Page 100 of Staff of Nightfall

Chapter 37

Every part of Adelaidefelt numb as she dragged her feet back inside the palace. She stood in the middle of the empty, silent great hall as night fell, dark and lifeless as the emptiness that had settled in her chest.

The king had escaped. Kirven had said something was wrong with the Staff of Nightfall. She had stood her ground, and Kirven had run away. These things should have comforted her. They didn’t.

She had failed. Kirven and Nolan had escaped. The bodies of those she had failed to protect littered the floor of the hall. Kirven had taken Regulus, and she didn’t understand why. Her bond would heal a lot if they hurt him, at least. But it wouldn’t spare him from pain—or her from experiencing an echo of whatever pain he felt. It wouldn’t prevent Nolan from cutting Regulus’ head off his shoulders. Her stomach turned and she swayed. Footsteps sounded on the dais and someone entered holding a lit torch. She looked up, her mind blank.

Dresden stood on the dais, staring into the shadows. Blood stained his torn sleeves and covered his shirt and the bandage wrapped around his middle. He pressed his left hand against his side.

“Anyone here?” He held the torch high. “Regulus? Adelaide?”

She couldn’t even find the energy to respond. As he walked further into the hall, the edge of the torchlight reached her.

“Adelaide?” Glass crunched under his boots in the stillness. “Adelaide?” He stopped before her, looking around in confusion. “Where’s Regulus?”

She shook her head. Dresden paled. “D-dead?”

She shook her head again.

“I don’t under... Captured?” She nodded. Dresden stumbled back as if slapped. “No... Reg...” He cursed and kicked at the glass.

“I tried...” Her throat constricted. She stared at the glass glittering in torchlight on the floor between them.

Dresden took several deep breaths. “I’m sorry, Adelaide. I need to tell you something.” His voice was too low, too gentle. Her stomach knotted. “There’s not an easy way to say this. It’s...your father.”

She jerked her head up, her throat closing. The drawn look on Dresden’s face sucked away her breath.

“Adelaide...” Dresden sighed. “He’s—”

“No.” She shook her head. He couldn’t be about to say what she feared. Tears burned in the corners of her eyes. “Where is he?”

Dresden’s expression was pained. “He died a noble—”

“No!” She shoved Dresden’s chest.Died. Died.“No, you’re lying. You’re wrong!” Her shrill voice wavered as her shoulders shook. “He’s not... No.” She pushed him again and felt a twinge of remorse as he groaned and clutched at his bloodied side.

He dropped the torch onto the floor and grabbed her shoulders. “Adelaide—”

“He can’t be dead.” Her head hurt like it had been hammered. She pictured Father’s face, his eyes crinkling as he laughed. A sob shook her entire body. “He’s not dead!”

Not Father, who was always there. Father, who had kissed her head and told her not to be afraid when he told her about the Shadow. Father, who always made her believe that somehow, everything would be all right.

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