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CHAPTER TEN

Ellery

But when his gaze settled on me again, a combination of lust and disgust swirled within them. I hadn’t known such a thing was possible until now.

I yearned to shrink into myself again but refused to do so. I wouldn’t back down from him or anyone else.

“You’re the woman who intervened when we tried to take that thief’s hand,” he stated.

I felt my mother’s eyes boring into me, but I didn’t dare tear my attention away from him. He was a snake, and I was sure he’d strike if I did. “Mouse is only a child. I was trying to defend him.”

The subtle inhalation of my mother’s breath was small. Her fingers tensed on me, and I was sure she’d stopped breathing.

She knew Mouse well and had tried her best to tame the wild child. She would have given him a room here if he’d allowed it, but after Mouse lost his parents, he’d refused to make a home anywhere again.

“Child or not, one day he will find himself beneath a guillotine,” the sheriff remarked. “I will see to it.”

“You plan to take the head of anyone you catch stealing?” I couldn’t keep the disbelief from my voice at his revelation.

The sheriff smirked at me. “Those are the king’s orders.”

And this puppet was more than happy to fulfill them.

“The king will not tolerate thievery in Tempest. This is a peaceful land, and stealing creates strife in a realm.”

What had created strife in Tempest was the king’s ridiculous taxes and the curse the king and nobles had paid the warlocks to put on us. That curse kept all amsirah, except them, from leaving the realm.

Trapped here and at their mercy, many amsirah were going hungry and losing everything they loved and had worked to achieve. We were losing everything too, long before they came to search our homes.

The king’s new decree of killing anyone they caught stealing didn’t affect me; I’d always known they’d take my head, and probably far worse, if they captured me, but I did worry for the pickpockets, most of whom were children.

The other, much smaller thieves than the Hooded Robber and the group of us who had robbed the king didn’t deserve to face such a harsh punishment when they were simply stealing to survive. We had to make sure we got some of the king’s money out soon, but even if we did, many more deaths would be coming to Tempest.

The problem was, I didn’t know when we’d be able to start spreading that money throughout the towns of Tempest. Ryker and I had the earl’s ball to attend tomorrow, and most of those who helped steal Ivan’s money were wanted criminals who couldn’t leave the Revenant Woods.

Scarlet could start sharing some of it, but I couldn’t let her go alone. Tucker could help her and Ianto too. I had no idea how we would all coordinate that in such a short period; we’d planned to wait until after the earl’s ball, and while I was impatient to get started, it was best if we kept to the original plan.

“Law and order must be maintained in the realm,” my mother murmured.

“And it will be,” the sheriff stated.

“Let’s go, Ellery. We’ll let these fine men and women do their jobs.”

My mother squeezed my wrist and tugged me toward the door, but I stopped before the Sheriff. “ Why are you doing this?”