s wench. He’s immortal, you can’t fight that. A future filled with your family’s pain and suffering. A future of using your talents only when your husband tells you to.”

Her stomach churned, and she looked away.

“On the other hand, you have a future whereyoucan show the world your power. You can control Carrick, not the other way around. You could avoid marriage to him. You can’t have had an easy life, being half Khastallander. If you desire, you would have the power to punish anyone who has ever treated you as inferior for the way you were born. Agree to serve me, and I will make you the second-most powerful sorcerer in the world. I haven’t waited so long to assemble the Staff of Nightfall to stop at Monparth. Together, we will conquer the known world. You could be ruler of Khastalland. I could even make you my queen. My empress.”

She jerked her head up, her lungs seizing.

He laughed. “All right, never fear, I wouldn’t force you. But perhaps one day you’d like to be queen. I’d even let you keep that self-righteous mercenary as your lover. All the freedom, all the power, all the status, all the wealth you desire. But even without the title of queen, you will be a sorceress of astounding power. You would never lose a battle again. Even Nolan Carrick would tremble at your feet.”

“I don’t want that.” Adelaide shook her head, hard and fast, trying to dislodge the voice that whispered she did. “I’m not a sorceress. I won’t corrupt my magic for personal gain.”

“Then what’s the point?” Kirven moved to the stool. “Don’t be unreasonable. I am offering you power beyond belief. I am offering you freedom—from Nolan Carrick, from a society that judges you for your heritage and fears you for your magic. I’m offering you the chance to save your family and friends. Don’t you want to protect them?” He crossed his arms. “Or I’m promising you the pain and suffering and death of everyone you care about. I’m promising you a life as Carrick’s wife and plaything.”

Adelaide trembled and fought growing nausea. It felt as if Kirven had peered into her soul and found all her deepest hurts, shames, fears, and desires. He took her experiences and emotions and twisted them to make his offer, his way of thinking, seem...tempting.No. I’m not him. I won’t become a monster.She swallowed hard.

“Do you think you can bully me into joining you?”

“And bribe.”

“I don’t want anything you can give me.”

It was half a lie, and she knew it. Part of her would love to relax, out of Nolan’s reach. She could give in, and her family would be safe. Regulus would be safe. She could learn more about her magic. But the cost was too great. She remembered the haunted look in Regulus’ eyes as he told her he had stolen and killed for Kirven. To knowingly agree to help the sorcerer murder the king and any other evil actions... Regulus would never look at her the same. Minerva would fear her. Mother and Father would be ashamed. And she would hate herself.

“I willneverserve you.”

Kirven’s face hardened. He pressed the tip of the staff against her chest, pinning her to the wall. Her breaths came sharper, faster. “You will.”

Adelaide’s throat worked, but fear locked her words in her chest. Thousands of white-hot needles buried into her, ripping her apart. She screamed and curled forward. Her mind emptied of everything except the pain. The staff moved away, taking the pain with it. She fell onto her side and sobbed.

“Last chance.” She barely heard Kirven over her weeping. “Will you serve me? Or will you watch as I torture your family?”

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to control her crying.I’ll live. I’ll get free. Regulus will come. The king will have guards. Kirven won’t win. He can’t. Etiros, he can’t win.

“Answer me!”

“No,” she whispered.

“Fine.” He cursed. “Suit yourself. I’ll be back.” He strode out of the shed, throwing open the door so it banged against the wall.

Her throat was raw from screaming. Her head hurt, especially across her forehead. She wanted to go to sleep and wake up in a world without sorcery and evil men who hurt others to get what they wanted. Adelaide closed her eyes, curled her knees toward her chest, and prayed for the unconsciousness of sleep.

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SHE AWOKE TO KIRVENpulling her off the ground. Her head still ached, but not as much. Her throat was swollen and parched. Kirven pushed her into a sitting position. The sunlight coming through the open door and the cracks in the walls had dimmed and taken on an orange hue. Outside, the long shadows cast by the trees had deepened to black.

“You want to be difficult.” Kirven moved slower and had bags under his eyes. “Fine. But I won’t have you causing more trouble.” He twisted around and picked up something. Two thick half-circles of hammered iron connected by a hinge on one side. The open sides turned out a ninety-degree angle with a hole in each end. It was just large enough to encircle her neck. Her heart beat faster.

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