“Those kids shouldn’t be fighting anything.”
“No, they shouldn’t, but they could be helping to lay a trap. If they’re here, then they hate the king too and will stand against him.”
“If that’s true, then they’re probably like Tucker’s followers and untrained in every way.”
“I was once untrained too.”
“That’s hard to believe,” she muttered.
“Eventually, we will go to war.”
When she looked across the way again, sadness filled her eyes. “Many will be lost if we go forward against the king.”
“We’ll lose more if we don’t go forward.”
Her mouth parted, and she blinked at me as if this had just occurred to her. “These kids can still hide here.”
“For how long? And how many of them willdiehere?”
She gulped.
“I’ll give them a choice; they can fight against their oppressors or keep hiding. That’s more than the king ever gave them,” I told her.
“True.” She shifted her attention back to the giant. “But do you really think you can get throughthatman?”
CHAPTERFIFTY-NINE
Ryker
I glanced backat the giant; I wasn’t sure a dragon could get through him, but I was in the mood to beat the shit out of something. “Yes.”
With a sigh, Ellery rose and wiped her hands on her pants. I held her shoulder for a moment longer before prying my hand away.
When I recalled our earlier exchange, I felt a sharp pang of regret. So many things had passed between us and torn us apart, and most of it had been her doing, but she’d been right to be irate with me tonight.
Yes, she’d messed up in the past, but she was working to stand against my father and the others. And as much as a part of me constantly whispered that I couldn’t trust her, a bigger part believed she’d told me everything and there wouldn’t be any more lies.
As far as you know.
I shoved my niggling doubt away. I had a right to have it after everything that transpired between us, but she’d revealed things that could shatter her life.
She’d handed me the keys to her destruction, but they would remain safe in my hands. I’d taken out my rage at my father on her earlier, and now I could take it out on this guy. He deserved it more.
When the small breeze blew a stray strand of hair across her face, I resisted the urge to tuck it behind her ear and brush the lovely curve of her cheek. At one time, I wouldn’t have hesitated to do so.
“What’s it going to be?” the giant taunted. “Pay up, go through me, or retreat?”
I tore my attention away from Ellery and back to the giant with the amazingly strong staff. “I don’t retreat.”
“How much money do you have?”
“None for you.”
The giant beamed as he stopped leaning against his staff and rose to his full height. “I guess you’re going to be the dumbass who tries coming through me then.”
“I’m going to be the one who puts you on your ass.”
Ellery released a low groan that wouldn’t carry over the running water. “There’s no need for this.”
