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Adelaide shifted and woke up. Her right forearm stung. Worse was the dead emptiness, deep in her soul, a hollow carved out when the sorcerer ripped away her magic. Instead of a gentle thrum of energy in her veins, she felt only silence. Months of practice, honing her ability in secret, and just when she was getting a strong grasp on her gift, it was stolen. Etiros, why? She shifted, squeezing her eyes against tears, and pushed against something soft and warm. She forced her eyes open to shaded daylight. Regulus lay on his back, his right arm curved around her. He moved away and sat up, stretching. The sudden departure of his body felt like a blanket being ripped away.
“Sorry.” His voice, gravelly and deep, reverberated down her spine. “I didn’t want to wake you. I wasn’t...I didn’t mean to...” He glanced away, prodding the bite on his shoulder.
“Oh.” Her heart twisted. She stood and turned away, hiding the heat that rose to her cheeks and the tears that pricked at her eyes. After his odd behavior last night, the way he wouldn’t meet her eyes now...
Was that really all it took? Having her magic taken? Was it that she was weak? Or broken? She touched the gray cloth strip dotted with dried blood wrapped around her forearm. Regulus hadn’t always known she had magic. But it wasn’t just going back to how things were before. She had been drained. Damaged. She swallowed a sob. The ache of her missing magic made her feel incomplete. Losing Regulus, too...
Regulus cleared his throat. “Adelaide?”
“Hm?” She didn’t trust herself to face him.
“I don’t know how to convince you I’m sorry. I failed you. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I don’t know how to make it up to you. I probably can’t.”
She turned around in surprise. Regulus stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring at his feet.
“I know this is my fault. I won’t pretend I don’t deserve your blame—”
“What?” she gasped. “Blame?”
“I only wanted to protect the people I love.” He looked up, the desperation in his eyes wringing out her emotions. “If I could put this right, I would. I understand if you’re...if we’re...” He swallowed and dropped his head. “Done. I want you to know—”
“You think I’m angry with you?” Adelaide bit her lip and wrapped her arms over her stomach. “I thought—you were acting like I was broken. Different. I thought you didn’t want me anymore.”
For an awful moment, Regulus was silent. Then he laughed. Her face heated.
“I blamed myself and thought you did, too. I thought you didn’t want me.” Regulus strode over in the space of a heartbeat and placed one hand on her hip, the other on her cheek. Her breath caught. “There is nothing, no magic, no sorcery, no pain or pleasure, nothing on this earth that can make me stop loving you. I want you and will love none other.”
His warm palm pressed against her cheek. She stared into his eyes. Those eyes, intense like molten silver yet gentle. Her lips parted, but she couldn’t piece together a coherent thought.
“I am yours, Adelaide.” The huskiness in his voice made her heart tremble. “You have all of me, now and forever. If you want me.”
She reached up, touching the stubble growing along his jaw. She ran her thumb over his lips. “And I am yours. Heart and soul.”
A smirking half-smile warned her just before he pulled her in and kissed her. She leaned into his kiss, melting against him. Regulus’ fingers curled against her back and she quivered with joy, not even caring about the scratchiness of his coarse stubble.
“Marry me,” he whispered.
She chuckled, breathless. “I already asked you, remember?”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He kissed the hollow between her collarbones, then her neck, moving agonizingly slowly up to her mouth. She sighed as his lips found hers and wrapped her arms around his neck. He flinched with a grunt as her arm bumped his wounded shoulder.
“Sorry.” She leaned back, concern conquering her desire to kiss him until she could no longer stand. “We should get going. Those bites need tended.”
Regulus nodded, although he sighed with obvious disappointment as he looked around. Deciduous trees surrounded them, spaced far apart. The tallest peaks of the Pelandian Mountains glinted white between the trees behind Regulus.
“If we’re about where I think we are,” he said, “there should be a path nearby. If I’m right, we should reach the Drummonds’ by the end of the day.”
“No!” She clutched his shirt and forced herself to sound less panicked. “We can’t go there.”
“What? Why—”
“Nolan might be waiting there. I can’t...” She rested her head against his shoulder. “We need a plan before we face him. And even if he’s not there, Lord and Lady Drummond believe we’re engaged.” And Lady Drummond didn’t like Regulus, but she wasn’t about to say that.
“Oh. So, Arrano, then?”
“Also no good.” She sighed, a headache forming in the middle of her forehead. “If Nolan found out I was there, he would accuse you of kidnapping me or something. I was thinking...” She chewed on her lip. The idea had occurred to her as she fell asleep last night, but she wasn’t sure what Regulus would think. “We need help. I think we need to talk to my father.”
“Your...oh.” She could practically hear his mind churning as he spoke. “And tell him...?”
“Everything.”
He pulled away and looked into her face, holding her shoulders. “Everything... Everything?”
Adelaide knew it wouldn’t be easy for him. He’d barely been able to tell her the truth. She didn’t relish telling her parents what had happened to her or what she had done, either. But she was out of ideas. Maybe it was childish, but she trusted Father to protect them from Nolan.
