Page 29 of A Tempest of Intrigue (Tempest of Shadows #4)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Ryker

I repeatedly told myself I couldn’t be overprotective of Ellery when we returned to Tucker’s encampment. However, when his followers and the rescued rebels crept closer to see more of her, and in some cases, sought to touch her, it took all I had not to pick her up and yell at them to fuck off .

She’d dealt with so much recently, and now they were staring at her like she was an oddity… or something to be worshiped. I’d desired this from them, but it was unnerving and overwhelming, and I wasn’t even the one they sought to get closer to.

Before she revealed her ability, I’d wanted this curiosity and belief she could bring about better for them. I’d hoped this was how they’d react to her, but now that it was happening, I hated it.

It made her too vulnerable. Someone could try to harm her; she could protect herself, but if neither of us saw the attack coming….

I shut down the possibility. This had to happen.

If we were going to rally others to her, she had to be among them. They had to see her for who she was… strong, loving, bright, one of them, and formidable.

And like I’d known they would, they loved her. Their eyes sparkled, and their broad smiles revealed all their teeth as they watched her every move.

But I sensed her anxiety and what it took for her not to bolt from this place. She beamed as she spoke with them all, and while I doubted no one else sensed it, she was overwhelmed.

I stayed by her side as a deterrent to anyone who might get a little too pushy while also serving as a reminder I was there for her . No matter what happened, I would keep her safe.

Standing at her other side, Tucker also kept watch over the crowd. Ianto stood a few feet away with his arms crossed over his chest. The intimidating giant didn’t deter any residents, but their glances at Ianto told me they knew of his presence.

Newly freed from their chains, the rescued rebels were the most hesitant around her. Most of the other amsirah had known Ellery for a while; they hadn’t known her secret, but they’d shared drinks and meals with her and knew she wasn’t something to fear.

“How is it possible you can control lightning?” Luna twirled a strand of golden blonde hair around her finger as she studied Ellery with narrowed blue eyes. “I’ve known you for years and never heard a whisper about it.”

“I don’t know why I inherited this gift,” Ellery said. “And once my parents learned about it, they told me to keep it a secret, so I did.”

“Why? They could have made a fortune off you.”

Ellery recoiled a little at the question, and Luna’s brother, Callan, rolled his eyes. “Not everything is about money, Luna,” he said.

The siblings glared at each other before Luna waved a hand through the air and focused on Ellery again. “I understand that; I’m just saying you missed a golden opportunity. After what happened last night, you can’t come out now, but what if you had revealed yourself sooner?”

I stared at the woman in disbelief as Tucker blinked at her like she’d sprouted five more heads, and all of them were assholes.

“I probably would have been locked away somewhere if I’d revealed myself. You worked for the earl; what would he have done if he discovered I was a lightning bearer?”

Luna shuddered and hugged herself as color drained from her face. I didn’t know what the Earl of Oakley had done to his servants, but almost all of them had turned on the man.

“You could have electrocuted them if they got too pushy,” Luna muttered, but I could tell she was rethinking her golden opportunity stance.

“And how long would the other aristocrats have let me live afterward?”

“You could have gone into the other realms and… and….”

“And what?” Ellery asked. “Sold off my services? To who? Other immortals who wanted me to kill or steal for them. Or to immortals who would turn me into a mercenary? What else would I do in the other realms? Besides, Tempest is my home; it’s all I’ve ever known. My family was here, I grew up in my manor, went to school here, farmed the land, and worked with the horses. This realm is my home, and I love it.”

Luna opened her mouth before closing it, and her shoulders slumped. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, but it still would have been awesome if you’d escaped with it.”

“If we can bring down the king and nobles, then we might be able to escape. But even if we can never leave Tempest again, at least if they’re dead, we’ll be free of them,” Ellery said.

A murmur ran through the crowd.

“Do you really think we can defeat them?” a woman asked.

“I think they’re afraid of us, which is why Ivan was so brutal in his punishment of the rebels. I also believe we can do anything if we’re willing to work together and fight for it.”

When I rested my hand on Ellery’s shoulder, their gazes went from her to me and back again. I felt their questions brewing about us but sensed their trepidation.

They all tried to get closer to Ellery to learn more, but they eyed me warily. And they were right to do so. Of the two of us, she was the one who’d welcome them, and I was the one who’d gladly kill to keep her safe… even if it meant killing them .

When some of them shrank from my withering stare, Ianto sauntered toward us. His grin told me that I wouldn’t like what he had to say.