Chapter 69

Ryker

"Doyou have a man in your life, Ellery?"

Her eyes narrowed on me. "I wouldn't have kissed you if I did."

"I didn't think you would, but you could have met someone more recently."

"No, I don't have anyone like that."

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I'm trying to learn more about you. Have you ever had a partner or someone serious in your life?"

"Have you?" she retorted.

I smiled as I planted my hands behind me. Leaning back, I admired her while leisurely kicking my legs. "I've had plenty of partners, but never anything serious."

"Why not?"

"I've never met anyone I liked enough for something more to come of it."

Until now… and now was the worst possible time for anything more than casual with someone, and even casual could get in the way of fixing everything wrong in Tempest.

She tipped her head to the side. "How old are you?"

"Three hundred and fifty-two."

"So, you've spent a lot of time in Tempest and many other realms, but you've never liked anyoneenough to stay with them for a while?"

"I didn't say that. I've known a few women I've spent more time with, but no one I would stay with for longer. Now, are you going to answer my question?"

She couldn't hide her irritation as she scowled at me. She thought I'd forgotten how we got to this point in our conversation.

"No, I've never had anyone serious in my life."

I almost asked her about sexual partners but decided against pushing it. I already knew the answer, and I'd upset her enough with this conversation.

We sat for a while, watching the stars and moon shift across the sky. Large creatures prowled the woods. They hunted and killed smaller creatures that screamed when caught and snapped branches as they moved, but nothing came into the clearing.

Chirping came from the woods, and multiple creatures sang sweet songs that, while not in harmony, were beautiful. They became the only sounds in the forest as the larger animals retreated with their meals.

"It's so peaceful here," she murmured.

Apparently, she was over her irritation with me. That made me happier than I'd expected while also unsettling me.

I hadn't believed myself capable of happiness after the past two years. I'd thought that part of me died in the ophidians' dungeon, but Ellery woke it again. Somehow, being around her helped me put my broken pieces back together.

I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing for her.

"Did you ever think you'd say that about the Revenant Woods?" I asked.

She chuckled. "No."

Below, one of the guards tossed more wood onto the fire as a couple of ghosts drifted across the clearing. Something howled in the night, but most things were settling down to sleep.

It was time for me to be one of them. Pulling my legs up, I rose. "I'm ready for bed."

She glanced at me before looking back at the clearing. "I am pretty tired."

Still, she didn't move as she savored her time here. I left her to enjoy herself as I lifted the blanket from the bottom of the bed and set it on the floor.

A rustle of movement drew my attention as she stood, lowered the flap over the door, and started latching it into place. While she worked, I kicked off my boots and removed my socks but decided against removing my pants.

Ellery might jump out of the tree house if she turned to discover me without my pants on. When I pulled off my shirt, she gasped.

I turned toward her, uncertain why she'd made that horrified sound, and prepared to kill something until I saw the shock etched on to her features as she stared at me. Then, I followed her gaze down to my chest and abdomen and sighed. Sometimes, I forgot about the scars.

Some of them had been a part of me since childhood. The others had become more of the same, and I barely paid attention to them. I didn't need them as a reminder of my worst days; my mind ensured I didn't forget them.

"Who did that to you?" she breathed.

Before I could respond, she closed the distance between us, and her fingers fell against my chest. The second her skin touched mine, I knew staying with her had been a bad decision.

I would not be able to control myself when it came to her.