“My father is wise. And has powerful connections. He’ll know what to do. But...he’s astute. He won’t trust you if he suspects any dishonesty or omission.” She sighed. “We’ll have to tell him the full truth. Is that...all right?”
After a moment, Regulus nodded. “If that’s what you want to do, that’s what I’ll do. You won’t let him kill me, right?”
She smiled. “That’s what we’re trying to avoid, remember?”
––––––––
AFTER A BRIEF DETOUR to catch and cook a rabbit, they set out. They kept up a trot as long as possible, giving their horses walking breaks before hurrying onward. The sun dipped low and Adelaide’s stomach rumbled, but still they rode on. They followed the roads, but cut across fields for speed’s sake. Their ragged, bloodied appearance drew plenty of stares. She was beyond caring. They made do with a meager meal of berries and a very chewy squirrel for supper, then spent the night hidden in a copse of trees and bushes, curled against each other.
The next morning, they crossed a stream and caught a couple fish. Cooking them on a stick wasn’t ideal, but it tasted infinitely better than squirrel. Shortly after noon they spied a group approaching, so they moved into the tall grass alongside the rough dirt road. Sunlight glinted on helms and chainmail. There looked to be ten mounted knights and several servants on palfreys weighed down with baggage. She watched the unusual group move at a surprising pace.
“What do you make of that?”
“Nothing good results in a group like that.” Regulus furrowed his brow, looking over his shoulder at the knights. “Certainly trouble somewhere.”
“Hm.” She halted Zephyr and raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. It was a curious sight. She squinted at the lead knight. The bright blue of the caparison on that lead horse... Decorated with something white...
“It can’t be.” She wheeled Zephyr around and took off toward the road.
She heard Regulus calling her name and following her, but the heraldry on the leader’s horse consumed her focus. A rearing white unicorn was embroidered on the blue caparison over the horse’s flank—the Belanger crest. The knight wore a helm, and the raised visor cast his face in shadow, but the horse she recognized. A large dappled gray destrier with a dark mane and tail.
“Father?” She urged Zephyr into a gallop, her heart leaping. “Father!”
The man slowed his horse and turned toward her. She grinned as his features came into focus. The shadow of a beard. The deep laugh lines around his mouth. His defined nose. His wide, deep-set green eyes.
“Father!”
Father reined in his horse and held up his hand, halting his knights behind him. “Adelaide?”
She jumped off Zephyr’s back at the edge of the road and regretted it as her ankle smarted, but she ignored the pain and ran toward her father as fast as her throbbing foot allowed. Father dismounted and tossed his helm down as he ran to her. She registered that he was crying moments before he enveloped her in a crushing embrace.
“You’re here,” Father said into her hair. “How are you here? Are you all right?” He held her at arm’s length, looking her over. Tears rolled down his smiling face. He grabbed her hand to look at her wrapped forearm. “What happened? How bad is it?” Without waiting for an answer, he hugged her again, his hand clutching the back of her head.
She relaxed against him, all her stress and worry melting away as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. Everything’s all right now. She didn’t even mind the chainmail under his tunic pushing into her skin.
“I was afraid I’d lost you,” Father whispered.
“What?” She leaned back to look up into his eyes.
“How did you escape?” Worry lined Father’s usually joyful face. He pushed her tangled hair over her shoulder. “No, no, actually, we have to get you home. Your mother is worried sick. You can tell us everything after you’ve gotten cleaned up and rested.”
“I don’t understand.” She smiled despite her confusion. “Where are you going? How did you know I was in trouble? Did Minerva send word?”
“We were going to look for you.” Father rubbed her shoulder, his laugh lines crinkling into a familiar smile that warmed her very soul. “And Minerva did send word, but her messenger was followed very shortly by someone else.” His smile wavered as his brows knit together. “I must admit...I am confused you agreed to a marriage before I’d even met the young man in question.”
Her stomach fell like a rock. No. Etiros, please. No, no, no...
“Hello, love.” The world swayed as she turned from her father toward Nolan’s voice. Nolan smiled broadly, looking relieved as he swept her into an embrace. Her whole body went stiff as one of her throwing knives, her arms plastered to her sides.
“Get the hell away from her!” Boots pounded dirt as Regulus ran up behind Adelaide. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back, shoving Nolan’s shoulder with his free hand as he drew her in close. “You don’t touch her.”
“Hargreaves.” Nolan’s eyes narrowed. “I’m very interested to hear how you ended up wandering around alone with my betrothed. Seize him.”
Panic turned her limbs to stone. Had Nolan already turned Father against Regulus? But Father’s knights made no move to dismount.
“I give the orders here, Sir Carrick.” Father held his left hand out to her, his right grasping his sheathed sword. “Adelaide, what’s going on?”
She reached for his hand, like a little girl who wanted her father to keep her safe. No. Wait. Father needed to know she trusted Regulus, not Nolan. She shook her head and pressed against Regulus’ chest.
