Page 35 of Whispers of Ruin
His lips twitched again. “Maybe more than one someone.”
It was possible, but she doubted it. “I know that’s the rarest ability for any of you to possess. Your king isn’t a lightning bearer.”
Some of his amusement faded. “You know a lot about us.”
“I’m one of the oldest living immortals; I’ve learned alotabout many things over the years and at least a little about even more.”
“I see.”
“You’rethe lightning bearer.”
“I am many things.”
But as he said this, his eyes started clouding like a storm passing across the sky. The color seeped into their whites as they turned so dark they were nearly black when lightning bolts shot down the center of them.
No other lightning filled the room, but it became so electrified her hair stood on end. When she glanced at the others, she saw the same thing happening to them. Brokk remained stone-faced, but his eyes narrowed on Ryker.
Except, it didn’t happen to Ryker. He remained the same except for another set of lightning bolts zigzagging through his eyes.
It was a wonderous, frightening spectacle that enchanted and unnerved her. With one flick of his hand, he could unleash a torrent of power and death. They were far better off with this man as an ally than an enemy.
As the storm left Ryker’s eyes, the electricity in the air dissipated until it returned to normal. When he sat back in the chair again, his eyes held hers, but there was nothing smug in his gaze.
“Impressive,” she murmured. “How many elements can you control?”
“Four.”
“And they are…?”
A smile curved his lips. “Do you really expect me to answer that?”
Before she could reply, Allegra returned to the hut. The curtain swished as it settled into place behind her. The young witch strode over to the table and set something down between Kaylia and Ryker.
Kaylia finally tore her attention away from the powerful man sitting across from her. When she did, her eyes settled on the small piece of crudue vine between them. She gasped and lurched toward the vine, but Ryker pulled it away before she could grasp it.
“This is ours,” he stated. “It’s necessary to counteract the ophidians’ venom.”
Kaylia was too busy staring at the vine to process his words.There it is! Right there! The key to saving Lexi!
Her fingers flexed as she resisted the urge to tear it away from him, but as she contemplated doing so, she knew it wouldn’t be enough. They required more than that small piece of vine to save Lexi.
This man held the key to getting it for them. She was certain of it.
“What are ophidians?” Brokk inquired.
Kaylia finally tore her attention away from the vine as she focused again on the conversation around her. She had to fight to keep herself from looking at the vine again.
“The ophidians are those snakelike immortals you just encountered,” Ryker answered. “They’re hunting us, and their venom is toxic and kills in less than an hour. The crudue vine is the only thing that counteracts it.”
“Why are they hunting you?”
“Because their emperor has imprisoned our king, and I’mgoingto get him back.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
Brokk was becoming moreintrigued by Ryker’s revelations and less irate with every passing minute, but he still wanted to pummel the man sitting across from Kaylia. He’d like to finish what they’d started in the jungle, but that wouldn’t happen.
He glanced at the guards surrounding them; if they hadn’t intervened in their fight, he would have gotten him and Kaylia away from these immortals.But maybe that was for the best,he thought as he eyed the vine in Ryker’s hand.
