Allied (Ruined #3)(39)

“Bit small for a warrior, aren’t you?”

Iria tried, and failed, to tug Julia’s hand from her shirt collar. “I’m tougher than I look,” she wheezed.

Julia barked a laugh and released her. Iria stumbled back and sucked in a breath.

“I’m in for life,” Iria said, straightening her shoulders and leveling her gaze at Julia. “You should be careful. I have nothing to lose.”

Julia’s fist smashed against her cheek suddenly. Iria hadn’t seen it coming, hadn’t even realized Julia was so fast. The force of the punch hit her so hard her back hit the cell bars. Stars danced in her vision.

“None of us have anything to lose,” Julia sneered.





EIGHTEEN


THE RUINED TRAVELED for two days, and Olivia barely spoke to Em during that time.

Em glanced at her sister as she laid a blanket on the grass. Around her, the other Ruined were preparing to sleep. Aren had just disappeared to check on Galo. Mariana stood at the edge of camp, surveying the jungle around them. She was on watch tonight.

Jacobo spread his blanket out not far from Em. Olivia had clearly told him to keep an eye on her. He was her constant shadow.

Ivanna walked to Em, extending a cup to her. “Tea?”

“Thank you.” Em took a sip.

“How are you?” Ivanna asked. “You look tired.”

“Everyone keeps saying that.” Truthfully, she hadn’t slept well in days. It was hard to sleep while traveling anyway, but she kept having nightmares about Olivia, lost in the woods and calling for help.

Ivanna squeezed her arm. She looked like she was about to say something, but Olivia strode toward them, hands on her hips. Ivanna slipped away.

“We should ditch the wagons,” Olivia said.

“We need the wagons,” Em said. “They have food for us and the horses, extra water, weapons, blankets, and all sorts of other things we might need.”

“They’re slowing us down,” she protested.

“It’s not about speed. We’re going to cut off the troops in a few days anyway. We gain nothing by getting there faster.” Em would have preferred to go slower, actually. Put off the inevitable for as long as possible.

Olivia wrinkled her nose, but she didn’t protest. She glanced around at the Ruined, who were eating and talking quietly.

“You did a good job, Liv,” Em said quietly, honestly.

Olivia regarded her suspiciously. “With what?”

“Getting the Ruined prepared. You’re even better at it than our mother was.”

Olivia snorted. “What do you want?”

“Nothing!”

“Please.”

“Seriously. I was just . . .” Em shrugged, staring at the ground. Feeling guilty. “I just thought you should know.”

“Thank you,” Olivia said shortly. She began walking away, but then abruptly turned back, her lips set in a hard line. “Tell me the truth.”

“About what?”

“You went to see Casimir, didn’t you? That time you said you were going for feed.”

Em considered for a moment. “Yes,” she said finally. “I went to see him. He gave me the feed, actually.”

Olivia’s nostrils flared. “Why’d you come back?”

“I always intended to come back. I just wanted to see him.” Em met her sister’s gaze. “You said I could have him. We agreed. You do what you want, but you don’t harm Cas.”

“We did agree to that.”

“Have you changed your mind?”

“No.”

“I’ll give him up if we can go back to Ruina,” Em said, even though the thought of never seeing Cas again was horrifying. She had to try one last time. “If we turn now, it won’t take us that long. We have plenty of supplies.”

Olivia studied her. “You’re suddenly so eager to go back to Ruina.”

“It seems like the only good option at this point.”

“Does it? What’s wrong with this option?” Olivia gestured around them. “Aren was the one who suggested all of this. You didn’t challenge him.”

Em had nothing to say to that.

“Tell me the truth,” Olivia said again.

Em looked at her sister. Worry seized her chest. Did Olivia know something?

“About what?” Em asked, her breath getting stuck in her throat. The words sounded strange. It was a terrible attempt at a lie.

Olivia just stared at her. She stared for so long that Em got uncomfortable and had to look anywhere but at her sister.

“I’m ditching the wagons,” Olivia finally said. “We should cut off the troops soon anyway. Maybe tomorrow. We can come back for them if we want.”

“Someone might take them,” Em said.

Olivia shrugged and turned away. “Then we’ll kill them, too.”

On the third day of travel, the Ruined scout, Ester, informed Olivia that they were close to the Olso army.

“How many?” Olivia asked quietly. She jumped off her horse and walked a few steps away from the rest of the Ruined so she could talk to Ester privately. Em watched them curiously from atop her horse.

“Hundreds, that I could see,” Ester said. “A thousand, maybe. I couldn’t get a good look, though. I wanted to get back here as soon as I could. They were letting the horses take a break when I spotted them, so we have a little while to get in position.”