Page 75 of Staff of Nightfall

She leaned back against Regulus, staring. The expanse of the water beckoned her. When Adelaide was little, she had told Mother she wanted to visit Khastalland. Mother had asked if she wanted to go by land or sea. She had said she didn’t care, she just wanted to see all the places in Mother’s stories.

But as Adelaide looked across the lush hills at the water glittering like diamonds and sapphires, she wanted the sea. She wanted to touch the sea, to step in it and see what it felt like. To sail out into it until the land disappeared from view. She wanted to know the sea and find out if it would accept her.

They rode to a path that followed the coast. As they neared the water’s edge, the sound of the sea built. She had always assumed the sea would sound like a river, but somehow bigger. It was nothing like a river.

The water pushed and pulled at the shore, the rushing swoosh of the waves building until they fizzled out before receding and smashing against a new, incoming wave. Stones along the shore clacked against each other as waves moved over them, making the water whisper. The rhythmic rustle and crash of the waves held a melodic beauty that would make a musician envious, with an unpredictable wildness that was both exciting and alarming. White-crested waves broke along the shore, bubbling and swirling between massive boulders as the sea breathed.

Regulus placed his hand on top of hers. She sensed his curiosity, then his amusement as he said, “It is incredible, and beautiful. I can’t believe you’ve never been to the sea.” He removed his hand. “Dangerous, too.”

Sir Ruddard had told Adelaide and Minerva about the one time he traveled on the sea. It was a favorite story of his, because he got to dramatize how close he was to death in an abrupt, terrible storm. He always insisted he saw mermaids that day. Or maybe sirens, he would say. The howling wind sounded too much like singing for his comfort.

The sea passed in and out of sight as the trail wound through pines and birch trees and across gentle valleys and hills. They entered a grassy valley with a stream running through it that emptied into the sea. Between two protruding rock cliff-faces topped with pines, a sand and pebble beach surrounded the stream’s outlet.

“I think we need a quick break,” Regulus said, turning Sieger toward the sea. She looked at him over her shoulder. His eyes danced. “I don’t need the bond to know what you want. Your entire body is straining toward the sea.”

“We’re nearly to the city,” Father protested, but Regulus followed the stream, urging Sieger to a canter.

Adelaide couldn’t suppress her giggle. Regulus halted Sieger at the edge of the beach and hopped down. He reached toward her waist, then paused, his concern reflected in his eyes.Oh, Etiros, I love him.She grabbed his hands and guided them to her waist. He smiled, his scar pulling one side of his upper lip higher in that lopsided way she loved, and lifted her off Sieger’s back and set her on the ground.

She pulled off her boots and pushed her trousers up to her knees. The water was colder than it looked, but not unpleasant. Careful not to slip on the loose pebbles, Adelaide waded into the sea. The waves, smaller here in this protected little beach, pushed and pulled on her legs, messing with her balance. She continued until the water was sloshing onto her thighs, soaking her trousers. A receding wave pulled a pebble out from under her foot and her arms pin-wheeled as she leaned to the side.

Regulus caught her arm, steadying her. She grinned up at him. His loose black hair swayed in the sea breeze as he laughed, rich and deep. The sunlight reflected off the rippling water, flickering over his face and making his light gray eyes sparkle. He was so attractive it made her heart physically hurt.

His eyes met hers, his hands still holding her arm to keep her steady. She didn’t need the bond to tell her what he was feeling. She felt it too. The sound of the waves filled her mind, soothing her nerves. She turned toward him. Before Adelaide could even raise her lips to his, Regulus’ arms wrapped around her and he lifted her into the air. She leaned over him, cradled his face in her hands, and kissed him like she had been waiting her whole life for his salty kiss.

Chapter 29

Something slammed intoRegulus’ ribs, jolting him awake. He reached for his sword as the shapes in the shabby inn room clarified in the dark. The beds where Alfred and Drez were sound asleep, the hole-ridden curtain over the discolored glass window, and the table and two chairs beneath it. Satisfied it was just Adelaide’s elbow that had awoken him, he set the sword back down on the rough wooden floorboards.

The old inn wasn’t pretty, and the flat, straw-stuffed mattresses stank of body odor. The thin wool blankets itched. But it was indoors and boasted one of the cleanest taverns Regulus had seen. Rain had started shortly before they arrived at the royal town of Crelburgh at dusk, and they had arrived exhausted. Anything was better than sleeping in the rain.

Adelaide shifted beside him. “Won’t.” He squinted at her in the feeble light. She curled into a ball, her eyes squeezed shut. “No.” She tossed over on her back and kicked his knee.

“Ad?”

“Please,” she whimpered, her eyes still closed.

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