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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ryker

“What?” Ianto demanded. “The king is dead?”

“Yes,” one of the women said. “We all saw it happen.”

“What did we miss?” Tucker blurted.

“A lot, and we don’t have time to talk about it. We have to go to my father’s castle; we’re going to raid his weapons room,” I told him.

Ellery gripped my shirt. “I have to go with Ruby and Scarlet. We have to get Billy and Mr. Fletcher out before the soldiers arrive.”

I grasped her hands as she stared pleadingly up at me. If we didn’t go to my father’s soon, he would send some of his guards back to protect the castle against me. He might already be organizing a contingent to do so.

But I also couldn’t let her go alone. Not when… “There’s probably already soldiers moving in on your home.”

Fear glimmered in her eyes before they narrowed. “Not yet. Like you said, they’re still regrouping. I’m going.”

I didn’t like that she was using my words against me. “We need weapons, Ellery.”

“And we need our family, Ryker. You can go for the weapons while I go with Scarlet and Ruby to get Billy and Mr. Fletcher. I doubt the smoke has cleared from the fields enough for them to realize we’ve escaped.”

“They’ll send soldiers to wherever they think you might have gone if you escaped.”

“They’re still focused on trying to destroy everyone on that battlefield. We have time, but not if we keep fighting over this. We have to go now .”

“I’m the only one who can open the portal into my father’s castle.”

“I know.”

“I can’t let them go through without me. They can’t close it if something goes wrong and they have to retreat.”

“I know. And I can’t let Ruby and Scarlet go without me.”

“We’ll go with her,” one of the new women offered.

“No,” Ryker said. “We don’t know if we can trust you yet.”

The woman opened her mouth to protest before closing it.

“We’re wasting time; we’ll each go and do what we have to before meeting back here,” Ellery said.

“They know who you are now,” I told her. “You can’t do this.”

“You’re returning to your father’s castle, Ryker; I think I’m the safer one here. Besides, as you said, they’ll still be on the battlefield. They wouldn’t have recovered enough to think of the next step. I doubt any of them would believe I’d return to my home.”

“They’re not going to take the chance you won’t. They’ll have guards watching.”

“Not yet, and the longer we debate this, the more dangerous it becomes. I’m going, and so are you. We each have to do this.”

My teeth grated back and forth as everything in me screamed against this happening, but she couldn’t come with me, and I couldn’t go with her.

“Ianto and Callan, go with her. Luna, stay here. Once we finish at my father’s, I’ll need you to open a portal to the manor if they’re not back. You’ve been there before, right?” I asked.

“Yes, many times,” Luna answered.

“Good.”

“We need at least twenty amsirah to remain here and watch over these women; the rest are coming with me. If we move fast enough, we can empty that room in minutes.” I shifted my attention back to Ellery. “If you’re not back when I return, I’m coming for you.”

“Same goes for you,” she said. “I’m assuming you’re leaving yours open.”

“I am.”

I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t risk closing it and not being able to open another. Outside of my father, I was the only one who could open a portal in and out of his castle. He’d remedy that after today, but it would take time.

“Good,” Ellery stated.

“I’ll open a portal into our home,” Ruby said. “I hope that’s where Billy and Fletcher are. If it’s safe, I’ll leave it open for you to come through. If it’s closed, then you know to proceed with caution.”

“Thank you,” I told her.

“I’m sure we’ll be back before you,” Ellery said.

Ignoring the lingering throbbing in my side, I pulled her close and kissed her. I shouldn’t let her go, but I had to.

They were her family, and she wouldn’t wait. I didn’t blame her; waiting could spell their demise… but going could mean hers.

“We need weapons,” Callan said.

Swords and a bow and quiver were brought forth. They armed themselves to travel to Ellery’s manor. I studied her movements and broken arm, but if it still bothered her, she hid it well.

“You come back here the second anything goes wrong,” I told her when she finished settling her bow on her back. “No matter what, even if you don’t have Billy and Fletcher, come back here. We’ll figure out a way to rescue them if necessary.”

“I will,” she vowed. “Stay safe.”

“You too.” I kissed her again before willing my arm away from her. “Come back to me.”

“Always.”

With that, Ruby opened a portal, and she, Scarlet, Ellery, Callan, and Ianto entered it. Ellery glanced back and blew me a kiss before vanishing.

Taking a deep breath, I fisted my hands as I restrained myself from going after her. She was the most powerful amsirah in this realm, and she would be okay.

If I was going to get to her soon, then I had to move. I opened a portal into my father’s weapon room.

I had no idea what I would find on the other side, but it was time to go.