“She has to know what your father is capable of.”
“He’s not my father, and she’s very aware of it. She made the right choice.”
“You wouldn’t make the same one.”
This time, my smile was sad as I met his incredulous gaze. “No, I wouldn’t, but I’m far more selfish than her.”
Samael studied me for a minute before shifting his attention back to the window. “We’re still very much alike, Ryker.”
No matter how hard I tried to deny it, I couldn’t. It was true.
“I’m never getting married,” Samael stated.
“And everywhere in Tempest, women rejoice,” Tucker said.
“Fuck off.”
Tucker gave him the finger, but his eyes remained on the windows, and Samael didn’t acknowledge him.
“How did she find out where the children are?” Samael asked. “Not many know their location.”
“I don’t know,” I replied, “but I’m sure we’ll find out.”
From behind the closed kitchen doors, a shout rebounded down the hallway. It was followed by more cries and footsteps thundering on the stone floor as someone ran and metal clinked. They weren’t coming this way, but they would once they realized Ellery was going for the children instead of me.
“We have to get out of here,” Samael said. “The alert is going up.”
I turned away from the window. “Get us to those dungeons.”
“Shit’s about to get real ugly real fast,” Samael said.
“I know. Get us down there.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Ellery
I was almost to the entrance of the cave when I felt the overwhelming pull toward something else—no, not something, someone. Ryker.
My body tensed, my fingers clenched, and my heart screamed at me to forget about everything else and sprint toward the bond drawing me forward. I’d felt this same connection in the city of the dead and again when the magnetic storm hit.
The sensation wasn’t as intense now as it was then, but the burgeoning tug wasn’t there before I entered this place. Just feeling it again nearly crippled me.
I thought I’d been running on emotion, fumes, and desperation, but I hadn’t realized how much I’d shut down. Everything inside me froze into a state of panic when they captured Ryker… until that tug pulled at me.
My hand trembled when I rested it against the stone wall, and tears streaked my face. He is alive.
I hadn’t realized how terrified I’d been that he was dead. And not only was he alive, but he was getting closer.
How is that possible? Is the duke bringing him to us?
My relief vanished as my teeth clamped together; I stopped shaking and pushed myself away from the wall. If the duke was coming, then hell was coming with him, and I would meet his hell with my own.
I held up a hand to halt the movement of the others. The amsirah and gargoyles stilled around me.
“There could be more soldiers ahead than we anticipated,” I whispered.
“How do you know that?”
