Page 116 of A Tempest of Revelation
“Ellery, I promised Ryker I’d get you out of here if things went wrong.” Ianto’s hand fell on my arm, halting my dagger. “We have to go.”
I yanked my arm away from him. “Not all promises can be kept, and if you try to make me leave, so help me, I’ll blast your ass off this roof.”
“Huh?”
I ignored him; he’d soon learn what I’d meant. Placing the blade against my shirt, I sliced it upward, cleaving it in two to expose the bindings beneath.
That wouldn’t be enough.
I willed myself to calm down and steady my hand before I placed the dagger to my bindings and started sawing them in half. Despite my intended care, I still cut myself multiple times, and blood soon rolled freely down my exposed skin as the screams below intensified.
“What are you doing?” Ianto demanded.
When I finished, I tore away the bindings and my shirt to completely expose my breasts to all those below.
“Holy shit,” Ianto turned his head away from me. “Ellery, what thefuckare you doing?”
Once I was exposed, and there was no way anyone could miss that I was awoman, I sheathed my dagger. They would know, without a doubt, I wasn’t Ryker.
Lifting my hand, I took a deep breath while I prepared myself for the revelation and hell I was about to unleash. Up until now, I’d tried to avoid killing anyone. Was it possible I had slaughtered someone? Yes, but I didn’t know for sure.
Not only would my lightning kill someone below, but all of Tempest would soon learn a female lightning bearer existed. While they didn’t know it wasme, I was about to become the most hunted amsirah in Tempest.
However, I didn’t have a choice as I was sure Ryker was about to release his power too. If he unleashed his lightning, there would be no covering who he was, andhe’dbecome hunted. He had to remain free.
It was probably only seconds before he started firing bolts at his attackers, as we were clearly losing this fight.Do it now!
I didn’t take the time to think through the consequences of what I was about to do. One of the secrets I’d kept hidden for years was about to be revealed, but I knew the consequences of myinaction, and they weren’t acceptable.
Lifting my hand to the sky, I drew on the electricity in the air. My power swelled and crackled against my fingertips as it sought to break free.
“Ellery—”
“Get down!” I commanded. “Unless you want them to see you.”
And if they saw the giant, there would be no denying who he was.
“What?”
“GETDOWN!”
Ianto crouched down but didn’t flatten himself to the roof. It would have to do.
I didn’t hear what else Ianto had to say as a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, hit my extended fingertips, went through me, and shot out toward the battle below.
I’d kept my ability hidden for so long, but that time was over, and a new time was beginning. What that new time would bring, I didn’t know, and while I liked to think it couldn’t be any worse than this… it could.
The oppressed amsirah were about to learn something unique existed in this realm, and I was fighting for them. The aristocrats would also learn the same, except they’d know I stood against them, and would do everything they could to make me pay for that.
Things in Tempest were about to change forever.
