Page 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ellery

“What about these women?” I asked.

Many gathered around us while others remained near the trees, watching and wary. I sensed their desire to help, but we didn’t know these women and couldn’t trust them, even if I would like to.

Ryker studied the bloody, breathless women surrounding us. Some of the lightning in his eyes eased, and his face softened.

“If you come with us, you can’t leave the encampment.

” He pitched his voice louder to ensure it carried over those gathered nearby.

“At least not until we’re sure we can trust you.

Many live at the encampment, which means lots of lives are at stake, and we plan to wage a war against those who imprisoned you. I won’t let anything compromise that.”

“You plan to fight the aristocrats?” one of the women asked.

“Yes.”

“ You plan to do so?” another asked as they eyed him warily. “You’re one of them.”

Irritation flickered across Ryker’s face. “In case you fucking missed it, I just killed the king. I’m not one of them. You’re looking at the two most wanted amsirah in this realm.”

“Your father will be the new king, which makes you the prince of this realm,” a woman whispered from the shadows. “How do we know you’re not working with him?”

Ryker’s jaw clenched, and his nostrils flared. I glowered at them.

“He saved me,” I said hotly.

When Ryker spoke again, he’d regained some control of his temper. “I’ll gladly be the one to put my father in the grave, and he would happily see the same for me. There is no love between us. Ivan was a tyrant who brutalized this land. My father’s a monster who will destroy it.”

A murmur ran through the women as they looked at each other. “What about our families? We can’t leave them behind.”

“We can set you free from here, and you can open a portal to return home,” Ryker said.

“My father will let you live; it won’t be in peace, but he won’t bring you back to the palace.

He knows who the female lightning bearer is now.

Other than to feed his cruelty and gather more money, he won’t bother you again… at least not for a little while.

“Besides, he can’t slaughter all the women in Tempest; he’s a soulless prick, but he’s far from stupid. Killing the women would make the men more unruly and destroy the amsirah population.”

“But he will still come for us,” one of the women whispered.

“They’re greedy. They want your land and your money, and he’s going to imprison and torture amsirah for his pleasure, but he won’t imprison all of you again. He already has the information he sought.” Ryker kissed the top of my head. “Once he controls the realm, he’ll focus on hunting us.”

“But we disobeyed him by running away,” another woman said. “It’s not like they won’t know. They had all of us there.”

A murmur ran through the group as they all exchanged glances.

“I can’t say what he’ll do, but I think he’ll let that go. He doesn’t have any other choice. No one willingly stayed on the battlefield, and he can’t slaughter you all,” Ryker said. “But this is your choice, and we must go. We’ve already stayed here too long, and I have something else to do.”

When he looked at me, I gulped before waving my hands to open a portal to Tucker’s encampment.

“If you’re coming with us, then let’s go,” Ryker commanded. “We have a set of keys and can unchain you there. The other set will free you if you remain. Ellery’s going through first.”

“Ryker—”

Before I could finish protesting, he released my hand and nudged me toward the portal. “Go. The encampment has to see a friendly face emerge first. It will only cause problems if they don’t.”

I hated leaving them behind, but I couldn’t argue with that. Rising on my toes, I kissed his cheek and walked through the portal with Scarlet and Ruby on my heels.