Page 17 of Staff of Nightfall

“Regulus...” Adelaide’s fingers brushed his back, and he cringed. A chair creaked as someone shifted.

“There are many reasons someone is whipped,” Lord Belanger said quietly. Maggie’s fingers paused before resuming her ministrations. “Normally, I wouldn’t pry, but you’re pursuing my daughter. Discipline or torture?”

Regulus sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. “Mercenary discipline.” He winced as Maggie bumped a tender spot on his side. “Happened once.”

“What did you do that deserved a whip?”

Regulus chewed his lower lip. Would Belanger even believe the truth? But he’d promised Adelaide the truth. “Our captain was strict. My friend snuck out and missed his watch. I covered for him.”And earned extra lashes for my lie.But Drez wasn’t whipped, and that was all that mattered.

“You tried to hide your scars,” Belanger said. “Why?”

He bowed his head as Maggie tended to the bite on his arm. “I am not ashamed of what I did. But...” He gulped. “My back looks like a slave’s. That is unlikely to improve the opinion my intended’s parents have of me.” Maggie fumbled the jar, nearly dropping it as she scooped out more salve.

“Scars are nothing to be embarrassed about,” Belanger murmured.

Lady Belanger cleared her throat. “Scars, especially unearned ones, are the least of my concerns.”

“I don’t want you ever to feel you need to hide from me,” Adelaide said softly.

Their words soothed as much as Maggie’s salve, but he still felt uncomfortable in the silence that followed. He looked over his shoulder at Belanger, grasping for a new subject. “We need to warn the king.”

“I’ve already written His Excellency.” Belanger rested his chin on his fist, watching Regulus thoughtfully. “I explained everything and recommended he postpone his annual birthday masque in a few weeks. I sent a falcon an hour ago.”

The news brought no relief or consolation. Would the king even be able to stop the sorcerer—Kirven? The crying stone woman haunted his memories.Death and destruction.But they’d had to take the opal. Regulus suspected they had been seconds away from the sorcerer taking control of one of them. Now they had done the only thing they could—they had warned the king.

“Wait, his birthday masque?” Adelaide asked. Belanger nodded. “Prince Kirven attacked his parents on a Court Day, didn’t he?”

“Yes...” Belanger’s eyes widened. “When the castle was open and there were nobles present. He wanted a spectacle. And I was only worried about the security nightmare of a masque.”

“Maybe he’ll be patient enough to wait for the masque to attack,” Regulus said. Maggie rubbed the cool salve over the bite on his shoulder. “That might give us more time to figure out how to stop him.”

“But if the king cancels the masque, will he attack immediately?” Lady Belanger asked.

“We have warned the king.” Belanger folded his hands. “And Kirven failed once before. Worry gets us nowhere.”

Silence and the floral aroma of Maggie’s salve filled the room. Dust particles floated in the sunlight angling through Adelaide’s window between the dark, heavy curtains. Maggie put her salve away and pulled out a roll of narrow strips of white cloth. Regulus tapped his fingers against the bedspread.

“Lord Belanger—”

“Oh, Alfred. Please. Lord Belanger is a mouthful, especially among equals.” Alfred raised a brow. “I hope you don’t mind if I call you Regulus.”

“Oh. Of course.” He glanced at Adelaide, nervousness making him antsy.

“Hold still,” Maggie chided as she tightly wrapped the bandages around his torso. He took a deep breath and stopped fidgeting.

“I feel the need to be more formal for this.” He straightened his back, trying to look as confident as possible while sitting on a bed and having his wounds treated. “Lord Belanger, Lady Belanger. I would like to formally ask for your blessing to marry Adelaide.”

Maggie froze, then wrapped more frantically. Lady Belanger frowned. Alfred crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair.

“I believe,” Alfred said, eyes narrowed, “you mean to ask for mypermission.”

“Respectfully, sir, I do not.” He met Adelaide’s eyes. “Adelaide asked me to marry her, and if she’ll still have me, I will.” Adelaide smirked, her eyes glittering.

“She...asked you?” Lady Belanger sounded incredulous.

Adelaide giggled. “I think I more told him to marry me than asked.”

Maggie tied off the bandaging and stuffed her things back into her bag. “That should do. My lords. My ladies.” She curtsied and fled the room.

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