“Good. Some of us will return tomorrow; we’ll take you to the first encampment.”
“I probably won’t be here,” I told Farley. “I have to work at the manor.”
“That’s fine as long as Glory Boy is here.”
Ryker’s eyes narrowed on him. “Glory Boy?”
“Oh, I’m going to call you many things, Scourge. Get used to it. Even if you’re on our side, we don’t like aristocrats in these woods.”
When Ryker scowled at him, Farley shrugged before turning and floating away.
“Farley,” I called after him. He turned back to me. “Why did you end up in these woods?”
Farley turned back to me, and his strange mouth twisted into a mockery of a smile. “I made the mistake of falling for a noblewoman who broke my heart. I died in these woods, alone and at the teeth of a black dog. While that monster ate the heart she’d destroyed, I cursed her for everything she’d done to me. And now, here I am.”
I winced at his words, but he spoke again before I could say more. “Be careful of the aristocrats, Lery. They’re not to be trusted.”
He looked pointedly at Ryker before drifting away. When Ryker’s fingers brushed mine, I squeezed his hand.
I knew many in this encampment, and apparently throughout the forest, were anxious about Ryker’s role here and what he was doing with me, but I wasn’t. When I looked up at him and smiled, I saw the concern in his eyes.
“I don’t think you’ll destroy my heart,” I assured him.
“You don’t?”
“No. You know a good thing when you see it, and I’m the best. You’re too smart to ruin it.”
He chuckled as he hugged me against his chest.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Ryker
Over the next week,Tucker, Ianto, and I went with Farley as he led us to other encampments in the woods. There, we met more amsirah who’d fled Ivan’s tyrannical policies; some were wanted criminals, while most had moved into the woods after losing everything they had.
It didn’t matter to us what they’d done in their past; if they agreed to help us against Ivan and the nobles, we would take them. We had yet to encounter anyone who wasn’t more than willing to help.
Still, after they arrived, the new arrivals were watched closely. Even the poltergeists watched to ensure they could be trusted around the women and children and wouldn’t run back to Ivan with their newly gained knowledge.
The poltergeists were a lot less conspicuous than any amsirah who might be detected by the newcomers. As much as I didn’t like the specters, they proved useful.
I was also glad to have a system that could stop anyone from betraying us. Our time of keeping Ellery’s identity a secret would end, but I intended to keep her protected.
Farley had also assured us that he and his friends had watched over the encampments before taking us to them. He believed in those he was leading us to.
The idea of trusting a poltergeist took some time to get used to, but so far, they seemed determined to help us bring down the nobles. And though he was floating against my last nerve, he did like Ellery and looked out for her.
With the way things were, I’d take all the help I could get in keeping her safe, even if it was from an infuriating blob with small hands and a dick that didn’t exist on his body anymore but had become his entire personality.
He was taking us to another encampment this morning. Since we didn’t know what it looked like, we couldn’t open a portal and made our way on foot.
The early morning sun was starting to burn off the thin layer of fog covering the ground. Despite the sun being up, the day remained gloomy beneath the trees; last night’s rain clung to the leaves and occasionally dripped from them.
Coated in rain, the wet underbrush had dampened my pants until they stuck to me when I walked. The ozone scent of the rain lingered in the air as the birds’ song filled the air.
The Revenant Woods was peaceful this morning, something it never was. I tried to enjoy the moment, but I didn’t trust it.
“Cryton has been watching this next group for over a month. He harassed them at first but quickly grew bored with that. Once we started discussing our plan to help against the aristocrats, he started keeping a more serious eye on them. He says they’re trustworthy,” Farley informed us as he led the way through the woods.
