Page 43 of A Tempest of Shadows

But it was too late; the words were already out of my mouth, and truth be told, I couldn’t think of anything else I could have said. They’d backed me into a corner.

A flat-out no would have upset my mother and might have aroused Ryker’s suspicions. Maybe if I hadn’t been put on the spot and drank two… no, make that three glasses of alcohol in less than ten minutes, I could have come up with something better.

Neither of those things had happened, so I was trapped and apparently on the hunt for me with a man who would gladly kill me if he ever discovered that interesting tidbit.

“Wonderful,” Ryker stated. “My father and I are staying here for three more days.” He didn’t look at all pleased about this. “I’ll come to your manor after, and we’ll start our search.”

I didn’t say anything. I didn’t trust myself to open my mouth again. If I did, I’d probably shove my big, fat foot into it once more.

“That sounds like a good plan,” my mother said.

“Yeah,” I muttered.

“Good day, ladies. Safe travels home.”

I stared miserably at the floor as Ryker walked away.

“Can we please leave now, Mother?” I asked.

She rested her hand on my arm. “King Ivan hasn’t arrived yet; we can’t leave without saying our goodbyes and thanks for inviting us.”

I closed my eyes against the disappointment filling me and finished my drink. I lifted another glass of the orange liquid from a passing server.

Maybe being drunk would somehow make this all better. I doubted it, but being sober certainly wasn’t going to do it, so I might as well start seeing double.

I leaned against a glass pane while waiting for the esteemed King of Tempest, the man destroying it, to arrive.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Ellery

My head felt foggy from all the drinks I’d consumed, and the rocking carriage didn’t help as we traveled back toward the freedom of our home. I’d expected to be a lot happier about finally being free than I was, but a guillotine in the form of Ryker Locke now hung over my head.

“Are you okay?” my mother asked.

I was a little afraid I might throw up the sweet concoctions if I spoke, but I couldn’t sit here and ignore her. “I don’t want to help Ryker hunt for the Hooded Robber.”

My mother blinked at me. “Why not?”

I gulped down the sweet juice burning my throat before replying. “The Robber is helping to feed the amsirah in The Hollows and other towns.”

My mother’s eyes hardened in a way they rarely did. “Doing good by doing bad doesn’t mean his actions are right. Stealing from others is wrong no matter what, Ellery.”

“The king does it with his ridiculous taxes.”

When she gasped, I regretted my choice of words and the fifth drink I’d consumed.

“I know things in Tempest are far more difficult than they used to be, but your words border on treason, and I will not have it. King Ivan is our ruler, and we must respect that.”

I didn’t think being born into something made anyone qualified to rule, and King Ivan had already proven this, but I held back my words. I hadn’t consumed enough alcohol to justify a fight with her and didn’t want one.

We were completely different, but we’d always loved and respected each other. I’d lose a lot of her respect if she learned the truth.

It wouldn’t matter to her that the amsirah I robbed had plenty of money to spare. Maybe I was wrong to take it from them, but weren’t they wrong for not doing any good with it?

Or are you trying to justify bad choices and thievery?

I rubbed my temples as I closed my eyes. A dull throb started to form in my head as I admitted the truth to myself… I was trying to rationalize actions I never should have taken, but it was too late.