Page 25 of A Tempest of Intrigue (Tempest of Shadows #4)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Ryker

Ellery’s panicked eyes met mine as the hoofbeats stopped on the dirt road… in front of Ellery’s manor. From what I could tell, it was only one rider, but one amsirah could cause a lot of damage.

Unless they’d lifted the roadblocks in Nottingshire, this rider had come from the palace or one of the other towns. If they came from the palace, then it could be bad.

“I’ll open a portal into the manor for you,” Ellery offered.

“No, I won’t be able to open one out of there. I’ll go into the hayloft again; if I have to, I’ll open a portal out of there.”

She bit her bottom lip as she studied me. “Maybe, to be safe, you should leave now.”

There was no way I was leaving her when we had no idea who was here or why.

“That’s not happening. I’ll be in the hayloft.” Before she could protest further, I gripped her arms and kissed her before releasing her again. “Stay safe.”

She slipped her shirt on. “You too.”

It took a lot of willpower to leave the tack room and her behind. I climbed the ladder to the hayloft and perched at the edge as Ellery emerged from the room. She pulled her hair into a ponytail as she walked toward the closed barn door.

She looked at me when she stopped in front of the door. I smiled at her, and she gave a small wave before I slipped into the shadows of the dozens of bales stacked within.

Some of the stacks touched the arched ceiling of the barn, but only a couple of bales comprised some of the others. The windows on each end of the loft provided most of the light, but it was very little.

Dust motes danced through the air, and my passing kicked up more from the loose hay coating the floor. When the door below rattled open, I leaned over a little to watch as the sunlight spilling through it bathed Ellery in its radiance.

Something about the scene struck me, and I remained in place, drinking her in until she moved out of the doorway. Once she was out of view, my heart rate picked up, and I hurried toward the window overlooking the front lawn before anyone else could enter the barn.

When I arrived at the circular window, I knelt beside the glass to peer out. When I saw who had arrived, fury clamped my teeth together.

Gaius stood beside his horse, grinning as Ellery approached. She moved gracefully toward him, but I sensed her reluctance in the set of her shoulders and chin; I knew well when Ellery didn’t want to do something.

Asshole.

A crackle caught my attention, and I glanced down to discover bolts darting between my fingers. My eyebrows rose before I suppressed the lightning.

The last thing Ellery needed was me setting her barn on fire, but that lightning had been an unexpected display. I hadn’t drawn it from the earth, and I certainly hadn’t pulled it from the sky.

Our lightning had arisen from within us to connect earlier, but I’d assumed we were drawing it from each other. This was proof it was coming from within me .

I knew the bond between us was changing things; I could sense her even when I couldn’t see her, and she could do the same, but I hadn’t expected this . Being a lightning bearer had always been a powerful gift, but it had its limitations; those limitations were fading.

Ivan and the others can’t find out about this… especially not my father.

While lightning bearers were revered, they were also feared. Lightning rods and other precautions meant to keep our lightning at bay mitigated some of that fear. They also had some warning that a lightning bearer was drawing on their power as the power in the air intensified; they’d have none now.

If they learned about this, they’d go out of their way to destroy me and Ellery. While it was only a matter of time before our secret got out, it gave us another advantage they’d never see coming.

Smiling, I fisted my hands and marveled at the sparks I brought to life against my palm. It was a miracle brought about because of Ellery, my love for her, and our deepening bond.

I didn’t know what exactly we did for each other, but it was amazing .

My smile faded as she continued to approach Gaius. I was going to kill that man.

I could do it now; there was no one around, but if he’d told anyone he was coming here and then vanished, they’d come in search of him. They couldn’t suspect Ellery of his disappearance, but I’d love to watch this fucker’s head explode… after I fed him his dick, of course.

My hands clenched and unclenched as Ellery stopped a few feet away from him. I couldn’t see her face, but I was sure she’d plastered a smile on it.

I was tired of being so damn helpless when it came to helping her. Soon, it wouldn’t be this way.

Soon, I’d burn our enemies down to free her from their tyranny.