Chapter 87

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN

Ryker

When I returned to Tucker’s encampment, he was already there, working with some of the archers. After he spotted me, he said something to the man beside him; the man took Tucker’s place.

Dusk was settling in when Tucker joined me in the middle of the encampment; together, we strolled toward the woods. “They’re already finding the purses,” I told him. “News of the Hooded Robber’s return is spreading rapidly through Nottingshire.”

“We’ll have to deliver more to the other towns soon.”

Before, Ellery and Scarlet had mainly focused on Nottingshire since it was the biggest in the realm and had the most amsirah suffering in it. It was also the town closest to her manor and the one she’d frequented. Now, we would spread out to the other villages and the coastal communities.

To avoid suspicion, Ianto and I would deliver those purses. I traveled through them often enough that no one would pay any attention to me if I was there. Ianto also traveled through the towns and coastal communities, so the two of us would take turns delivering the carisle outside of Nottingshire.

“We’ll get the purses out soon,” I confirmed.

Neither of us said what else we had to do, but we knew what it was.

Once in the shelter of the trees, I stood with Tucker, overlooking the encampment that was starting to slow down as night descended. Many gathered around the fire to eat their meals, exchange stories, and laugh as they finally got a reprieve from the hard, rewarding work of their day.

When it became too dark to see the targets, the archers called it quits and joined the others by the fire. The sounds of the woods changed from those who hunted during the day to the predators stalking the night.

The chirrup of insects and nightbirds weaved through the air to blend with the crackle of the fire and the roar of something on the prowl. With the sun down, some of the heat from the August day eased as the stars and moons rose.

About an hour later, Ianto emerged into the clearing; he waved to those he passed as he made his way to where we stood, waiting for him. A couple of the children he’d helped save from the orphanage jumped up to hug him before returning to their friends.

He was smiling when he joined us, but the normal twinkle in his eyes was gone. “That went well,” he said, “minus the torture.”

“It tends to put a damper on the day,” I remarked.

“The townsfolk are excited about finding the purses,” Ianto said. “It was all everyone could talk about in the tavern after you, the sheriff, and whoever that other asshole was left.”

“Gaius Gisborne, and he’s definitely an asshole.”

“Why does that name sound familiar?” Tucker asked.

“He fought in the Ghoul War. I was informed today that he’s an excellent swordsman. His father was Mayus Gisborne,” I told him.

“The swordsmith?”

“The one and only, and his son is someone to watch out for. He tries to hide it, but he took a lot of pleasure in what happened today.”

“Too many of them did,” Tucker muttered.

“You’re awfully friendly with the sheriff,” Ianto stated.

“Have you forgotten who I am?” I inquired. “If you put me in a room with Ivan, the earl, or my father , I’d be friendly with them too. I have to play the game, just like you.

“Samael and I were once friends. I have no idea what changed in him during the Ghoul War. I suspect gaining the position of sheriff and the power that came with it went to his head, but we were friends. And we keep up the pretense that we still are. Is that an issue for you?”

Ianto studied me for a minute before shaking his head. “No. Sometimes I forget you’re not one of us.”

“I’ve shed more blood for this realm than you.”

“And he stands to lose far more than us, if the truth of him is uncovered,” Tucker said.

“I want nothing to do with my father’s wealth.”

I hadn’t told Tucker about how that wealth had increased through my father’s blackmail of Leo, but I did so now and about my father’s fiancée. When I finished, Ianto and Tucker had stopped walking to gawk at me.

“Holy shit,” Tucker finally said.

“Your family is so fucked up,” Ianto muttered.

I laughed bitterly. “You’ve only scratched the surface of it.”

Ianto shook his head before looking to the forest. “No wonder you’re here.”

“I’m here to save Tempest and the amsirah. That’s my number one goal; destroying my father will be the bonus.”

“Your father can’t take the throne,” Tucker said.

“I know.”

I started through the trees again. We were supposed to meet Ellery soon, but I was impatient to see her. We could have opened a portal to Ianto’s old encampment, but we had time to kill, and despite the creatures in the woods, I needed a walk to clear my mind after everything that happened today.

We traveled in silence until arriving at the clearing where Ianto once stayed with the children. Ellery hadn’t arrived yet.

“When are we going to free them?” Tucker asked.

“Free who?” Ianto said.

“The prisoners,” Tucker and I said together.