Page 78 of Staff of Nightfall

He wished he had the rest of his men with him, too, but it was better this way. Safer to travel in a smaller group. Better that he hadn’t endangered their lives any further. And comforting to know Caleb and Perceval had stayed to help protect Belanger castle while Jerrick and Estevan had returned home to keep an eye on Arrano.

Regulus was scrubbing his back when someone knocked at the door. Dresden, his hair still dripping, finished fastening his trousers and threw the door open. Adelaide’s eyes widened and her face turned dark red as she looked from Drez’s bare chest to Regulus sitting in the wooden tub to the ceiling. Regulus tensed, his skin on fire even as a traitorous grin pulled at his lips. She shoved a pile of clothes against Dresden’s chest and spun away.

Alfred slammed the door closed, one boot half laced. “Do you have a brain, man?”

Drez laughed. “I’m not sure which surprised her more, Reg. My excellent olive-skinned physique and masculine chest hair, or the fact you’re naked.”

Alfred whacked the back of Drez’s head and stomped back to his bed to finish putting on his boots. Drez held the bundle of clothes with one hand and rubbed the back of his head with the other. He mouthed “ow” to Regulus as he dropped the clothes onto a bed.

“This should look fetching on you, Reg.” Dresden held up a deep green dress.

“That’s clearly Adelaide’s, you egotistical bearded nit-wit.”

Drez laid the dress out on the other bed before he finished dressing. Once Regulus had shaved and dressed in the new clothes—a pair of black trousers that were a touch tight, a blue tunic, and a black belt—the men left the room. The inn’s staff changed out the water for fresh heated water, and Adelaide went in to get cleaned up. Alfred stood watch outside the door while Regulus and Dresden got food and drink from the tavern on the ground floor of the three-story wooden building.

The vegetables were mush and flavorless, but the bread was fresh and the mead decent. They got more than a few stares and curious glances. Regulus’ scar and Dresden’s Carasian complexion and nose often drew attention, so it wasn’t new.

Regulus and Drez split up, talking to other tavern guests and fishing for information about if anyone had seen or heard anything about the sorcerer or Carrick. People either didn’t care to talk or didn’t know anything. Regulus intimidated the barmaid, judging by the way she kept looking at him then away, and she seemed suspicious of poor Drez.

Accordingly, they hadn’t discovered anything when Alfred came down the creaky stairs with Adelaide. She looked lighter, as if some of her turmoil and pain had washed off with the dirt and grime. Her dark green dress brushed the floor. Fitted sleeves covered her arms, but the wide neck left the tops of her shoulders bare. A silver cord tied around her hips hung down the front of the dress, swinging as she walked. She had pulled her hair into a thick braid that cascaded over her shoulder.

Drez nudged Regulus’ arm with his elbow. “Stop gawking.”

Adelaide swept across the floor and kissed Regulus’ cheek. “You can gawk if you like,piahre.” She stepped back to look him up and down with an appreciative smirk. “So long as you don’t mind me gawking in return.” It was difficult to restrain himself from kissing her in front of a tavern full of strangers.

The entire time Alfred and Adelaide ate, Regulus was acutely aware of the stares Adelaide received. Ladies didn’t frequent inns or taverns, so the patrons’ curiosity wasn’t surprising, but it put Regulus on edge. Especially the roving looks some of the more disreputable-looking men gave her.

The moment Adelaide and Alfred finished eating, Regulus rushed them out the door. They rode to the towering palace walls, where Alfred gave the guards his name and showed them his ring with his rearing unicorn crest. One of the guards led them inside the walls.

Compared to the palace gardens, the garden in Arrano’s courtyard was a peasant’s bean field. Trees Regulus had never seen within Monparth’s borders stretched toward the sky. Flowers in every color and shape with strong fragrances bloomed amid all the greenery that grew along winding paths of white stone. They passed three marble fountains, one with a woman pouring water from a jar over her nude body, another of three leaping dolphins, and one of a crane with its long neck extended into the air and water shooting out of its beak.

He glimpsed a chapel between the trees that looked more like a miniature cathedral with its high arches. White plaster covered the walls of the palace so that they shone in the light, even with the partial cloud cover.

The guard spoke to a servant who led them inside the palace. Rose marble bannisters curved next to granite steps covered with a long red carpet. The servant didn’t lead them up the steps, instead turning into a narrow hall to the right that ran through several rooms. Tall stained-glass windows of nature scenes, knights, ladies, and magical creatures illuminated each room. They walked through the first few rooms too quickly for Regulus to register anything other than each room appearing to have a specific color scheme and lots of opulence. Another red carpet ran down the length of the hall, through all the open doors.

The servant left them in a room with several plush armchairs upholstered in turquoise with bronze legs. A rug embroidered with a floral pattern covered the floor and a tapestry of a stag hunt covered most of the long wall opposite the windows, except for a plain door. A rose marble fireplace nestled in the wall to their right, a mantel held over it by two bronze statues of kneeling women in gauzy dresses. A huge painting of a noblewoman with rosy cheeks and a small dog at her feet hung on the wall opposite the fireplace.

Alfred sat in one of the chairs and Adelaide followed his lead, but Regulus felt awkward in all the finery and just stood near the empty fireplace with his hands clasped behind his back. Dresden was apparently fascinated by the tapestry and stood squinting at it.

After several minutes that dragged on, the door next to the tapestry opened. A thin, tall man in a deep blue doublet with silver embroidery on his belt, cuffs, and boots entered. He bowed as Alfred stood.

“Lord Belanger. I am His Excellency’s steward, Sir Michael.” Sir Michael clasped his hands in front of him. “I am told you are asking for an audience with His Excellency?”

“That is correct, Sir Michael.” Alfred bowed, but not as deeply. “I am afraid I come bearing grave news. It is a matter of life and death that I speak to His Excellency immediately.”

“Life and death?” Sir Michael raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps if I had more information—”

“The king’s life is in danger,” Alfred said, his tone sharp. “If you tell him I said so, I am certain he will want to speak with me. Imustspeak to him directly.”

Sir Michael looked uncertain. “His Excellency is quite busy. But I will pass on your message and see what the king would like to do.” He left, the door clicking shut behind him.

Adelaide sat on her hands and swung her legs. “Well. I don’t think we’d have gotten an audience with the king on our own, Regulus.”

“Seems that way.” Regulus pursed his lips. “Do you think he will listen?”

Alfred sat back down. “Yes.”

They waited for an hour. When Sir Michael returned, he threw the door open. Sweat glistened on his forehead as he motioned them through the doorway. “His Excellency will see you immediately.”

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