Adrian staggered backwards from the curse and hit the sofa, tumbling over the side. No time for humiliation however, when if felt as if your whole body was on fire.
He lay still for a moment after the curse subsided, watching Rodolphus turn maniacally onto Mafalda. The kiss irked him but the subsequent slap and curse pleased him. She may be older but she was no more above reproach than even the lowliest Renegades.
When the pain had subsided to a manageable level, Adrian clambered back to his feet rather robotically and stared blankly at Rodolphus, nodding at his suggestion. "Very effective, my lord," he said, his own memory kept alive by the soreness of his body and the fact that his left arm refused to move.
The point was, Adrian was little more than a lackey. Without direct orders he felt lost. And now this had been made abundantly clear.