Chapter 86

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX

Ellery

Ianto's gaze flicked past me to where Ryker sat. "I don't know anyone who would take three arrows for someone they hated."

"He'd take an arrow for almost anyone fighting on his side."

"That's true," Tucker agreed. "But the giant's right; you're the only one who can talk some sense into him. It will take him a couple of days to heal if he doesn't rest. He has to be in top shape for the Earl of Oakley's party. If he's still wounded, someone could notice."

Tucker's mouth twisted into a sneer as he spoke the earl's name. The man had bought his family property out from under him, and now Ryker and I would have to attend his little soiree because it was expected of us.

To win this war we planned to wage against the aristocracy, we would have to continue to play our roles in society. Eventually, that would end, but until then, we had to maintain all normal appearances.

I dreaded going to that man's party and doubted anything good could come of it, but my mother and I had our bags packed and dresses ready. Normally, she loved attending parties, but after her arrest, she was far less enthusiastic about this one.

I stuffed another purse full of carisle and handed it to Tucker. "He's more likely to listen to you."

"No, he's not."

"Go talk to him," Ianto urged.

I decided against telling him I wasn't in the mood for rejection; neither of them were listening to me.

"Hold on," Tucker said. "I know what to tell him; I'll take care of this."

He scrawled HR for Hooded Robber on the purse he held, tossed it onto the pile, and stalked over to Ryker. While they spoke, their voices rose and fell.

I barely caught their words, but Ianto and I watched in fascination. After a couple of minutes, Ryker reluctantly rose, glanced over his shoulder at me, and ducked so he could enter the nearest shelter.

I sent a pointed look at Ianto. "I told you Tucker would have better luck."

The corners of Ianto's brown eyes crinkled when he grinned at me. "I bet Tucker used you to get him in there."

I didn't get a chance to respond before Tucker returned, reclaimed his fountain pen, and went back to work. I so badly wanted to ask what he said to get Ryker to rest, but I focused on stuffing more purses instead. That was between them.

"What did you say to him?" Ianto asked Tucker.

Unfortunately, the giant didn't have my mindset on the issue.

"I told him that he wouldn't be much good to Ellery if he didn't rest and heal. While he remains weak, he's useless to us and especially her . I emphasized that last part."

"Smart."

When they both looked pointedly at me, I glared at them before focusing on Tucker. "Unlike him, you do know our history. You know what I did and why he can't forgive me. Why are you making things worse?"

Tucker shifted his attention back to writing on the pouches. "Maybe he can't forget, but he'll forgive."

"Can you forgive me? You hate me too. You didn't want to take me to him because you thought I was a monster."

"No… not a monster, and I don't hate you. Well… maybe I didn't like you much when everything first happened. But I now understand why you did what you did, the choices you've made, and why you've kept your secrets from him. I would have kept them too."

I didn't know how to respond.

"However," Tucker continued, "I am amazed you stole from Ryker in the first place, given his reputation as the Scourge of the Ghouls."

"I didn't know it was him in the carriage when I decided to rob it. If I had known, things would have been a lot different."

Tucker chuckled as he created a new pouch. During the past week, we'd spent a lot of time cutting up old feedbags, clothes, rags, towels, and anything else we could use to hold money. We'd also collected some twine, but most of the pouches were tied shut with vines from the forest.

"Oh, I believe you," Tucker said. "I bet you almost shit yourself when you realized what you'd done."

I wouldn't have put it quite as elegantly as him, but… "I did."

"I would have loved to see the look on your face when your mother volunteered you to help him search for the Hooded Robber. I'm sure you were less than thrilled."

"I got drunk because I didn't know what to say."

"That sounds appropriate."

"I've made a lot of mistakes."

"We all have."

"As bad as me?"

Ianto stopped stuffing pouches as he looked on in expectation of Tucker's answer.