Chapter 44

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Ryker

"You can pull electricity from the ground too." It wasn't a question; I'd seen her standing in the woods with energy bolts zipping across her fingertips after she revealed she was the Hooded Robber. That electricity hadn't come from the sky; I was certain of it.

Ellery shifted her attention from the forest to me. "Yes."

"Good. We'll eventually have to practice more with you drawing it from the sky, but even this deep in the woods, someone might notice you doing so and come to see what's going on. I prefer to keep that from happening."

I really didn't want to kill someone to keep her secret safe… until it became necessary. Her abilities would come out one day, but I would decide when the time was right.

"Let's get to work," I stated.

"Where are we?"

"I thought you knew the Revenant Woods so well."

Her hands fisted. "I never claimed to know everything about them. These woods comprise half of Tempest and are thousands upon thousands of acres. I could spend an eternity in them and still not learn all their secrets."

Deciding to take pity on her, I revealed, "I'm not sure where we are; my best guess is we're about halfway into the forest, but it's impossible to tell. We're safe here."

"Maybe from other amsirah, but we're never safe from the woods."

She looked around again before removing the bow and quiver from her back. She set them against a tree and patted the dagger at her side as she walked toward me.

"After we've trained together for a while, I should have you start working with Tucker's followers. They're all eager to learn more and ready to fight against those who have destroyed their lives. Tucker's good with a bow and arrow, but you're better," I stated as she stopped a few feet away from me.

"I know."

My lips quirked toward a smile before I quickly suppressed it. I didn't like being amused by this woman or her confidence.

"I'm better than you know. I held back with them when I was with you," she said. "I couldn't have you seeing how good I really am and start suspecting me as the Hooded Robber."

That reminder and the revelation of yet another deceit caused my eyelid to twitch. Every time I thought I might not hate her as much as I believed, she reminded me that I did.

"How kind of you," I remarked.

Shadows still marred eyes that didn't hold the same twinkle they once did, but she didn't look as defeated today. "We all do what's necessary to survive."

"Stealing wasn't necessary for your survival."

"No, but it was for some others. How many of those in Tucker's settlement do you think I helped? If they learned the truth about me, how many of them would be happy to see me and welcome me with open arms?"

"Their feelings for the Hooded Robber is why I plan to use you to my advantage."

"And between you, your father, and the king, you are the lesser of the evils?"

"I'm trying to help the amsirah too, and at least I won't rape you until you bear me a child."

"That doesn't make you a lesser evil."

We glared at each other.

"I suppose, in the end, what matters is you've finally seen the light about what is going on here," she said. "When we first met, you preferred to keep your head in the sand while allowing the sheriff and king to do as they pleased. You were even going to let the sheriff take Mouse's hand."

"The boy tried to steal from me; he knew the penalty for that, and I saved your hand that day."

"How gentlemanly of you."

Sparks flew from my fingertips as I drew energy from the ground before subduing it. "You're trying to bait me into a fight; it won't work."

"I'm not trying to bait you into anything. I'm pointing out the truth."

I released a harsh, brittle laugh. "That word, coming from your lips, is amusing, considering you don't know what it means."

Energy shot up from the earth; it encompassed her fingertips before rising to her wrists. "I lied and was wrong for it, but I became the Hooded Robber to help others. I kept the truth from you because I knew you wouldn't forgive me. I was also afraid you'd turn me in."

"And why did you keep the truth of my father from me?"

"To protect you and everyone else I love!"

"I don't need your protection from him. I've survived him for three hundred and fifty-two years. All those years were without you."

"If I had come to you with the truth and told you everything , what would you have done?"

"We'll never know because it didn't happen. You didn't trust me enough to do so."

"I trusted you! But I was… no, I am terrified of him. Look at everything he's done already; I know he can do so much more! I didn't want to hurt you."

"Then you'll be happy to hear you didn't."

She recoiled a little, and the lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I wouldn't let this woman know how deeply she'd cut me.

"I'm happy about that, then," she whispered.

Some energy faded from her wrists, but it continued sparking across her fingertips. I felt an answering pull inside me to connect with that power, but I quelled it.

"You know, Tucker didn't go to you either when he needed help, but you've forgiven him for it," she said.

"There's a big difference between you and Tucker."

"And what's that?"