I claimed Ellery’s hand as we started through the forest, heading toward the encampment a mile away.We could have opened a portal back, but no one suggested doing so; I assumed they’d prefer to walk back as I did.
Many of the encampment residents were curious about what we were doing; we were still keeping Ellery’s abilities a secret from them.Callan’s sister, Luna, was extremely vocal about it, but she’d yet to follow us.
I had no idea what Callan had told her to keep her at bay, but so far, it was working.That wouldn’t last.Eventually, someone would try to uncover the secret, but they were leaving us alone for now.
While Ellery’s skills remained hidden, we did tell them about the gargoyles and the buried town, but not the Heart of Stone.We’d left the sinking of that town as another mystery of this realm.
I would have preferred to tell them nothing, but we had to reveal something after we’d been beneath the earth for so long.I was pretty sure we’d instilled enough fear in them about the dead amsirah in that town to ensure no one tried to get near it.
Plus, the only way to get into the tunnel was for the trees to take them down.Even if the trees did take them for some reason, many wouldn’t endure being sucked under the earth just to look at a town of dead amsirah.
We’d also told them that, while the wind and rain produced sound from the gargoyles, they didn’t reveal anything.None of us liked lying to them, but it was better this way.
The last thing we needed was someone to figure out another way down there.They could destroy whatever delicate balance existed beneath the earth.
They could set the power of the stone free.We had enough to worry about with my father and the nobles without being concerned Tempest might sink into the earth.
While no major developments had occurred with the aristocrats, it was only a matter of time before something happened, and we had to prepare for it.My father was preoccupied with assuming control of the realm now; that wouldn’t last.
We’d learned from some of the new amsirah Farley had led us to that my father wasn’t reversing Ivan’s draconian policies.He’d kept them all in place and added a few of his own.
He’d also placed one hundred thousand carisle bounties on Ellery’s and my heads.Given the current conditions of Tempest, that kind of money was almost impossible to resist, so we were a lot more careful about who we brought into the encampment now.
We had to grow our army but didn’t have enough carisle to buy that kind of loyalty.What we had going for us was Ellery’s uniqueness and the amsirah’s hatred of the aristocrats.
The townsfolk knew we were working for them now, and while they had no idea what we could do for them, the hope we’d given them was priceless.Hope may not fill their bellies, but it would help get them through the worst of these times… or so I hoped.
But we couldn’t continue hiding here.With winter coming, if we didn’t make a move soon, we’d lose much of our momentum during the bleak months when snow blanketed the earth, food became scarcer, and my father twisted his thumb deeper into those he ruled.
CHAPTERSEVENTY-TWO
Ryker
“Luna is drivingme crazy about what we’re doing out here,” Callan said.“I told her that she’d learn soon enough, but that will only keep her at bay for so long, and the others are getting curious too.”
“Maybe it’s time we tell them,” Ellery suggested.“It’s going to come out anyway.”
“I’d prefer to wait until you have a better mastery of your skills,” I said.“But I think we’re getting there.”
“It’s better if we tell them before they find out some other way,” Tucker said.
I pondered this for a minute, but while my instincts screamed to keep Ellery protected, our time for keeping her hidden had ended.It was better if they learned the truth from us, instead of someone sneaking into the woods to discover it on their own.
While I did everything I could to ensure we were alone while she trained, it was only a matter of time before something went wrong.Plus, what would happen if a poltergeist discovered us and decided to blab to everyone?
“If we spread word throughout the villages about my abilities, it will bolster their hope that we can help them against the aristocrats,” Ellery said.
Tucker rubbed the stubble lining his chin as he pondered this.“Once we do that, your abilities will also get back to the aristocrats and the duke.”
Ellery cringed as I ground my teeth together.Learning of her ability to control all five weathers would send my father over the edge; he’d do everything he could to get to her afterward, and while we mostly remained hidden in the Revenant Woods, that could change.
Once my father learned the truth about her, the bounty on Ellery’s head, and possibly mine, would double.I had no idea if he’d keep her for himself or kill her if she was captured.
He’d crave Ellery’s power for himself but would also fear her.And my father destroyed everything he feared, or at least he tried to.He’d certainly done his best to break me.
However, we couldn’t keep this secret forever, even if I’d prefer to.“If you’re okay with it,” I said to Ellery, “we’ll tell them at dinner tonight.”
“I’m okay with it,” she replied.
