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CHAPTER NINETY-SIX

Ryker

The houses closest to the town center had been forced to shelter guards. When they weren’t on shift, they were in these huts, near the prisoners and available for help if necessary.

The darkened homes told me they were asleep, but once this started, there was a good chance they could be alerted to what was happening. The plan was to be gone before they arrived to aid their fellow assholes.

To help with this, I lifted the branch I’d placed against the side of the home earlier tonight and slid it through the door handle before wedging it against the sides of the building. It wouldn’t hold for long, but it would slow anyone trying to exit the hut.

I crept toward the second closest home, further down the street, and did the same thing there. Throughout the town, those of Tucker’s followers who were also on the ground were all blocking any doors with guards behind them too.

After days of studying them, we knew which huts the guards were staying in. We’d brought the branches in throughout the week and placed them strategically around town for tonight.

Some had stood against homes for days while we’d hid others nearby. No one had taken or moved any of the branches.

Kneeling, I rested my fingers on the hardpacked dirt beneath them while studying the guards. To my left, Tucker materialized at the end of his road and knelt.

Throughout the other alleys, more of Tucker’s followers approached us on the rooftops; the others readied themselves for the attack to come. Covered from head to toe in black, they all blended in with the night, but I knew where to look for them.

To my right, Callan and Luna stopped at the edge of their road and knelt to wait for the signal to move. Over the past five days, the siblings had proven to be good with weapons and stealthy enough to be on the ground for this mission.

They’d also learned the truth of what we were doing, who robbed the king, and our plan to build an army big enough to take down Ivan. Luna had practically salivated over our plan and was more than eager to help.

Callan had stood in shock while he studied Ellery and me. I could tell he wasn’t as pleased by our revelation, but he’d vowed to help.

This mission had required a lot more of Tucker’s followers than what was necessary to rob Ivan, but many were on the rooftops. Once they finished their part, they’d open a portal and leave before the guards got anywhere near them.

The ones on the ground would have a tougher time escaping. Getting the prisoners free of the pillories and away from here would be difficult. We had swords and hatchets for the locks, but we’d have to move fast to free everyone.

I glanced up at where Ellery lay, looking down at me. With her hair tucked away and her breasts strapped down, it was difficult to differentiate her gender, but I didn’t like the idea of leaving her up there.

She’d agreed to stay on the roof, which put her in a much safer position, and she had Ianto to look out for her, but if something went wrong, she wouldn’t stay there. She’d try to help.

I had to make sure we moved fast because I couldn’t take the risk of that happening. I’d debated having Ianto drag her from here no matter what; I’d face her wrath afterward, but we’d promised no more secrets and lies. I couldn’t go behind her back to plot with the giant when, if she ever did such a thing to me, it would destroy our relationship.

No, no matter how badly I wanted to rein Ellery in, I couldn’t. She’d lost too much already, and I wouldn’t take her choices from her too… even if they were often reckless.

But then, she would tell me the decision to do this was reckless. I had to reassure myself that Ianto would help keep her safe as I prepared to move. If I didn’t, I’d pull her away from here and ruin everything.

When I looked at Ellery again, I lifted my hand and made a fist. She rose a little from her prone position, lifted her bow, and nocked three arrows against it.

As I lowered my arm, Ellery fired. I knew how good she was with a bow and arrow, but even I was impressed when all three arrows found their targets in the first three guards’ throats.

The wounded men didn’t make a sound; it was impossible for them to do so with arrows embedded in their windpipes, but their hands clawed at the weapons as they staggered back a few steps.

As the other guards shifted their attention to the injured ones, more arrows flew from rooftops around the town green. More guards fell as arrows pierced through their hearts, but the others shouted for help as they scrambled for safety.

When the guards sought to take shelter behind the prisoners, those of us on the ground sprinted toward the pillories, converging from all different directions. Only twenty of us were on the ground, but those on the roofs provided plenty of cover. We’d decided to go with fewer on the ground to lessen our chances of someone getting caught.

Some captives lifted their heads to see what was happening, but most remained hanging limply on the pillories. I pulled my sword free as I ran toward the prisoners. The blade I held wasn’t my normal sword, as I wouldn’t dare use that tonight. It could be recognized, but this was a good weapon, and it would make these fuckers bleed.

For this mission, I’d donned some extra shirts and pants and shoved leaves in to stuff the area around my stomach to make myself look bigger. The additional padding didn’t hinder my movement; I’d ensured that before coming here.

When we robbed Ivan’s caravan, I knew there would be too much going on for anyone to really notice me. We’d also planned not to get too close to the guards… that wasn’t an option here.

I doubted they’d ever consider the duke’s son could be a part of this, but I couldn’t take the chance.

The crackle of the torchlight grew louder, and arrows whistled in the air, but the night remained eerily hushed. That wouldn’t last.