“No, stay, Lery. You’ve done enough. Let them bring the rest.”
“I can’t do that; Xanthus is still there too. I’ll be right back.”
Scarlet grabbed for my shirt, but I was already beyond her reach. Without looking back, I sprinted back through the portal and emerged in the encampment.
Much of the chaos of earlier was gone, as most of the amsirah, animals, and supplies had been moved to the second encampment. An air of urgency still surrounded the place… or maybe that was just me.
I spotted Xanthus standing near some trees, his head high and his ears pricked forward. He was going tohatethe next encampment, most of us would, but it was somewhere safe for now, and he had to go. I couldn’t lose Ryker’s horse too.
“Xanthus,” I said as I approached him. “He’s not coming back tonight.”
A sob lodged in my throat as the horse’s ears flicked back and forth. Even if he couldn’t understand me, he was listening.
“Please. Youhaveto come with me. I’ll get Ryker back, but I can’t do anything until everyone is safe, and that includes you.”
The dying cooking fires played off the horse’s glistening black coat and white mane and tail. His intelligent brown eyes were sorrowful, but maybe I was imagining that too.
“Please,” I whispered as I rested my hand on his velvety muzzle. “Please come with me.”
The horse refused to wear a halter, just as he wouldn’t wear a bridle or saddle. When I rubbed his head, he lowered it a littlefor me, and I ran my hands over his ears. He tilted his head toward me for more.
“Come on, boy,” I encouraged as I started toward the portal. The horse followed me until we were at the edge of the opening. “You’re going to hate it on the other side, but it won’t be for long, I hope.”
Xanthus stared at the portal for a second before pulling away from me to trot through it. Relief filled me, and my shoulders slumped as he vanished. I didn’t know if he’d stay in the second encampment, but at least I’d gotten him there; I’d worry about keeping him there later.
Turning away from the portal, I surveyed the abandoned camp. Sorrow filled me as the cooking fires we never extinguished burned so low they threatened to go out. A place that was usually so lively was now devoid of the laughter and merriment that had once filled it.
My gaze went to the tree house Ryker and I had shared. We’d created so many amazing memories there, but there wouldn’t be any more… at least not there.
And Ryker….
I couldn’t think about what his father was probably doing to him right then; if I did, I’d lose my mind or open a portal to the palace and hand myself over to thathideousman.
If I believed it would do any good, I’d do exactly that once all the amsirah were safe. But as much as I wanted to rescue Ryker, giving myself to them would only make things worse.
The duke might kill Ryker outright once he had me, and he certainly wouldn’t let him go. And if the duke had both of us, we’d never succeed in freeing the realm from its oppressors, but oh, how I yearned for him and would destroy everyone who’d mutilated him.
The weight of his ring finger in my pocket was a cold reminder of what they’d already done to him. And Iwouldmakethem pay for it, even if I had to tear the palace apart with my bare hands.
I would do whatever it took to save Ryker and Tempest from those monsters.
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Ellery
My already batteredheart ached more. I rubbed a hand over my breastbone to ease some of my anguish; it didn’t work.
Amsirah rushed toward me with chickens and eggs cradled in their arms as they ran for the portal. Behind them, Ianto led two cows, one of which kept stubbornly trying to plant its hooves into the ground. The giant wouldn’t allow it as he dragged the creature onward.
I ran to Ianto and took the lead of the less stubborn cow; there wasnoway I was dragging the other one forward. I ran toward the portal while Ianto, cursing under his breath, pulled on the other animal.
Finally giving in to the creature’s stubborn nature, Ianto stalked back toward it and swept one of his massive arms around the beast. With a grunt, he lifted the cow and stalked toward the portal with it tucked against his side.
It was a smaller cow, but it still had to weigh close to eight hundred pounds. His muscles bunched and flexed as his facescrunched up, but Ianto showed no other signs that carrying the animal bothered him.
“Steak, that’s what I’m carrying. A future fucking steak,” he muttered as he stalked toward the portal.
A flicker of amusement ran through me, but it vanished when another portal opened fifty feet away from us. The blood drained from my head as an icy chill encompassed me.
