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CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

Ellery

Scarlet frowned at me before a guilty look crossed her face. “No. I know I didn’t react well to learning you were a lightning bearer, but I could never hate you. I just…. I…. it’s hard to realize I don’t know everything about you.”

“But you do… now.”

Scarlet gave me a wan smile. “Your parents must have been so scared when they learned what you could do.”

“They were.”

“You must have been too.”

I closed my eyes and recalled the first time I uncovered everything I could do. At first, I’d been so awed, and then reality sank in, and so did the fear.

“I was terrified,” I admitted.

Scarlet ignored Ryker as she stepped closer and hugged me. When he released me to her, we embraced before separating.

“Please know that you can trust me,” Scarlet said.

“I do know that; I always have. I… I…. it was so… scary to learn these things about myself.”

“I know. And I’m sure your parents wanted to protect you.”

“They did.”

“How is it possible that you can control all the weathers?” Callan asked.

I shrugged.

“What is your family history?” Tucker asked.

“My mother and father controlled three weathers. None of my ancestors ever controlled more than three at a time, and it was rare for that to happen.”

“What does it feel like to release all five at once?” Callan inquired.

“Freeing,” I admitted. “But I’ve always kept them a secret, so it’s rare when I get the opportunity to let them all out at once.”

“We were training with all of them,” Ryker said, “but we haven’t had much time lately. We’ll have to remedy that soon.”

“Yes, we will,” Tucker said as he eyed me in that curious, inspecting way he had.

“I’m not a specimen,” I snapped.

He quirked an eyebrow before smiling. “No, you’re not, but you are a marvel.”

My mouth pursed at this assessment. I didn’t want to be anything other than me.

“So we’re going to stay away from the gargoyles,” Ianto said.

“I think that’s for the best,” Ryker stated. “We can’t set them free. Are you okay with that?” he asked me.

“No, I’m not, but I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”

Ryker pulled me close and kissed the top of my head.

“Are we going to tell the others about her ability with the weathers?” Ianto asked.

“No. For now, we’ll keep it between us,” Ryker said. “It will come out with time, but not yet. They’re still dealing with learning she’s a lightning bearer and that Ivan’s dead.”

“I agree that it’s best to keep this under wraps for now,” Tucker said.

“I have to start training again,” I told them. “Now that we’ve adjusted to life in the woods, it’s time for me to get to work again.”

“I want to watch,” Scarlet said.

“I wouldn’t mind being there too,” Ianto said; Callan and Tucker nodded.

I buried my uneasiness at feeling like a freak show, but I wouldn’t tell them no.