My father hadn’t been overly concerned about my growing independence from him, except that I’d moved beyond his control.He wouldn’t have given a shit if the trees ate me, but anxiety etched Ruby’s and Fletcher’s faces.
“Be careful,” Ruby said.
“I’ll be with two lightning bearers,” Scarlet replied.“I’ll be fine.”
Neither of her parents looked reassured by her words, but they refrained from saying anything more.
“You be careful too,” Fletcher said to Ellery.
“I will.”
When Ruby squeezed her shoulder, Ellery smiled at her.She’d lost so much over the past couple of years, but she still had their love, and it was obvious how much that meant to her.
“We should go,” Ellery said.“I’d prefer to get this over with.”
“I’d prefer not to be dragged anywhere by trees, but I see your preference too,” Callan muttered.
The man sometimes irritated me, but my lips twitched toward a smile.He had a point.
“Let’s go then,” I said.
CHAPTERFORTY-THREE
Ryker
Tucker and Callanswitched positions before we walked out beneath the trees.I would try to take the giant and musician down, while Ellery would have Tucker and Scarlet.
I trusted her love for me and that Ianto and Callan wouldn’t try anything with her, but I also didn’t like them touching her.I wasn’t thrilled with Tucker touching her either, but I could handle it better than the musician and giant.
When we walked out beneath the trees, the leaves rustled, and the branches creaked as they shifted over our heads, but they didn’t descend, and roots didn’t emerge from the ground.I didn’t know if that was because there were so many of us or because we’d suppressed our lightning.
Once we reached the center of the aisle the trees had created, we stopped walking.Ianto and Callan turned to face me; we embraced each other before huddling together.
Ellery did the same with Scarlet and Tucker.Overhead, the trees stilled, and no roots poked out of the ground.
“I think they want our lightning,” Ellery said.
“Then we’ll give it to them.Get closer, but be careful not to move afterward,” I told Ianto and Callan.
They edged so close our toes touched and our breaths mingled as lightning sparked to life at my fingertips.Ianto winced like he’d expected me to pump him full of electricity, but I kept my hands away from their backs.
I sensed Ellery’s lightning as her power brushed my skin, though a few feet separated us.When the trees creaked, Callan closed his eyes.
“Oh fuck,” he muttered.“Oh fuck.”
I wished I could tell him it happened fast, but I didn’t.It felt like it took an eternity for them to drag us beneath the earth.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the earth shift as roots slid free.They slithered toward us like snakes seeking their prey; all they were missing were the flickering tongues.
My lip curled at the reminder of snakes, and I forced myself not to move as one of the roots slid around my ankles.They didn’t touch Ianto or Tucker.
“I was on top of Mouse when they took him,” Ellery said.“I think we’ll have to do the same with them.”
The last thing I wanted was to climb on top of the giant and fiddle boy.Ianto must have sensed this as he grinned at me.
“I usually prefer the bottom,” the giant said.“It’s less work.”
I scowled at him as the roots slithered up my calf.Tucker and Scarlet pulled away from Ellery and lay on the ground.Ellery shook off a tree root, climbed on top, and embraced them.
