Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Ryker
I paced the woods while I waited for Ellery and Tucker to return. They’d only get another minute before I went after them.
I should have gone after them already, but I was concerned my arrival in Nottingshire might cause them more problems than it would solve. They could leave at any time; something is keeping them from doing so.
And I would find out what that was very soon. Spinning on my heel, I stomped back across the small space between the trees as the others stood in the shadows, watching me.
If something happened to her, I’d never forgive myself. Fletcher, Luna, and Callan eyed me as I turned and stalked back the other way.
I had to go; I could get them killed if I went, but I couldn’t stay here and do nothing while Ellery was in jeopardy.
“I’m sure they’ll be back soon,” Scarlet said.
The woman and her son stood close by Scarlet. She held her child tightly and looked about to flee into the Revenant Woods; the boy stared at me with wide eyes but didn’t appear anywhere near as scared as his mother.
“She wasn’t going to leave The Hollows without giving them something,” Scarlet continued. “She’s smart and can take care of herself.”
“She’s also reckless,” I snarled.
“Not as much as she used to be,” Scarlet said, but her tone made it clear she was trying really hard to believe that.
I couldn’t wait anymore. Lifting my hands, I started to create a portal to Nottingshire when another opened five feet away to my right.
I lowered my hands and turned to face whatever came through the portal. If it wasn’t Ellery and Tucker, I’d tear whoever emerged to pieces.
I didn’t stop to think that few others knew where we were. I was in the mood to kill something.
When Ellery emerged from the portal, her eyes landed on me, and a radiant smile lit her beautiful face. Her cyan-colored eyes twinkled in the fading daylight, and for a moment, I was struck breathless by the love filling them.
Tucker followed her through the portal before it closed. I glowered at him as I strode toward Ellery and wrapped my arms around her.
When I lifted her off the ground, she placed her hands on my chest, and I basked in the feel of holding her again.
As the summer months had given way to late fall, some of her sun-kissed, golden color had faded, but the freckles on the bridge of her pert nose remained.
She was so beautiful that it made my heart ache.
“Don’t rip his head off,” she said.
“What?” I asked, confused by her statement.
“Tucker’s afraid you’ll tear off his head, but I told him you’re a big teddy bear.”
While I wouldn’t kill Tucker, I didn’t like being referred to as a teddy bear. I’d never owned one of those stuffed objects—my father believed toys were beneath any child of his—but I’d seen more than a few children dragging them around.
“Teddy bear?” I growled.
“Yes, a teddy bear,” Ellery said. “You may be a little rough on the outside, but you’re soft on the inside.”
I scowled at her, and Callan had the nerve to chuckle. I shot him a look, but the minstrel didn’t hide his amusement.
“I’m the reason we took so long,” Ellery said as she played with the hair at my nape. “We couldn’t leave the money in the road with guards already searching the town.”
“We could have gone another time to deliver it,” I told her.
“No, we couldn’t. There’s going to be a heavy guard presence in all the towns soon.”
“True, but you still shouldn’t have stayed.”
“It worked out, and we could have left at any time.”
“Ellery—”
“I didn’t do anything reckless, Ryker.” When Tucker scoffed, Ellery shot him a look. “And we’re fine, so you can leave Tucker’s head intact… today.”
Tucker glowered at her, and Ellery smiled in return.
“Better you than me,” Tucker muttered as he walked past us.
Ellery frowned at him before shifting her attention back to me. “We did it.”
“We did.”
“It’s time to celebrate.”
She wiggled against me while smiling mischievously. She was trying to distract me.
“I’m not going to forget that easily,” I told her. “You shouldn’t have stayed in that town.”
Ellery sighed. “We had to make sure they got the money.”
“You had to make sure you stayed safe.”
“And I did.”
“You have to protect yourself first.”
She kissed the tip of my nose as she twirled my hair around her finger. “We’re fine, Ryker. Stop worrying so much.”
“It’s impossible not to worry about you.”
Her smile faded as her fingers stilled on my neck. “I won’t do anything that would put you in danger, and getting caught would do exactly that. I’m not as reckless as I used to be. Trust me.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. She was a lot less reckless, but… “I can’t lose you.”
“I know.” She rested her forehead against mine. “I can’t lose you either.”
When her lips found mine, I hugged her closer as I let her kiss erase the last of my tension. She pulled away, and my eyes found hers again.
“It’s time to go home,” she said.
I couldn’t argue with that. I was ready for some food, a chance to relax, and to spend some time alone with her.
“Then let’s go.” I set her down but kept my arm around her waist as I turned to Tucker. “Next time, make her leave.”
“Oh yeah, because that’s easy to do,” he retorted. “Not to mention, she could fry my ass.”
“She’d never do that.”
“No, I wouldn’t,” Ellery agreed. “But I would give him a little zap if necessary.”
Tucker gave me a pointed look as he waved a hand at her. “See what I deal with.”
“She’d never do that either,” I assured him.
“And you’d never rip off his head,” she said.
“I might, if something happened to you.”
“I told you so,” Tucker said.
“The portal’s open,” Fletcher called out. “How about you argue while you walk. I miss my wife and son.”
“Me too,” Scarlet said as she looped her arm through her father’s. “Let’s go home.”