Chapter 45

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Ryker

I wasn't in love with him .

The words were on my tongue, but I kept them to myself. I didn't trust her with them and would never give her more ammunition to use against me. "I wasn't fucking Tucker."

"Oh, so you expect all the women you fuck to come to you whenever they have a problem. That's good to know. I must not have gotten the notice, but I'm sure all the others have. Given everything happening in Tempest, I'm surprised there isn't a line of women from your castle to here. That girl from the bordello the other day and the one from when I robbed your carriage might be somewhere amongst it."

I suppressed a smile as her eyes darkened toward black. Despite resolving to remain as distant from this woman as possible, her jealousy amused me.

I'd forgotten how blunt Ellery could be; it was one of the reasons why I'd believed she was always so truthful with me. She never held anything back, even if it could get her killed.

But she'd held a lot back.

"Oh, honey, that line would be much longer," I drawled.

"You're an asshole."

"That's true, and I've never denied it. However, you're a liar, and while neither of us likes it, we will work together to do some good for this realm. So, let's see what you have."

She didn't need me to tell her twice as she lifted a hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning that cracked like a whip off her fingertips. I had to move my head to the side to avoid it skimming my cheek as it slashed across the clearing and smashed into a tree behind me.

Turning my head, I spotted the hole it had created. It went straight through the trunk to reveal the trees on the other side.

Smoke streamed from the tree as I leaned over to peer through the hole. The lightning had gone straight through another tree before ending on the third.

I turned back to her. "Impressive, especially if, as you've claimed, you really don't use your powers often."

"I didn't tell you about me being the Hooded Robber and kept my abilities from you, but I've admitted everything else. I'm willing to deal with your shitty attitude and hatred of me, but don't call me a liar again.

"You know everything . There are no more secrets between us, and there won't be again. If you keep accusing me of lying about things, I don't care how much good we can do together; I'll leave here and never return. Do you understand?"

My lips compressed into a flat line. I'd also forgotten how little Ellery cared about boundaries when it came to me.

No one else would dare talk to me in such a way… except maybe Tucker. And he'd earned the right to disregard my birth status through suffering and blood; Ellery hadn't.

This would never change with her, and it wasn't a battle I was willing to pick. "Let's see what else you can do."

"With my lightning?"

"With everything."

I watched as she brought all five weather elements to life in a way I'd never seen anyone do before. I couldn't contain my amazement over her ability to wield the five weathers, but I also realized she wasn't as strong as she should be.

With practice and time, she'd become a force to be reckoned with.