Page 9

Adelaide

L ong after the day had waned and the moon had risen, Adelaide found herself facing the thing she’d dreaded most: the conversation she’d promised Ethan. With no one left awake to shield her from his questions, Adelaide sighed and dragged her eyes away from the smoldering fire to meet his gaze. His eyes blazed with concern.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said quietly, “but I don’t have a choice. You know that, right?”

“I don’t believe that,” he said, sitting next to her so their words wouldn’t be overheard. “I know you’re worried about Mama, but I think between your wages from working at Castle Belmont and what I make at the smithy—”

“It’s not that, not really,” Adelaide reminded him.

Ethan sighed heavily, rubbing his temple. “How much longer do you have to do this, Addie?”

“I’ll be free next year.”

His eyes turned sharp. “You mean if you survive this ‘assignment,’” he spat.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t make the same assumption I did.” Adelaide put her head in her hands. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t run away from Mistress Scrabs or fail her task, but I also can’t get caught, because if I do…” Adelaide broke off, her throat tightening. Forcing a deep breath into her lungs, she finished, “No matter what I do, it could put us all in danger. I don’t know what to do.”

Her brother hummed in thought. Adelaide fought to keep her breathing steady as she waited for him to say something, anything. “What’s the archduke really like? Have you met him?”

Adelaide blinked. “He’s…I don’t know. He’s the archduke. He has power and is incredibly busy.” Adelaide paused, her mind replaying how carefully he’d wrapped her wrist and how the brush of his shoulder against hers had caused her stomach to flutter. The tips of her ears heated. “I mean, I suppose he’s…benevolent?”

Ethan laughed. “‘Benevolent?’ Is that the only impression you have of him? You could say the same thing of a tyrant if you ripple a puddle enough.”

Adelaide couldn’t stop the small smile that pulled at her lips. Shoving at his shoulder playfully, she said, “All right. I have actually met the archduke a few times now. The first was because I couldn’t get out of the road fast enough to not be trampled by his horse and tripped. The others were happenstance, I suppose.”

That softened Ethan’s glare. “So he’s…nice?”

Adelaide tilted her head from side to side. “Nicer than the rumors paint him to be.” Wringing her hands together, she added, “I don’t know if I could approach him with this, though. I…I’m not comfortable with exposing who I am, not after everything I’ve done.”

Ethan put a hand over hers. “You don’t have to do this alone, Addie. Let me help you.”

Adelaide shook her head. “You are. Knowing that there is someone here to take care of them is enough, especially if something happens to me. I need you here, Ethan.”

Ethan clenched his jaw. Adelaide took his hand in hers and squeezed. “Promise me you won’t do anything foolish just because I have.”

Adelaide’s heart pounded between her ears in the brief silence.

“Fine,” he relented, pulling his hand back. “But the moment you need help—”

“I will. I’ll absolutely ask for it.”

Seemingly satisfied with her answer, Ethan leaned forward and wrapped Adelaide in a bruising hug. “I’m glad you’re closer to home at least.”

“Me too.” Adelaide reluctantly pulled away. “I’ll visit as often as I can.”

“Mama and Papa will like that.” Ethan nodded, walking her to the door. “Are you sure you don’t want me to walk with you back to Castle Belmont?”

“I’m sure,” Adelaide said, draping her cloak around her shoulders. “It’s a full moon tonight. Penumbra can’t harm me.” Adelaide wagged her finger at him. “Besides, I’m taking a lantern with me, so I’ll have plenty of light to see by too.”

Ethan shook his head, telling her to wait a moment. Adelaide huffed. She really needed to return to the estate before she lost her will to, because if she stayed the night with her family, she’d want to have breakfast with them, and if she had breakfast with them, she’d be late for her duties, and then she’d lose the position and have to face Mistress Scrabs’s wrath once again.

“Here,” Ethan said, handing her a sheathed dagger and belt. “Take this with you. It’ll make me feel better.”

Adelaide slipped the blade from its sheath, testing its weight in her hold.

“What do you think of it?”

“Is it one of yours?” she asked.

Ethan bobbed his head.

“I’m not a weapons expert, but I think it’s perfect. It feels like nothing in my hand.” Adelaide smiled, fastening the belt around her waist.

Ethan blew out a relieved breath. “I’m glad. I made it with you in mind, and when Master Woodstock saw it, he insisted on imbuing it with magic.”

Adelaide frowned. “And he didn’t wish to sell it?”

“No.”

Adelaide stared at her brother, studying him. Magical weapons were far too precious not to sell, for they both knew the price they could fetch at either legal or illegal markets.

“Just take it, Addie.”

“Fine,” she sniffed. “It seems we both have our secrets, and I can respect that.”

“Good, then so can I.”

The frost in Adelaide’s veins melted. Wrapping her arms around her brother for one last hug before she left, she said, “I missed you.”

“We missed you too, Addie. They’ll be so happy when I tell them you’ll visit more.”

Adelaide didn’t respond. She hoped she could survive long enough to keep that promise. So instead, she offered one last farewell and stepped out into the crisp night with only the lantern to guide her way and a dagger she didn’t know how to use to defend herself.

