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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Ryker

Since the castle was new, and this was my first time being in the dining room, I had no idea where the closest bathroom was. I’d traveled this wing before but hadn’t taken the time to get familiar with the castle. I’d gone out of my way to spend as little time here as possible.

I would remedy my mistake. It was essential to know everything about my enemy, especially his home.

A passing servant gave me directions to the nearest washroom. He scurried away before I could thank him and disappeared through a side door that most likely led to a servants’ corridor.

My boots thudded against the stone floor as I swept down the hall. The torches hanging on the walls provided light but no flame as the magical fire within illuminated the stone walls. My father had spent a fortune having witches and warlocks work their magic over this place.

I passed four doors until arriving at the fifth on the right. Grasping the golden handle, I pulled it down and stepped inside.

I closed and locked the door behind me and didn’t bother looking around before opening a portal to where I usually met Ellery in the Revenant Woods. I’d expected to spend the night with her, talking, making love, and simply holding her, but that would have to come another night.

As much as I couldn’t stand returning to that room, I couldn’t leave Leo’s daughter to my father without learning more about them. I had to sit in that pit of misery and pick apart their weaknesses.

My night with Ellery would have to wait, but I had to let her know I wanted her. I wanted us, and I would fight this entire realm to ensure it happened.

When I emerged into the Revenant Woods, I expected to find Ellery waiting for me, but she wasn’t there. I paced for a couple of minutes as what little time I had dwindled rapidly away.

After another minute, I realized she wasn’t coming. I’d already suspected she’d been upset when she woke to discover me gone this morning and had planned to work it out with her, but I hadn’t expected her not to show.

We’d robbed the king last night; we had many things to plan and work out… not just our relationship. Ellery knew that and wouldn’t stay away because she was mad at me. We’d been angry at each other often lately but still did what we had to do.

Did something else keep her away?

The possibility sent a cold shiver down my spine. We’d robbed the king yesterday, shaken the viper’s nest, and while she’d been safe this morning, and I hadn’t heard anything about any fallout, there would be some. There was no avoiding that.

Shit.

Anxiety gnawed at my gut. I hadn’t planned on opening a portal to her manor and then another back to my father’s, it would only weaken me, but I couldn’t leave these woods without knowing she was safe. I’d have enough strength to open two more; I had no choice.

Closing the portal I’d traveled through to get here, I opened another that took me to the woods near Ellery’s property. It was risky to emerge this close to her; I normally opened one deeper in the woods and traveled to her to ensure my father didn’t have anyone watching over her, but I didn’t have time for that, and if she was in danger, I had to help her.

Kneeling in some brush, I scented the air while searching the shadows, but I didn’t sense anyone. Small animals scurried through the underbrush, and something screeched, but the night remained otherwise still.

Still crouched low, I crept closer and stopped a few feet from the roadside. Bugs buzzed past my ear as a frog croaked loudly from a few feet away. A ghostly woman passed so close my skin turned to ice, and my teeth chattered when her spectral toes went through me.

Something howled in the distance, and the thud of approaching hooves caused me to edge back as riders thundered down the road, past Ellery’s manor, and around the bend toward Nottingshire. On the horizon, a wagon and more riders approached.

I couldn’t stay here. There was far more traffic than I’d expected for this time of night.

Still, I didn’t move as my attention shifted to the manor. Dim light illuminated the windows on the lower floor.

Holding a broom, Ellery walked past one of the windows. I only caught a glimpse of her, but her hair hung loosely against her nape, and strands of it clung to her face.

She vanished as the approaching riders reached her manor. The wagon rattled past, but some riders stopped outside the manor and dismounted. They kept their horse’s reins in hand as they approached the porch.

Before they made it to the door, it opened to reveal Ellery. I frowned at her flushed face and bloodstained clothes as she placed a bandaged hand against the doorframe.

What happened here?