Page 84 of Staff of Nightfall

“I’m Lieutenant Beale. You must be Hargreaves and Belanger.” They confirmed as Beale continued to scowl. “Follow me.”

Chapter 32

Lieutenant Beale ledthem across the cobblestone courtyard to a stone wall, through a set of open double doors into a dirt-floored courtyard that extended to the palace wall. A two-story wooden building stood in the far-right corner with rows of small windows without glass and with open shutters. A one-story building occupied the far-left corner. Shirtless men were everywhere she looked. Some sparred with each other while others hefted and tossed stones. A few fired arrows into dummies stuffed with straw. Some stretched or ran in place. A few at a time, the men noticed their arrival. Whispers went around the courtyard as Beale lead them toward the smaller building. Men stopped what they were doing to stare at them. At her.

Adelaide hated it. She wanted to hide. Regulus put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his side. A couple men let out a low whistle. Someone said, “What’s a lady doing here?”

Another man said, “Her handler’s awfully protective. Must be expensive.” Heat rushed up the back of her neck.

“So, what, officers get a pass on the no women in the barracks rule?” another man muttered.

Beale halted and turned around. “Since your attention is off your training anyway.” His raised voice carried over the courtyard. “Meet the two newest members of the king’s personal guard. Regulus Hargreaves and Adelaide Belanger.”

“Sir, you’re saying the woman’s...one of us?” A man with bulging muscles wiped sweat off his glistening forehead.

“No,” Beale said tersely, “His Excellency says she is.”

The men glanced at each other, whispering. Adelaide gripped her skirt and fought the urge to flee the courtyard. She wanted to press into Regulus’ back to hide from their stares. Instead, she lifted her chin and looked around the courtyard, daring them to challenge her.

“She need a sparring partner?” A lanky man who looked a little younger than Adelaide leered. “I’ll volunteer.”

“You aren’t even that good, Tom,” called out another man. Adelaide couldn’t find him in all the staring faces. “We all know I’m the best at hand-to-hand combat. I could give her some pointers. Demonstrate some moves.” This was greeted by snickers and exclamations of agreement and offers to teach her. Adelaide clenched her teeth so hard she feared they might crack.

“Enough.” Beale started back toward the low building. “Back to your exercises, men.”

A chorus of “yes, sir’s” answered him, but the men only half-heartedly returned to their training, their eyes still following her. Beale opened the door and walked inside. Long rows of tables bordered by wooden benches ran the length of the mess hall. Some twenty men sat at the tables, chatting and eating.

“This is the mess,” Beale said. Eyes turned toward them, widening when they saw Adelaide. “You’ll eat your meals here.” He pointed toward a counter with a window into the kitchen at the far end of the hall. “You’ll give your name and get your food there during your time slot.”

Regulus shuffled his feet. “Perhaps it would be better if Adelaide—”

“You arguing with me, Hargreaves?” Beale rounded on Regulus, stepping up so they were face-to-face. Or close. Beale’s head ended at Regulus’ eyes.

“No, sir, I just think barracks discipline might suffer—”

“Well, if your lady didn’t want to eat with the guards, she shouldn’t have joined.”

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