At first, the sound was distant, feeble, and uncertain, but as it spread across the land, it became more confident until the cheers of joy replaced the cries of anguish.The sky suddenly fit the day as pure joy filled Tempest again for the first time since Ivan had taken the throne.
We hadn’t destroyed our enemies—we still had a long way to go for that—but we’d watched many of them topple.Despite my happiness over the stage falling, I couldn’t join in with the applause.
Though Ivan was most likely the only one who died on the stage, its fall symbolized the aristocrats’ hold over the realm was cracking a little.Their reign of terror was far from over, but they weren’t standing all high and mighty over top of us any longer.
While the cheers continued, I focused on where the archers last fired their arrows.Ryker was there… somewhere.
I couldn’t celebrate when I didn’t know where he was or if he was okay.
When more lightning lanced out toward the archers on the parapets, I sighed, but the tension didn’t leave my body.He was alive and still well enough to fight them, but it was only a matter of time before the guards took him down.
As the thought ran through my head, a line of guards ran through the crowd toward Ryker’s last location.When some of the women tried cutting them off, the guards beat them back with staffs and swords.
I couldn’t see much of the battle, but a spray of blood shot into the air.Shrieking, the women fell back beneath the guards’ unbridled rampage.
Ivan may have fallen, but they still served the nobles, and now, because of his position in the realm, the duke would rule over them all.That realization lifted the hair on my nape.
I had to get free of these chains.As soon as I did, I could help save the amsirah, but until then, I was completely useless!
Once the aristocrats learned I was the female lightning bearer they sought, they wouldn’t be as interested in these women.They’d be free to run from this place, and hopefully they didn’t stop until they were all the way home.
My attention shifted to Scarlet as sweat poured from the guard’s forehead to drip off his chin.His fingers clawed sluggishly at the chains again before his eyes rolled back and he went to his knees.
When he started tipping forward, he leaned onto the blade still protruding from his belly.Planted in the ground, the hilt kept him propped up as he slid halfway down the blade before stopping.
Its tip poked from his side as Scarlet pulled her chains free and leapt off him.She knelt and tore at his clothes as she searched him.
A second later, she jerked something free, lifted it, and jumped to her feet.When some other women grabbed at her, Scarlet cast them nasty looks as she elbowed her way through the crowd.
“Fuck off!”she yelled.“You’ll get your turn.”
And then she was before me again with a ring of keys.She fumbled through them as more women tried to tear the keys from her to obtain the freedom they offered.
“Leave her alone!”I yelled.“I’mthe reason you’re here.If you want to be free of this place, then let her do this!”
My words took a few seconds to register with the amsirah around us.Once they did, their heads rose, and they blinked at me.They looked from Scarlet to me to where Ryker was lost in the crowd.
Pieces must have clicked into place in their minds as their gazes returned to me.Uncertainty flickered across their faces, but some also held traces of anger.
They were here because of me, and that fact was sinking in.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Ellery
I waitedto see what they would do while a few of the women continued grasping at Scarlet, trying to tear the keys away.They were too far gone in their panic to register anything other than their desperation to be free.
Releasing her hold on me, Ruby stalked forward.I’d never seen her hit anyone before, but the blow she delivered to the woman pulling on Scarlet’s shirt knocked the woman out.
“Mom!”Scarlet gasped.
Ruby straightened her shoulders as she glowered at the women.“Get thefuckaway from my daughter.”
My jaw dropped as Scarlet and I exchanged astonished glances.We’d never heard Ruby swear like that either; she’d always been so dignified, yet she clearly had some experience with hitting others.I’d love to know the story behind that, but it wasn’t exactly the time.
Some of the women melted into the crowd, while others glared at Ruby.She returned their stares with a militant one of her own, but they didn’t come any closer.
Scarlet’s hands trembled as she slid one key and then another into the lock on my chains.Refusing to be held at bay anymore, one woman seized Scarlet’s shirt.
