Page 33 of A Tempest of Intrigue (Tempest of Shadows #4)

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Ellery

The man who’d won the competition stopped beside the three of us. The celebratory air had vanished as everyone focused on the specters; by now, they could all tell something was off with them.

“Anyone else think they’re the best with a bow and arrow?” a poltergeist inquired.

The amsirah exchanged glances, but no one came forward. The children from the orphanage had gathered near Ianto and remained unmoving by his side. The others stood by their parents.

“Let’s get this party started!” Farley clapped his palms together as he bobbed up and down. “Tucker first.”

Tucker and Ryker exchanged a look before Tucker stepped to the line.

“Bring in a new target,” a poltergeist with a stick commanded.

A couple of amsirah jogged over, removed the target from a tree, and replaced it with a fresh one.

“Now, let’s see what you’ve all got,” Farley said.

I didn’t know what was happening with the poltergeists, but I suspected they had a point to prove. Since I couldn’t see anything bad coming from it, I was willing to play along for a little while.

Tucker went first. Of his three arrows, one hit just inside the bull’s-eye while the other two grazed the outside of it. When the crowd clapped for him, Tucker crossed his legs and bowed before stepping away.

When two amsirah went to change the target, one of the poltergeists shouted out, “Leave it.”

The two amsirah looked at each other before walking away. “The champion next,” Farley commanded.

The man studied the target for a minute before stepping up to the line someone had dug in the dirt with the toe of their boot. The man lifted his bow and fired three arrows at the target.

One arrow hit the outer line of the bull’s-eye while the other two clustered close to it but didn’t hit the mark. Tucker was still in the lead.

“Now for the Scourge,” Farley said.

Ryker studied him before stepping up to the line. All three of Ryker’s arrows landed inside the bull’s-eye; one was dead center.

“She needs a new target,” Tucker said.

“No, she doesn’t,” Farley said. That fevered, almost desperate gleam remained in his eyes as he bobbed up and down. “Go ahead, Lery. Show them what you can do.”

When I moved to the line, Ryker stepped aside. “Give them a show.”

“What?”

“I think that’s what they’re after; I don’t know why, but they came for a show.”

I glanced at the specters as I tried to discern if Ryker was right. I suspected he was, but I didn’t know why.

“Do you need a new target?” Tucker asked me.

“No.”

“I’m looking forward to the show.”