Page 19 of A Tempest of Intrigue (Tempest of Shadows #4)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ellery

I frowned at him. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a reason you have this ability, Ellery, and we have to protect you. With you and Ryker together, we might have a chance of winning against these bastards. How do we keep you safe?”

“I’m not sure we can after what I revealed last night. They’re going to hunt for me, and while they may not know who I am, they’ll do everything they can to figure it out. I think we’re all going to have to leave here soon.”

Mr. Fletcher’s eyes shifted to the fields full of crops. At one time, my entire life revolved around crops and horses; now, we might have to walk away and leave them to rot.

All the hours we’d spent in those fields, sweating and working, would be for nothing if we didn’t get the chance to harvest. Not to mention, it would mean less food for those in Tempest if we didn’t care for the crops.

Because of my deal with him to free my mother, half of those crops belonged to Ivan, but the other half would feed the many who needed it. I didn’t think we’d have to worry about keeping enough supply to feed us this year. We probably wouldn’t be here long enough for that.

If we were still here to harvest, we’d take some crops into the Revenant Woods for Tucker’s group, but I was sure we’d have to leave this place before winter… maybe before tomorrow.

Mr. Fletcher had worked these fields for a hundred years; it would be difficult for him to walk away, but that time was coming.

“Leaving here will keep you safer,” Mr. Fletcher said.

“Maybe we should go now,” Ruby suggested.

“If we abandon everything now, they’ll suspect it was me, Scarlet, or you on the roof last night. They’ll know who to hunt for then. My identity is still a mystery; we’re better off keeping it that way. Not to mention, I have to repay my debt to Ivan, and many amsirah need the food we’ll provide.”

They pondered my words before Ruby spoke again. “You’re right, but we’re prepared to leave at a second’s notice.”

“Are you going to tell Billy about this?” I asked.

Ruby and Mr. Fletcher looked at each other before shaking their heads. “He already knows so much, and he’s only a child. We don’t have to put this on him too,” Mr. Fletcher said. “In time, we will, but not now.”

I would have preferred not to put this on them, but they had to know what was coming for us.