“This is my betrothed, Lord Regulus Hargreaves.”
Regulus gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
“Ha!” Nolan drew his sword. “I had my suspicions. The Black Knight rode a large, black horse. That’s what that witless Sir Hostland said.” He pointed the sword at Sieger. “You have a large, black horse. You were missing when Adelaide went missing. And you tried to challenge me to a duel when you learned of our engagement. You’re the Black Knight who kidnapped my betrothed.”
“You and I are not engaged, Nolan!” Adelaide glared as she wound her fingers between Regulus’. She glanced at the knights, waiting in the road a little behind Father. She recognized all of them, although Sir Ruddard and others were absent. Sir Charing looked relieved and happy to see her. Most watched impassively.
She couldn’t admit Nolan had forced her into agreeing to his marriage proposal, not in front of knights who knew she always had a blade on her. So many had mocked the Khastallander tradition behind her back, but her training had earned begrudging respect from most of them. She wouldn’t appear weak and afraid, or give them reason to think they were right to doubt her.
“Adelaide, love.” Nolan’s look of pity and tenderness made bile rise in her throat. “Whatever this mercenary did, whatever threats he made, you’re safe now. I don’t care what happened. I still love you.” He pointed his sword at Regulus. “But if you kidnapped and despoiled her to try to force her into marrying you, I’ll have your head.”
“Enough!” Father’s authoritative bellow rang out like a command on a battlefield. Nolan actually shrank back. Father’s iron grip latched onto Adelaide’s arm, and he led her away. With reluctance, she let her hand slip out of Regulus’. She felt the tension in Father’s body as he put his arm around her and led her several paces from Regulus, Nolan, and the knights. His eyes flashed as he turned toward her. Crimson flooded his strained face.
“Did this man...harm you?” Fury laced Father’s clipped whisper.
“No! He saved me.”
“Is that the truth?” Father cradled the side of her face in his hand. “It wouldn’t be your fault. You should know that. No one will ever know. Sir Nolan seems sincere, and I would hold him to his word. But if this...Hargreaves hurt you, if he touched you—”
“Father, no.” She pulled his hand down and held it between hers. She shuffled her feet and glanced toward Nolan and Regulus. They glared at each other, Nolan in chainmail and still holding his sword at the ready while Regulus stood unarmed and without armor. She gulped. The knights looked down at them from their horses. Would they be able to stop Nolan in time if he attacked? She couldn’t risk provoking him. “I promise we will explain everything. But for now, trust that Regulus isn’t a threat. He would never hurt me.”
Father sighed, then looked over her shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I agree that you have a lot to explain, Lord Hargreaves.” He looked at Nolan. “You all do.”
After sending a knight to the Drummonds to inform them of Adelaide’s safe return, they headed home. Father insisted he ride next to her as they returned to his castle. She didn’t mind. She’d missed him more than she had realized. To her relief, Father also insisted Regulus and Nolan ride on opposite sides of the group where neither could harm the other.
It was almost midnight when they arrived at the castle. Even in the dark, with hardly any moonlight thanks to the clouds, she recognized every angle and curve of the immense crenellated walls and towers. The northern part of the wall to the left of the main gate was whole again after being knocked down to accommodate adding a one-level expansion of five rooms and a second hall for Father’s eldest, Landon, and his wife and infant. In the dim light, she made out the shadowy outline of scaffolding and piles of unfinished stone.
Father left the men with instructions to keep Regulus and Nolan separate and to tell the steward to put them in guest rooms. He led her to his own suite, but Mother greeted them in the hall before they even neared the door. Her black hair hung over her shoulder in a loose braid. The light of Father’s candle reflected off Mother’s tears, making her brown skin glisten. Her silk robes swished as she ran to Adelaide, sobbing.
“I couldn’t sleep. Then when I saw your father had returned, I thought...” She cried into Adelaide’s shoulder and squeezed so tight, Adelaide could hardly breathe. “Meana sohka keh ton ner suche oh, mareh piahry ledekah.” I thought you were dead, my darling girl.
“I’m all right.” It was only half true, and her voice broke on a sob. “I’m alive.”
Mother finally pulled back and looked her over. She wiped away Adelaide’s tears and then her own. “What’s this?” She brushed her fingertips against Adelaide’s bandaged arm. “Are you hurt?”
“Just some scratches.” She shrugged. “We were attacked by kanadosi.”
Mother looked around, then lowered her voice. “You didn’t heal it? I don’t want you using your abilities, but this doesn’t look good.”
“I can’t.” Adelaide looked at her feet sinking into the plush red carpet in the hallway and held her arm against her chest. She took a deep breath to steady herself. The words lodged in her throat. Father placed a comforting hand on her back. “I don’t have my magic anymore.”
Mother gasped and Father’s fingers tightened against her back.
“It’s a long story. I’m too tired to tell it now.”
“Right.” Mother took her hand. “Come, I’ll have a servant draw a bath—”
“I just want to sleep.”
“Of course. Sleep well, Adelaide.” Father kissed the top of her head. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
