Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Ryker

"What is that?" she asked.

"Five thousand carisle."

Her hands twitched as she moved toward the table before stopping and resuming her previous position. Her eyes found mine again.

"For what?" she inquired.

"For you."

She swallowed as she looked at the money again. I could tell she was contemplating snatching it off the table but was keeping herself restrained. "Why?"

"Because while you've had your secrets, I've had mine. After they put the curse in place, I decided I wouldn't find the Hooded Robber to make him… you … pay for stealing from me."

"Then why did we keep hunting for the Robber?"

"I was hoping to talk the Robber into joining me against the aristocrats and king."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Why?"

"Because you're an excellent thief, and if we're to make them pay, it will have to be literally. That's the only way we can weaken them, even if it's only a little, and if we build an army, we'll need money to do so… their money."

Her mouth parted as some of the color drained from her face. "You plan to build an army?"

"I hope to, but that will require money and power, and two lightning bearers is a whole lot of power, especially when the identity of one is a secret… for now. When we reveal there's another lightning bearer in this realm, and that it's a woman , there will be a lot of amsirah willing to back you ."

She gulped. "No one is supposed to know."

"It's going to come out; that's inevitable. It already is."

Her head bowed as she stared at her hands and white knuckles. She was so pale that her freckles were a vivid contrast to the pallor of her skin.

I resisted leaning forward and resting my hand on her knee. I hated seeing her like this.

Fuck her. She brought this on herself.

Maybe some of that was true, but not all of it. She never could have seen my father getting involved in this or the amount of devastation he could render.

"Why don't you use your money to build an army?" she asked.

"If I drained my accounts, my father would notice. I could sell my mother's property, but that wouldn't go unnoticed either, and my father knows I would never willingly part with it. Plus, even if I did both, it still wouldn't be enough."

"Oh."

When the silence stretched between us, I asked the question plaguing me. "How is it possible you're a lightning bearer, Ellery?"

"I don't know. The gene does run through my line, but how I got the ability is a mystery to me and my parents."

"Who else knows about it?"

"Just my mother."

"Not Scarlet?"

"No one other than my mother and father ever knew. They were worried about what would happen if anyone found out and told me to keep it a secret."

"They were right to be worried."

"I was going to tell Scarlet before I left today." Her eyes darted to the purse on the table before returning to me. "She should know why I'm turning myself in to them."

Would her pride cause her to turn away from my money and go to the king instead? It was a possibility; my pride might do the same.

"Tucker also knows," I told her.

Her mouth parted, and waves of distress emanated from her. "Why… no, he can't… why would you tell him?"

She closed her eyes as her throat worked convulsively.

Taking pity on her, I told her, "I trust him completely, and he won't tell anyone. He's the reason I'm here."

Her eyes opened. "What do you mean?"

"Let's be clear here: I would have let you rot in that palace."

She recoiled a little before recovering and lifting her chin. Sorrow still shimmered in her eyes, but so did ire. It was good to see she still had fight in her; I would need it.

"But Tucker understands I have to do everything I can to save Tempest from its rulers, even if that means working with you again," I continued.

"And you plan on saving Tempest by stealing from our rulers to build an army."

"That's part of it, but the plans aren't completely formed yet."

"That's good."

"And why is that?"

"Because a lot of amsirah are suffering in Tempest. If you're going to steal, they should have some of your profits. Going after the aristocrats and king will attract a lot of hate from their loyal followers, but if you help to feed the amsirah in the towns, you won't find any hate there. Even if you can't help them all, knowing you're fighting against their oppressors will earn you their loyalty."

"Is that what you intended when you became the Hooded Robber?"

"No. That was an unintended consequence of simply trying to help them. In the process, I earned their loyalty, but they didn't know who I was and couldn't turn me in. If you plan to build an army, they'll learn who you are."

"I plan to keep that hidden for a while."

"Plans have a way of going astray."

"Are you regretting stealing from me?"

She bit her bottom lip as she contemplated this. "In the beginning, I regretted it every day. Then I got to know you, and in the process, I grew to hate myself for all the lies and secrets. When I was with you, I was happier than I'd been in years… maybe ever.

"I can't regret what happened or wish things had been different, because then I wouldn't have gotten to know you. If I never took your money, we may have seen each other in passing, but you wouldn't have stopped to talk to me, and if you did, it wouldn't have been for long.

"I regret the secrets and lies, more than I can ever tell you, and I considered telling you the truth so many times. I never found the courage to do so because I was afraid you'd hate me. I was correct, and my actions have led me to the end of my freedom, but I don't regret stealing from you because of all the good that followed… for a brief time. And no matter how ugly it's all gotten and will continue to get, I will always have those memories."

I didn't know how to respond. Despite all the many lies she'd told, I wanted to believe her… which was very dangerous.