“That depends on who I thought would win. And I wouldn’t have believed in your side, even with two lightning bearers.”
While his answer was truthful, it still rocked me. I hadn’t expected such a blunt response.
“Wow,” one of the amsirah breathed.
“He’s honest,” Ryker said. “Even if it’s brutally so.”
“That is true,” Samael agreed. “But you’re also forgetting something.”
“And what is that?” I spat at him.
“Ivan did order the death of my father, so the man I was, the one who existed months ago and who most likely never would have switched sides, doesn’t exist anymore. Now, I’ll gladly take up weapons for your cause, even if it means I end up with nothing. Which, given the way you keep glaring at me, is most likely my fate.”
“That depends,” Ryker said.
“On what?”
“On how much of an asset you prove to be. And you better start proving it by getting us to the duke.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Ryker
Samael led the way back through the tunnel with me, Ellery, Callan, Scarlet, and Luna following him. Tucker, Ianto, and Fletcher had reluctantly agreed to return to the battle.
They had to lead the amsirah outside the palace. Fletcher didn’t like leaving his daughter behind, but in the end, he agreed to the separation, hugged Scarlet, and watched her walk away.
The rest of the amsirah remained behind, and a few had handed over some of their weapons to me, Callan, and Tucker. I kept a sword strapped to my back. I didn’t plan to get close enough to kill anyone with it; they’d have to fall before they could shout a warning.
When we left, the gargoyles were already in the process of pulling out most of the remaining amsirah. Some would stay to help usher out any servants we directed their way, as would a few gargoyles.
Once the remaining amsirah evacuated, they would join those who were hopefully making their way to the palace. Ellery and Ianto revealed that, since the children were free and most of the aristocrats were dead, the plan was for some of the amsirah from the encampment to spread the word throughout the villages and towns.
They planned to raise an army now that the duke had nothing to wield over the amsirah’s heads. Considering most of them were probably asleep and had no idea a war would unfold tonight, we had no way of knowing if it would work or how many amsirah would arrive.
I believed once they learned the aristocrats were dead and their children free because of what Ellery and the others managed to accomplish tonight, they’d be eager to fight for us, but we couldn’t count on it. Samael looked far more skeptical but didn’t argue.
If everything worked out to plan, even if we failed to kill the duke tonight, he’d already lost control of Tempest. He could lock himself away in this palace and probably survive for a while, but without power and money, his soldiers would turn on him.
Unless, somehow, all the soldiers on the field and parapets managed to defeat the gargoyles and amsirah who would soon join the fight, Veni was as good as dead. His tyranny would end.
I should feel elated by this, but I wouldn’t be happy until I saw him and Gaius battered into oblivion. And I wouldn’t relax until Ellery was safe.
The depth and scope of the plan they unleashed was impressive, and I admired its ruthlessness even as I worried about what it would do to Ellery. She was willing to do whatever it took to save Tempest from the tyrants that had seized it, but she hated killing. Despite her determination to save the realm, she was a truly kindhearted soul.
She would get through this. I’d do whatever it took to ensure her survival in this place, and afterward, I’d do everything I could to help her heal… if necessary.
When Samael reached the door at the top of the steps, he placed his ear against it, though he couldn’t hear anything beyond it. They were designed to keep servants from eavesdropping. Samael knew this, but he must have hoped he’d somehow learn what awaited us on the other side.
I’d have preferred for the others to stay behind, but I hadn’t argued with them about coming. They could make their own decisions. Things probably weren’t any better outside these walls, and while I wanted Ellery somewhere safe, I preferred having her with me. I couldn’t stand the idea of not knowing what was happening with her again.
“I can’t hear anything,” Samael muttered.
“Did you really expect to?” I asked him.
“No, but I didn’t expect to be leading you idiots toward death either.”
When he looked back at me, I grinned at him. “Life is full of surprises. I bet you never thought you’d stand with us tonight either.”