Dark shadows writhed all around Adelaide. Her mind conjured shapes and figures from their depths that stalked her progress back to Castle Belmont. The hilt of the dagger Ethan had given her was a minor comfort in her grasp. Wind whipped her hair and howled between the trees on either side of the lane. It hadn’t occurred to her to bring any matches with her in case her light was extinguished, as the night had been still when she’d left. Clouds blotted out the light of the moon, wholly extinguishing it. A cold, damp air rolled in down from the surrounding mountaintops. The farther she traveled away from home, the stronger the breeze had become, and a light drizzle of rain warned her of an oncoming storm.

So Adelaide did the only thing she could think of. She began to run. She ran until she couldn’t anymore. The cloudy night was too dark for her to be so careless. If she tripped and fell, no one would find her until morning, which was the worst of all the situations her fears had imagined. The next was the idea that she’d have to walk the rest of the way to Castle Belmont with a sprained ankle. Then came the embarrassment of having yet another injury to hinder her in the short time she’d been at the estate.

Besides, it seemed that the rain had been a passing shower, though Adelaide didn’t want to risk Penumbra’s ire. The night belonged to the parallel realm and its god, favoring those who worshipped its shadows. Adelaide was foolish to venture out into its clutches without any care or contingency.

Her eyes cast wary glances all around her. Adelaide often found herself looking over her shoulder as if she expected someone to be following her.

But there was never anyone there.

A relieved sigh escaped her when she saw the glowing torches mounted on either side of Castle Belmont’s gate in the distance. Picking up her pace, Adelaide squinted against the darkness. She was almost there. She could even make out the looming statures of the guards stationed just out of the light’s reach. Beyond them, Adelaide could see a bobbing light. Perhaps another sentry or a new pair of guards were coming to relieve their shift. If that was the case, at least Adelaide could tuck that information away for future use.

Another gust of wind tugged at her clothes, pushing at her side. A force knocked into her. The pommel of her dagger poked into her ribs from the force, burning hot through her clothing. Startled, Adelaide dropped the lantern. Much too slowly, her mind caught up to what was happening. A hand clasped over her mouth before she could even let out a breath. Adelaide could do nothing as she was dragged from the lane and into the forest. She squirmed in the man’s grasp. Managing to free an arm, she began tugging at his hold on her.

“Stop it,” a harsh voice ordered. Adelaide’s blood froze. She didn’t stop. If anything, the realization that Mistress Scrabs had sent Jeffery after her only made her panic more.

Swearing, Jeffery stopped and spun her around. His hand never even slipped from its place over her mouth.

Fumbling for the dagger in her short-lived freedom, Adelaide’s lungs heaved. Adelaide blinked, whimpering as Jeffery slammed her into a tree.

“Not a word, Addie. Understand?”

Adelaide nodded. Her chest burned from the weight of his arm pinning her against the tree. She let her arms fall limply to her side. Her stomach burned. Swallowing down her anger, Adelaide banished the idea of using the dagger from her mind. It would do better to save it for when she really needed it.

“You haven’t checked in with us,” Jeffery said casually. “Mistress Scrabs was getting worried about you.”

“I haven’t had time,” Adelaide lied, ignoring the concerned claim and hearing it for what it truly was. Impatience. Irritation. A threat. “I’m being watched too carefully at the estate. I have nothing to report.”

Adelaide couldn’t make out his freckled face in the dark, and she was glad for it. It meant he couldn’t see hers very well either. Maybe Penumbra wasn’t as bad as everyone made its powers out to be. It was certainly doing her a favor at the moment. If she had to look at his smug face, Adelaide would’ve stabbed him and been done with the whole affair.

She frowned. Stabbing Jeffery wouldn’t patch the dam. The real problem would still be there. Mistress Scrabs would still be alive to command Adelaide and hold her accountable for her debt.

“Is that so?” Adelaide’s stomach twisted at the skepticism in his voice. “You certainly had time to visit your family today.” Adelaide’s eyes widened. She wanted to protest, to beg for their safety, but Jeffery continued, “Maybe you’ve gotten too comfortable. Or could it be that you’ve forgotten what you’re here to do? Do I need to—”

A bright light flashed out of the corner of Adelaide’s eye. Adelaide turned her head against it. The weight of Jeffery’s arm lifted from her chest as he was sent flying through the air.

Stunned, Adelaide couldn’t move from where she stood, rooted against the rough tree bark. Her chest burned. Old wounds surfaced in her memory from previous accusations of disobedience.

Adelaide’s eyes darted over her surroundings, uncertain of what was a threat to her and what could save her. She barely registered what was happening as Jeffery scrambled to his feet and fled. Two people sped by her. Adelaide looked after them, dazed. As the armor-clad feet chased after him, making a noisy ruckus through the woods, Adelaide sagged against the tree. Her mind finally calmed enough to recognize what had happened. Turning toward her savior, she pushed some stammered words of thanks past her lips.

“It seems I keep finding you in predicaments,” Archduke Hughes replied calmly. Adelaide’s eyes widened. His magic flared at his fingertips, glowing brightly enough to illuminate the diminishing space between them as he stepped closer to her and laid a careful hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right, Adelaide?”

Adelaide’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t even think she was capable of responding as Kordouva’s White Hawk stared at her with such deep concern in his dazzling blue eyes. It was enough to calm and capture her in a trance.

But only for a moment, for when she blinked, her mind waged war against the steady beating of her heart.

The shock receded from her mind, and in its place a new inkling of fear emerged. Adelaide’s limbs trembled. How was she to explain any of this without implicating herself?