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CHAPTER ONE

Ryker

Smoke still spiraled from Ivan’s eyes as a stunned silence enveloped the crowd, guards, archers, and all the powerful men gathered on the stage. None of them had seen Ivan’s death coming, but I’d needed a big distraction to save Ellery, and I’d provided it by destroying the tyrannical king.

I’d killed the man who was driving Tempest to a breaking point; I’d electrocuted the king who’d dragged all these women from their homes, shackled them, and brought them here.

I’d destroyed their enemy, and I did it without drawing lightning from the sky or the earth. It had come from deep within me; it was something they’d never seen before or known was possible.

Hell, I didn’t know it was possible until I met Ellery and the joining of our powers turned us into something stronger. Something capable of killing with a touch.

I didn’t feel bad about killing Leo’s brother or committing regicide. Not only had the fucking bastard deserved it, but I’d burn the rest of them too, if it meant saving Ellery.

She was far enough away that I couldn’t tell the color of her eyes, but her mouth hung open as she gazed at me. Trapped in the middle of the crowd, a sea of women and guards surrounded her, having no idea the power she possessed.

That was about to change. Once I got to her, they’d know why I’d killed Ivan and who she was… but first, I had to reach her.

That seemed impossible given the sea of amsirah separating us and the mass quantity of guards within the crowd, on the palace walls, and behind me. I wanted to kill them all, but while I’d fried Ivan with my hand, the lightning rods would divert any larger bolts I tried to throw out.

I couldn’t kill the others with my touch. They’d never let me get close enough to do so, and they’d slaughter me if I tried. Right now, shock held them immobile, but they wouldn’t stand there and wait for me to kill them.

The astonishment over what I’d done was already wearing off as realization started sinking in. It felt like time slowed after I killed Ivan, but only seconds passed, and murmurs were already starting to run through the crowd as movement returned to the amsirah.

Behind me, one of the earls broke away and ran for the stairs. Another man threw himself on the ground as my father’s eyes narrowed and Gaius’s features twisted in rage. Samael gawked at me.

“Kill him!” Gaius shouted while my father bellowed, “Capture him!”

That would never happen. Far too often, I’d been at the mercy of others; I’d die before I let any of these fuckers imprison me.

As the shock wore off, panic started setting in with the crowd. Ivan was dead, but hell was about to unfold.

Some women cried out as they pushed away from the stage, but they were packed in so tight they could barely move. I wasn’t sure if they feared me or what Gaius and my father would unleash on me, but terror etched their faces.

Fury darkened the faces of others. I doubted that fury was because I’d destroyed the man who tore them from their homes, shackled them to keep their powers suppressed, and forced them onto this field.

Even before Ivan did all that, he and the aristocrats had imprisoned nearly everyone in Tempest by taking away their ability to leave the realm. They’d stripped them of their rights, dignity, carisle, and livelihood.

None of them had any love for the man who still had smoke spiraling from his empty eye sockets or for anyone else on this stage… including me. But no one had seen this coming.

They had no idea what to make of what I’d done… or of me. But that didn’t matter as I had to get off this stage before they slaughtered me.

I had to get to Ellery. Our secrets were coming out, and while they would all have the truth of the female lightning bearer, they couldn’t have her.

There was no going back, but if I didn’t move, they’d kill me before I ever had the chance to free her.