Page 53 of A Tempest of Intrigue (Tempest of Shadows #4)
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Ryker
When Ellery stirred against me the next morning, I savored the feel of her silken hair sliding against my skin. After she’d fallen asleep last night, I opened a portal to bring her back to my treehouse, where she’d be safe.
She was so exhausted, she never moved when I carried her through it or settled her in my bed. Even with her at my side, I couldn’t shake my lingering fury over what Gaius did to her, or my apprehension over what he’d do to get his hands on her… something I would never let happen.
But you didn’t stop him from getting to her yesterday.
The reminder set my teeth on edge. No matter how much I wanted to be, I couldn’t always be there to protect her.
She can easily kill him.
While that helped ease some of my trepidation, if she killed him, she’d put herself at risk. But it didn’t matter, and I’d have to make that very clear to her.
She had to do whatever was necessary to survive, and no matter what that was, we’d deal with the consequences later. All that mattered was she remained safe and free of him.
My free hand flexed as I imagined finally pummeling his face into pieces. I’d make him pay; no matter what, that man would know my wrath.
When her lashes fluttered against my chest, I hugged her closer. Soon, she’d leave my arms to return home again, but I wasn’t ready to let her go.
I’d prefer to stay in this cocoon of warmth and love for the rest of our lives… or even the rest of the day, but we couldn’t. Unfortunately, we had things to discuss and lives to resume.
“When Gaius returns?—”
“He might not come back,” she interrupted.
“He will return. I don’t doubt that. He’ll come back, and when he does, you have to do anything necessary to protect yourself. If it means killing him, then we’ll deal with the consequences afterward.”
When she rolled over to stare at the ceiling, her brow furrowed. “When did we get here?”
I chuckled as I inhaled her apple scent. It had mingled with mine, which made it more enticing. “I carried you here after you fell asleep.”
“I know better than to fall asleep in the Revenant Woods.”
“You couldn’t help it; I exhausted you.”
Ellery laughed as she rolled back over, planted her hand on my chest, and peered up at me from under the thick fringe of her black lashes. Her cyan-colored eyes twinkled with amusement.
“Is that so?” she inquired.
“It is.”
She grinned as she leaned forward to kiss me. “Then I blame you for my lapse of judgment.”
I smiled back at her but wouldn’t let myself be distracted. “So do I. Now, back to Gaius. He’s going to return.”
Her gaze flitted over to the doorway. “I know.”
She didn’t want to admit it, and I was sure she’d prefer to deny it, but Ellery wasn’t a fool. When her eyes returned to me, worry filled them.
“I didn’t want him to kiss me,” she whispered. “I didn’t do anything to make him think I did. I didn’t lead him?—”
“Stop.” My arms constricted around her. “I know that.”
She was strong, powerful, and capable but still so na?ve and sheltered in many ways. She understood the wrongness of some men and women… yet she also didn’t understand the black souls of some of those who walked the realms. Gaius was one of them.
“We wouldn’t be here and we wouldn’t be us if I thought you did. You did nothing wrong; I have no doubts about that. You don’t have to convince me of it, and you shouldn’t have any doubts in yourself.”
“Maybe I should have gone after him when he was in my home. Maybe things would have been different if I’d told him to get out.”
Terror clawed at me as I pictured her alone in that house with him . “No, they wouldn’t have. They would have been worse. Don’t ever be anywhere alone with him.”
I didn’t think an audience would stop him if he decided to go after what he wanted… and few would stop the new head of the king’s guard.