Ryker glanced at the swirling wind flinging away the arrows before unleashing more lightning. While some guards continuedto approach us, the number was growing smaller. Despite that, it was past time for us to go.
“We’ve got all the chests!” Tucker yelled as he scrambled off Mr. Fletcher and Scarlet.
“Ellery, go!” Ryker yelled at me.
While I was reluctant to leave him here, I didn’t stop to argue with him. It would be pointless and might get someone injured or killed; he was far too stubborn to leave here without me.
I threw more lightning at the guards on the roadways before sprinting toward the portal as Scarlet and Mr. Fletcher went through. “You better be right behind me!” I yelled at Ryker. “Or I’m coming back!”
He smiled at me, but I wasn’t sure how much I trusted that smile. Did it mean he planned on doing something crazy or that he’d be right behind me?
I wouldn’t hesitate to come back; he had to know that, so his smile had to mean he’d start running too. I was almost to the portal when Gaius shoved his way to the front of the guards on the roadside.
A bubble of fury formed in my chest as I gazed at the man I’d come to loathe. When his golden-brown eyes met mine, I undid the string of my hood and yanked it off.
I had no doubt they’d already known it was me; I was only one of two amsirah who could wield lightning in this realm, and Ryker was a lot bigger than me. But I wanted Gaius to see me smiling at him before I flung my hand at him.
A wave of lightning, energized by the awful memory of his tongue shoving into my mouth, erupted from my fingertips. I planned to kill him.
It was my intention, but as I’d come to learn, it wasn’t easy to kill a monster.
As soon as I pulled my hood free, Gaius threw himself to the side. He dove behind another amsirah to hide like the coward he was.
That amsirah didn’t get out of the way in time; the electricity hammering his body cut off his startled yelp. The burnt remnants fell over top of Gaius, who lifted his head to look at me.
This time, not only did lust shimmer in his eyes, but so did hate. I’d tried to kill him, but more than that, I’d lied to him and chosen Ryker over him… although there never truly was a choice.
If he got his hands on me again, he’d make sure I paid for those transgressions, but I’d never let this asshole take me alive again. I lifted my hand to unleash another wave of lightning.
Before I could release my fury, I plunged into the portal and away from the chaos.
CHAPTER NINE
Ellery
We had initially plannedto flee the robbery and go our separate ways to disperse the carisle, but that was only if everything went right… it didn’t. So now, I found myself emerging into the Revenant Woods instead of one of the towns or villages.
I spun back, prepared to return to the battle if Ryker had decided to remain behind, and there was a good chance he might try to go after Gaius, but as I stepped toward the portal, he emerged. As soon as he was free, Mr. Fletcher waved his hand to close the opening.
I threw myself into Ryker’s arms, hugging him close as he lifted me off the ground, and I rested my head on his chest. Shaking with relief, I inhaled deep, shuddering breaths.
I’d been so focused on battling our way out of there that I hadn’t stopped to think about what would happen if one of us died. With the serenity of the woods came the crashing reality of how close we’d come to dying or worse… being captured.
With his strong arms enveloping me, I savored the power of his corded muscles against me. At six foot four, he was teninches taller than me, and while I possessed more power than him, I felt small and cherished in his arms.
“If we’re still going to get this money out to the towns today, we should move,” Tucker said. “Do you think there’s any chance your father could have planned for that?”
I didn’t lift my head to look at them. I’d much prefer to slip away into the forest with Ryker to spend the next few hours taking pleasure in each other, but we still had so much to do.
This was a war, and we had to win. There weren’t any other options.
Ryker lifted his head from where he’d rested his cheek on top of mine. I couldn’t think about the fact we were only halfway done with what we’d planned to do, but reality wouldn’t be denied.
If we were going to piss off the duke and help the amsirah, then we had to get this money to them. What we’d stolen was only a drop in the bucket compared to what the duke had taken from them, but it wasn’t just the money that would make them happy.
We’d stuck it to the aristocrats again, killed some of them, and taken back a piece of what was rightfullytheirs. We’d give them this money, but the robbery would provide something far better and more important to them… hope.
“He’ll expect us to get the money back out to the amsirah, but not right away,” Ryker said. “I underestimated him with the caravan by not anticipating guards being inside the carriages, but he’ll expect us to sit on this money, plan how to get it out, and do it slowly.
