Page 72 of Staff of Nightfall

“Father!”

“Final.” Father and daughter stared at each other for several moments. Regulus was torn between saying he could ride with Dresden and agreeing to have his hands bound when Adelaide lowered her head, her shoulders slumping.

“Yes, Father.” She looked miserable as she went to dismount.

“Wait.” Regulus put his hand on her knee, then drew it back as the corner of Alfred’s mouth turned down in displeasure. He took a step away from Sieger’s side, his face burning. “Sieger is the biggest horse we have. You two can ride him, my lord.” He hadn’t meant to sound so disappointed, but truthfully, he was.

Alfred nodded, and Regulus mounted Alfred’s gray stallion, ignoring the disbelieving judgement in Dresden’s eyes. They had enough concerns without making his betrothed’s father hate him. As much as he resented Alfred’s harsh turn, he understood. Alfred had barely forgiven him for sneaking Adelaide out of Belanger castle. Not to mention that Alfred had to wonder, if Regulus was willing to get that...comfortable with Adelaide with her father a few feet away, how comfortable might they have gotten when they were alone?

It didn’t matter the answer was they had been focused on things like not dying or getting kidnapped by fairies and when Adelaide practiced magic she slept like a hibernating bear. Alfred was her father, and if years of managing mercenaries had taught him anything, it was that fathers tended to be fiercely, even irrationally, protective of their daughters. Assurances of self-control and respect rarely soothed an outraged father.

They rode in silence. The tension was palpable, making the morning stretch on. Guilt weighed on Regulus’ shoulders. He had embarrassed Adelaide and seriously offended her father. Far worse, he had scared her. The sensation of her anxiety had lasted only a moment, but it was enough to sink claws into his heart.

They stopped to eat around noon. Adelaide tied Sieger near a half-dried up brook while Alfred approached him, his face stern.

“Can I trust you for two minutes?”

Regulus ground his teeth. “Yes, my lord.”

Alfred wandered off to relieve himself, and Regulus approached Adelaide, although he resisted the urge to touch her.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

“Don’t be.” Her smile both lifted the weight on his shoulders and made the pang in his heart worse. She placed one hand on his chest and touched the ends of his hair with the other.

“I got carried away. And...” He hung his head. “I scared you. I felt it.”

Her hand pulled back from his hair, her smile fading. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—”

“Hey, you don’t have anything to be sorry about. And don’t step on my apology.” He forced a smile. “I don’t ever want to scare you.”

Adelaide shook her head. “No, it’s not... I’m not afraid of you, Reg. I’m not sure I ever could be. Not after everything.” She leaned her cheek on the top of his shoulder while her hand drifted to the side of his neck. “I didn’t mean to react like that. It’s not your fault.”

As her skin touched his, her conflicting emotions skidded over his consciousness. Sorrow. Doubt. Nervousness. Anger. Guilt. Fear. But not of him. His hand fisted at his side. Of Carrick. Regulus closed his eyes and attempted to steady his nerves. Instead, his mind jolted. Shadowy, disjointed glimpses of scenes through Adelaide’s eyes flickered behind his closed eyelids.

Carrick leering as he pulled Adelaide toward him out of the stream. Carrick holding her immobile against his chest as he forced a long, rough kiss on her. Adelaide pushing him away, her magic bright against the darkness of the memory. Carrick grabbing Adelaide’s waist and thigh and pulling her to him. Regulus experienced her fear, her panic, her hopelessness as Carrick held a dagger to her throat, then changed his mind. Carrick leaned over her, his eyes lustful and expression gloating. Adelaide’s remembered terror seeped into Regulus. Carrick’s words slipped into his mind, muffled and distorted.“When Hargreaves is dead... Come crawling... Wish you had given in sooner.”

Regulus stumbled backward, his eyes flying open. His pulse throbbed in his head. The ground tilted. He was aware of Adelaide shouting his name and Dresden running over as he teetered and fell onto all fours, shaking. He pressed his eyes closed against the double image of grass floating in his vision.

“What the hell did you do?” Dresden shouted. “Tell me what you did!”

“I—I didn’t! I don’t understand—”

“What is going on?” Alfred demanded.

“Shedid something to him!”

“No, I—”

Regulus held up a trembling hand, silencing them as he took several deep breaths. When he finally opened his eyes, the world stayed level. He rocked back onto his heels and wiped his hand across his forehead. He opened his mouth, to tell Adelaide he was okay, to tell Alfred everything was fine, to tell Dresden not to yell at his betrothed. But all that came out was a broken, “Adelaide.”

“Regulus?” She wrung her hands.

“I saw,” he said hoarsely. “I saw what Carrick did.”

Adelaide paled and took a step back. Her jaw quivered as she shook her head. “No...that’s not... Oh, Etiros. No.”

“I’m so, so sorry, Adelaide. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

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