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CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE

Ryker

When I finished telling them what little I knew about the details of the rebellion, we all shifted our attention to the siblings. They were both filthy, and shadows marred their eyes, but they weren’t going anywhere until I knew more about what happened.

“How many were in on this rebellion?” Tucker inquired.

“The earl had two hundred servants. We killed the ones we couldn’t trust before the rebellion started,” Luna answered.

“Ruthless, I like it.”

“How many were in on it?” I asked.

“Including the band, one hundred sixty-six.”

Ianto whistled appreciatively. “That’s quite a lot of employees who hated your old employer.”

“He was more like a slave owner,” Luna muttered.

“How many survived the rebellion?” Tucker asked.

“I don’t know,” I told him. “The dead were all piled together when I got there, so I don’t know that number, but I’m sure some others got away like these two, and they captured thirty-six. They’re being held at the earl’s castle… for now.”

“They’re going to kill them,” Luna whispered.

“That would be a kindness the king will not bestow on any of them. He won’t kill them, at least not for a while, but he will make them pay.”

Tucker’s sea blue eyes bore into me as my words sank in. “How?”

“They’re calling it The Show. The rebels are going to take a tour of Tempest. They’ll stop in each town closest to the palace before moving to the coastal communities. They’ll be kept in pillories and chained so they can’t use their powers.

“In each town, they’ll whip them until no skin remains and be left outside to endure whatever happens to them while they heal before moving on again. Ivan also plans to cut off a piece of them in every town.”

When Tucker paled, I knew he’d been thrust back into the ophidians’ dungeon just as I had far too many times recently.

“Fuck,” Ianto breathed.

“They intend to do this until they’ve visited all the towns and communities, and I doubt they’ll kill what’s left of them afterward,” I continued.

Ellery huddled further in on herself as Luna’s hand went to her mouth. Some of Tucker’s color returned as his eyes hardened. His expression told me he’d come to the same realization as me… it couldn’t be allowed to happen.

“If more of the servants got away, where would they go?” Tucker asked Callan and Luna.

“Why?” Luna asked defensively.

“Since you haven’t figured it out yet, I’ll spell it out for you,” I said through my teeth. “This is a group of rebels who have established a community here, and we’re doing our best to devise a better, more solid plan to overthrow the nobles and Ivan.

“The servants who were in on this with you are now all wanted men and women and have already proven their dislike for what is happening in Tempest. To make it more clear to you, we’d like their help. Now, where would they go?”

Luna scowled at me as she crossed her arms over her chest. I didn’t care if she didn’t like me; I wasn’t too fond of her or her brother. If I had to have Ianto dangle her by an ankle and shake the answer from her, I would.

“ Where ?”

Callan and Luna jumped a little when I barked the question at them. Ellery’s fingers clenched on mine, but she didn’t speak.

“I don’t know,” Luna said sullenly. “I only discussed that option with Callan. We didn’t formulate a plan about it with the others.”

“Of course you didn’t.”

“Idiots,” Tucker muttered.

“I’m sorry we’re not trained warriors like you ,” Luna spat at me. “We’re not killers; we never wanted to be killers. They forced us into it. And maybe, if others knew about your little band of rebels, it wouldn’t have happened. Maybe if we’d known there was some hope, we would have waited to help you , but we didn’t know!”

When my eyes narrowed on Luna, she shifted her glower to the ground.

“Yes, let’s ruin the element of surprise by revealing there’s a group working to take down the king,” Ellery retorted. “And afterward, we can all rush in and get ourselves killed like your band of nitwits did.”

Luna’s gaze shot to Ellery, and I stiffened. I didn’t care how she looked at me, but I wouldn’t tolerate her staring at Ellery like that.

“Watch it,” I cautioned her.

Some of the color faded from Luna’s face as she shrank back, and the fight drained out of her. From under her lashes, I sensed her watching us.

“I’m sure most, if not all, survivors will come to the Revenant Woods,” Tucker said. “There’s nowhere else for them to hide. When they do, if the creatures don’t get them, we will.”

“Many of them don’t have any family, and the ones who do won’t go to them. They won’t risk putting their loved ones in danger, and their homes will be the first ones the guards search,” Luna said.

“Do you know if any other aristocratic servants plan on rebelling too?” I asked.

“No. We’re not allowed to socialize with the other servants. Whenever the earl travels, he only takes a handful of us with him, usually only his footman and valet, but they’re kept separate from the other servants.”

“They’re afraid of what will happen if you all start talking to each other,” Ianto said.

“And they should be,” Luna said. “They treat us horribly , or at least the earl did, and then expect us to be happy with the scraps they give us. And some of those scraps were rotten.”

While I felt no compassion for the woman, Ellery let out a small “Oh” of sympathy.

I rubbed her hand with my thumb, hoping to comfort her. The crackle of the fire, thud of arrows, and baaing of a sheep drifted through the growing encampment.

“How are the two of you involved in this?” Callan finally asked as he fixed his gaze on me and Ellery.

“We’re losing the manor,” Ellery said. “They’ve taxed us until there’s nothing left to give.”

“I’m sorry,” Callan said before focusing on me. “And you? Why you ?”