“They’re not going to marry you off.”
“They won’t?”
“Immortals only marry for love.”
“I don’t think the king or any of those aristocrats are capable of love,includingthe married ones.”
Very true. “They won’t keep you around once they have what they want from you.”
“Children.”
“Or only one child, like my father sought from my mother.”
“What’s your point, Ryker?”
“I’m just pointing out that you don’t have a good plan.”
“I don’t have any other options! I don’t have five thousand carisle and can’t give up the manor. Besides, no matter what happens, your father will keep coming after me.”
“Yes, he will.”
Her eyes flicked away from me when I confirmed this, and her shoulders slumped a little before they went back again. “Eventually, all I’llhaveis myself to give them. I might as well stop this now by turning myself over to them. They won’t turn me away.”
“No, they won’t.”
Ellery shifted her attention to the wall across from her. After a minute, her beautiful eyes met mine again.
“Why are you here?”
That was a loaded question, and I wasn’t entirely sure about the answer. I had a tentative plan to attempt fixing everything wrong in Tempest, and that plan originally included help from the Hooded Robber.
I’d never planned to involve Ellery, but times had changed. I’d promised Leo I would protect Tempest, and there was a time when I’d vowed to keep Ellery safe. In return, she’d doubted me and spent our entire relationship lying to me, but I could still use her to help save Tempest.
I ignored the twinge in my conscience that I felt about using her for anything, but at least she would know what she was getting into. I wouldn’t keep anything from her.
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a purse full of carisle. It clinked when I placed it on the table between us.
CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
Ryker
“What is that?”she asked.
“Five thousand carisle.”
Her hands twitched as she moved toward the table before stopping and resuming her previous position. Her eyes found mine again.
“For what?” she inquired.
“For you.”
She swallowed as she looked at the money again. I could tell she was contemplating snatching it off the table but was keeping herself restrained. “Why?”
“Because while you’ve had your secrets, I’ve had mine. After they put the curse in place, I decided I wouldn’t find the Hooded Robber to make him…you… pay for stealing from me.”
“Then why did we keep hunting for the Robber?”
“I was hoping to talk the Robber into joining me against the aristocrats and king.”
