Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ryker

At first, I felt no reaction to her words, but then resentment swelled inside me. It wasn't her; it couldn't be her !

The Hooded Robber was a lightning bearer and no female amsirah had ever been a lightning bearer.

Which meant she was lying to me.

I understood she wanted to free her mother, but I was so sick and tired of her duplicitous ways. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not. It's me. I'm the one who stole your money; I put it in a tree behind a pixie door and gave some of it to those in need. On the day I robbed you, I swung out of a tree, landed on the back of your carriage, cut the straps, and took your chest."

A flicker of uncertainty ran through me as she revealed details only the Hooded Robber would know, but it couldn't have been her. It was impossible. However, after everything she'd said, I was convinced she knew who it was.

"I am the Robber, Ryker, and my mother doesn't know. She was never supposed to know, but I can't avoid that anymore. She's going to be so disappointed in me."

I recalled the look on Ellery's face when her mother volunteered her to help me search for the Hooded Robber. She was reluctant to help, but I'd assumed it was because of our argument on the day the sheriff wanted to cut off Mouse's hand.

Was it because she was the Robber and didn't want to hunt for herself?

The possibility niggled for a few seconds before I buried it. The Hooded Robber was a lightning bearer .

While I'd never asked Ellery what weathers she controlled, lightning wasn't one of them. There were no female lightning bearers.

Which meant she was lying to keep from revealing who the Robber actually was. She'd protected him, and now she was sacrificing herself for him.

Is she in love with him?

I'd believed I hated her, but the possibility of her being in love with someone else the whole time we were together sent a fiery, all-consuming rage through me. My nails bit into my palms, peeling back skin and causing blood to well.

It wasn't a possibility I'd ever contemplated, considering she'd given herself to me. An immortal in love with another wouldn't do such a thing… unless their lover was dead, but the Robber was alive…

Or maybe they had died. No one had seen him in months. Had Ellery turned to me in her sorrow over losing the one she loved?

But no, that couldn't be right either. She was a virgin when I claimed her as mine. If she was in love with another, she would have given herself to him before turning to me.

However, she loved the Robber enough to sacrifice herself for him. What is going on?

It irritated me that the idea of her with another man bothered me so much. I'd prefer not to feel anything for this woman… other than pure, unadulterated loathing. It was much easier that way.

"I don't believe you," I told her.

"I was able to take the chest without you knowing because you were distracted by getting your dick sucked at the time."

There was no denying she knew a lot of details about that day. Details she shouldn't know.

My confusion and uncertainty grew as, from across the way, Ellery kept her shoulders back, and pride radiated from her. Despite her prideful countenance, sadness shimmered in her eyes.

"I'm sorry for all of this, Ryker, I really am."

"So you keep saying."

"It's true! I never wanted things to be like this between us. Never! I ended things with you because your father threatened my mother and you . He told me he'd also lock you away, and after what the ophidians did to you, I couldn't let that happen. I was trying to keep you safe."

"I don't need you to do anything for me, Ellery. I can handle my father."

"Can you?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you trapped in Tempest like the rest of us?"

I was sure my teeth would crack by the time this was over. I stepped toward her before catching myself; I'd like to choke her, but I'd prefer not to get any closer.

"You're a lightning bearer, Ryker, but he has the true power in this realm. He's made sure I'm very aware of it by taking my mother. We're trapped here, at his mercy and the mercy of all the other nobles and the king. We're nothing but pawns in a very, very sick game, and your father has chosen to play with me and my family.

"I did what I believed was best for you, my mother, and… me when I ended things with you. And I also did it because I knew if you ever learned what I'd done and who I was, you'd leave me."

"And who are you, Ellery?" I demanded. "A liar? A thief? Or someone desperate to free her mother? I know you're a coward. I know that instead of standing and fighting for us , you ran. You didn't come to me with the truth of my father; you crumbled beneath the weight of his threats. I'm trapped here too, but I would have kept you safe. I would have fought to the fucking death for you, and you just walked away."

"Just walked away! I didn't just walk away! I've battled guilt and self-hatred over my secrets for months over you. I tore out my heart, threw it on the ground, and stomped all over it the day I ended things with you. And I did it while knowing I'd never find happiness again because the shattered remnants of my heart belong to you . I've cried for weeks over you, and I knew falling in love with you was the biggest mistake I'd ever make, but I couldn't stop myself from doing it!"

I didn't know why and hadn't considered it possible after everything she'd done, but her words only incensed me further. She claimed to have fallen in love with me and still thrown it away.

She was probably saying it to try to manipulate me more, but I wasn't falling for it… or her… again.

And now she was standing here, lying to my face.

It made no sense that the Hooded Robber would give her such descriptive details of what happened the day he stole from me and not reveal he was a lightning bearer. I didn't care to figure it out.

I wasn't going to listen to her shit anymore.

"Fuck you and your lies, Ellery. I don't ever want to see you again."

Her shoulders slumped, and defeat emanated from her. I liked her mother; maybe I'd see about doing something for her, but I wanted nothing to do with Ellery.