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 ushorribly, 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? Whyyou?”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
Ryker
“Why not me?”I asked.
“You’re the son oftheduke and the only lightning bearer in Tempest,” Luna blurted. “You have it all.Whywould you be here? Is it just for power? Are you looking to assume the throne if, by some chance, you manage to overthrow Ivan?”
She was wrong about me being the only lightning bearer, but Tucker and Ellery were the only others who knew that. “I’ll remove Ivan from the throne but won’t sit on it afterward. The next ruler will be elected.”
I felt Tucker’s gaze on me, but I didn’t look at him. I was sure they all assumed I’d be the natural choice to take over.
It wasn’t going to happen.
If we survived and succeeded, I planned to slip away to live a simple life full of love and children with Ellery at her manor or my mother’s property. Wedeservedthat peace.
“Thenwhyare you here?” Luna pressed.
“I’ve shed a lot of blood for this realm, and so has Tucker. We’re not going to stand by and watch while Ivan and my father destroy it,” I told her. “But we need an army to fight them first.”
“Then why don’t you leave and go somewhere else to find an army? You have powerful friends. It’s rumored you know the queen of the Shadow Realms.”
“I do, and I’m good friends with her brother-in-law, Brokk, but I can’t leave Tempest. My father didn’t bestow that ability on me when he helped the other aristocrats fund the curse. I’m as trapped here as you.”
“Oh,” Luna breathed.
“Oh shit,” Callan murmured.
