Those faces should be round, smiling, and kissed by the sun. Instead, even under the dirt covering them, they were pale, gaunt, and trembling as they clung to each other. The larger kids were at the front, trying to offer some protection for the younger, weaker ones, but they wouldn’t have deterred the guards or the duke.
The cell reeked of excrement. I couldn’t look in the overflowing bucket a foot away from the cell door, but I’d love to dunk the duke’s head in it.
“Oh,” I breathed.
I loathed the duke for everything he’d done to Ryker, and I hadn’t believed it possible to despise him anymore, but I’d been wrong. I suppressed the fury rising inside me; these children were scared enough. I couldn’t frighten them more.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “We’re going to get you out of here. Please don’t be scared of us.”
The children remained huddled in the back, either unwilling to believe me or incapable of understanding my words through their shock. Their eyes bulged a little as they glanced from me to the door beyond.
Turning, I spotted the gargoyle who ripped off the door. “I know you’re not used to seeing gargoyles, but they’re our friends. You don’t have to be afraid. They’re going to help us get you out of here and back to your parents.”
When I mentioned their parents, some perked up, but most remained cowering with their lower lips quivering. The constriction in my chest made breathing difficult; no one should ever have to endure this, let alone a child.
“They’re going to move away from the door now,” I told the children. “And no one will hurt you. If anyone tries, I’ll fry their asses.”
I allowed my lightning to flare brighter. Some of them gawked at the light while others murmured to each other.
“You know who I am, right?” I asked.
“You’re Ellery,” one of the older girls said; her voice sounded as if they hadn’t given her anything to drink in days. “The female lightning bearer.”
“Yes, and I’m the Hooded Robber. If the duke had his way, I’d be in a cell too, but I’m here to free you.” I looked at the gargoyle again. “We all are. I know they look scary, but they’re actually very kind and the protectors of Tempest. They’re going to get you out of here.”
And I would do everything in my power to uphold that promise.
“I set them free to help save us.” I held my other hand out to them, the one without the lightning. “Please, come with me.”
CHAPTER FORTY
Ellery
The girl glanced at the others before reluctantly disentangling herself from some of the children. She took a few hesitant steps before her small hand slid into mine.
I grasped it and gave a small squeeze. I resisted the urge to pull her close and hug her—I’d probably scare her if I did.
Instead, I led her from the cell. All along the hall, more children emerged from their cells with other amsirah. Two of the children in the cell took the girl’s hand as they emerged, one at a time, from their prison. Luna stepped into the next cell while Ryker entered one across the way.
The hallway was filling with teenage boys and girls, as well as children so young they broke my heart. Near the front of the cave, the remaining amsirah were splitting the children into groups of twos and threes.
With a whole lot of encouragement, the first group climbed onto the gargoyles’ backs or were tucked into their arms as the creatures carried them around the bend of the tunnel. I didn’t like not being able to see the children or the gargoyles taking flight, but I trusted them to get the children to safety.
I led the girl and the other children to some of the gargoyles before giving her hand another squeeze and releasing her. “You’ll go with them now. They’re going to take you to the Revenant Woods. If all has gone well, your parents will be waiting for you.”
The girl stared at me for a second before flinging herself into my arms. Her impact rocked me back, and I braced myself before hugging her. I didn’t care how bad she smelled; she was absolutely amazing as I hugged her close.
“What if our parents aren’t there?” she whispered.
I brushed her stringy hair back from her pretty, oval face. “Then we’ll do everything we can to find them, and if we can’t, we’ll keep you safe. You have to get out of this place; we can sort all that out later.”
She nodded and squeezed me again before herding some of the smaller kids toward a waiting gargoyle. More and more gargoyles left with as many children as they could carry.
The teens helped organize the younger ones, sending them out ahead unless the children protested. One young boy cleaved to an older one; tears streaked his face as he pleaded with his brother to leave with him.
“Go,” Ianto urged the older boy. “We’ll get all the others to safety too, but your brother needs you. And the younger kids will need some of you with them on the other end too.”
The older boy hesitated before bowing his head and climbing onto the gargoyle’s back with his brother. Scarlet and Tucker helped herd more children.
