Page 28 of A Tempest of Intrigue (Tempest of Shadows #4)
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ellery
I didn’t have to see Ryker; I could sense him seething behind me soon after Gaius’s horse vanished over the horizon. I braced myself before turning to face him, but my eyes still widened when I spotted him in the doorway with his shoulders back and his black eyes filled with lightning.
I’d just dealt with one man who was a ticking time bomb; I wasn’t in the mood to deal with another. With a sigh, I approached him.
“I have to return to work,” I told him.
Ryker’s lightning-filled gaze shifted from the horizon to me. “What did he say?”
“He asked for a tour of the farm, but what he didn’t say is he wants my land. He thinks that because I have no family, I’m vulnerable, and he can move in on my property.”
“He wants you .”
“Believe me, if he does, it’s because he’s interested in the farm.”
A muscle twitched in Ryker’s jaw as he ground his teeth together. “Believe me, it’s not.”
I decided arguing with him was pointless. “He also brought news of a female lightning bearer.”
“Do you think he suspects you?”
“No, if he did, he’d take me in himself.”
“Or he’d hold it over your head and use it against you to get what he wants.”
“How would he keep a lightning bearer under his control?”
“We’re both being controlled right now, Ellery. Believe me, he’d use the knowledge against you. He’s not just here for the land.”
While he was most likely right, I felt Gaius was more interested in becoming a landowner than screwing me. His father was given a lot of respect in Tempest because of his ability to craft fine weapons, but he didn’t own property. Because of that, neither did his son.
“I have to get back to work,” I said.
“You haven’t eaten.”
“It’s not the first time I’ve gone without, and it won’t be the last. I’ll have an apple. Are you going to Tucker’s?”
“No, I’m staying here.”
“He’s not coming back today.”
“Someone else could come.”
“I’m sure many will… once the roadblocks are down.”
“He told you about that.”
“Yes.”
A vein throbbed in his temple. “I’m staying.”
“You’re so stubborn.”
His mouth twitched toward a smile, but the lightning never left his eyes. “Not as much as you. I’ll do the work in the barn so you can finish earlier.”
“What if someone comes?”
“I’ll hide. I’ve become very familiar with the hayloft.”
Arguing would be pointless, and I wouldn’t mind a little extra help today. “Okay.”
“As much as I’d prefer you got some rest, we should probably return to Tucker’s tonight. They should see you.”
“What if they come to the manor in search of me tonight?”
Ryker glanced past me to the road. “I think a couple of hours away will be all right. Right now, Ivan’s focused on Nottingshire. You can’t hunt in the Revenant Woods anymore, but you can still gather supplies; we’ll make sure you come back with some mushrooms in case they come here in search of you.”
“Okay.” I hated being a spectacle again, but he was right, we had to return to Tucker’s. “We’ll go.”
I walked over and rested my palm on his cheek before rising on my toes to kiss him. “I’ll see you soon.”
Some black drained from his eyes as the lightning calmed a little. Before I knew what he intended, he grasped my hips, lifted me off the ground, and kissed me.
Heat spread through me as I melted into him. I had a lot of work to do, but I’d prefer to stay with him.
When he broke the kiss and set me on my feet, I smiled as I swayed a little before righting myself. I smoothed down the front of my shirt as I stepped away from him.
“Stay out of trouble,” I told him.
When I started to walk past him, he seized my hand. “Soon, I’ll make sure everyone in Tempest knows you’re mine. Everyone .”
The intensity with which he spoke stole my breath before I squeezed his hand. “What matters is we know.”
“I’ll do everything I can to ensure your happiness and safety. You’ll know peace one day, Ellery, if it’s the last thing I do.”
Ice filled my veins. “Don’t talk like that.”
He drew me close again, kissed my forehead, and released my hand. “I’ll see you soon.”
When he turned away, it took all I had not to grab him back as an uneasy feeling grew in my stomach.