There was no denying she knew alotof details about that day. Details she shouldn’t know.
My confusion and uncertainty grew as, from across the way, Ellery kept her shoulders back, and pride radiated from her. Despite her prideful countenance, sadness shimmered in her eyes.
“I’m sorry for all of this, Ryker, I really am.”
“So you keep saying.”
“It’s true! I never wanted things to be like this between us.Never!I ended things with you because your father threatened my mother andyou. He told me he’d also lock you away, and after what the ophidians did to you, I couldn’t let that happen. I was trying to keep you safe.”
“I don’t need you to do anything for me, Ellery. I can handle my father.”
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you trapped in Tempest like the rest of us?”
I was sure my teeth would crack by the time this was over. I stepped toward her before catching myself; I’d like to choke her, but I’d prefer not to get any closer.
“You’re a lightning bearer, Ryker, but he has the true power in this realm. He’s made sure I’mveryaware of it by taking my mother. We’re trapped here, at his mercy and the mercy ofallthe other nobles and the king. We’re nothing but pawns in a very,verysick game, and your father has chosen to play with me andmyfamily.
“I did what I believed was best for you, my mother, and… me when I ended things with you. And I also did it because I knew if you ever learned what I’d done and who I was, you’d leave me.”
“And who are you, Ellery?” I demanded. “A liar? A thief? Or someone desperate to free her mother? I know you’re a coward. I know that instead of standing and fighting forus, you ran. You didn’t come to me with the truth of my father; you crumbled beneath the weight of his threats. I’m trapped here too, but I would have kept you safe. I would have fought to the fuckingdeathfor you, and you just walked away.”
“Just walked away! I didn’tjustwalkaway!I’ve battled guilt and self-hatred over my secrets formonthsover you. I tore out my heart, threw it on the ground, and stomped all over it the day I ended things with you. And I did it while knowing I’d never find happiness again because the shattered remnants of my heart belong toyou. I’ve cried forweeksover you, and I knew falling in love with you was the biggest mistake I’d ever make, but I couldn’t stop myself from doing it!”
I didn’t know why and hadn’t considered it possible after everything she’d done, but her words only incensed me further. She claimed to have fallen in love with me and still thrown it away.
She was probably saying it to try to manipulate me more, but I wasn’t falling for it… or her… again.
And now she was standing here, lying to my face.
It made no sense that the Hooded Robber would give her such descriptive details of what happened the day he stole from me and not reveal he was a lightning bearer. I didn’t care to figure it out.
I wasn’t going to listen to her shit anymore.
“Fuck you and your lies, Ellery. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Her shoulders slumped, and defeat emanated from her. I liked her mother; maybe I’d see about doing something for her, but I wanted nothing to do with Ellery.
CHAPTERTWENTY
Ryker
I didn’t lookat her as I walked past her toward the woods. After this exchange and more of her lies, I was pretty sure I could finally fuck another woman and had every intention of finding out.
Ellery was the past, and shewouldstay there. I was done with her and the Hooded Robber; I’d take down the king and every other aristocrat in this realm. Until I figured out how to do that, I planned to stay inside women and drunk… very drunk.
I was fifteen feet away from her when I felt the swell of electricity in the air, and something smashed into the tree beside me. The air crackled with so much electricity that it zapped across my skin, drawing my power forth as it sought to connect with it.
The tree had a black, smoking hole in the center of it. Despite the sizzle of electricity around me and that smoking hole, my brow furrowed as I tried to understand what happened.
It can’t be.
It was only us in the woods… unless someone else had arrived. I spun, prepared to unleash my lightning on whoever was there, but it was Ellery.
She stood with her legs braced apart and loose strands of hair waving around her face as little bolts of lightning zipped between the fingers of the palms she’d turned toward me. Lightning danced through her black eyes.
