Allied (Ruined #3)(45)

Em’s heart dropped into her feet. Her sister wasn’t being dramatic or just speaking in anger. She was dead serious.

Em thought briefly of their mother, of her big plans for Em to rule by Olivia’s side. She wondered suddenly if their mother would be horrified by both of them, or if she would have taken Olivia’s side. The uncertainty was too much, and Em had to push the thought away.

“Em, let’s go,” Aren said, his voice strained. He knew Olivia was serious.

Em tried to tug her shirt from her sister’s grasp. Olivia held tighter.

“Why do you look so surprised?” Olivia asked. “You led me here hoping I would die, didn’t you? You and I are exactly the same. I just have the guts to kill you myself.”

Em finally wrenched her shirt from Olivia and took several steps backward. Em was breathing heavily, even though she hadn’t done anything strenuous. Tears pricked her eyes.

Olivia was pale, her shoulders sagging. The use of her magic on Ivanna had truly exhausted her. She glanced back at the other Ruined. They looked even worse.

She turned back to Em. Disappointment crossed her face, and Em realized with horror that she was upset she didn’t have the strength to kill Em now.

Em quickly turned. Aren took her hand and squeezed it.

“You can run now, sister,” Olivia said from behind her. “But I’m coming for you. I promise.”





TWENTY-ONE


GALO FOLLOWED AREN and the other Ruined away from Olivia. They were all silent as they hurried through the jungle, to the spot where the Ruined had left the horses and wagons.

“Are we still going to Royal City?” a young woman whispered to Aren. She glanced at Em, who was pale and shaky as she untied a horse from a tree. “Because this plan . . .” Failed. She didn’t have to say the word.

“We don’t have a choice,” Em said without looking at them. “We can’t stay with Olivia. And we can’t stay out here, with the Olso and Vallos armies so close by.”

“It’s the safest option,” Aren said. “We need to get far away before they regain their strength.” He looked over his shoulder, his face troubled. Galo knew he had to be thinking about his plan to go to Olso.

“It’s fine, Aren,” Em said. “You should go.” She turned to face a worried girl hovering around her. “Mariana, can you make sure the wagons are ready to go?” Mariana nodded and hurried away.

“I can’t go, Em,” Aren said as she mounted her horse. “Olivia is livid. She’s going to come after all of you.”

“She’s going to come after me,” Em corrected. “And I don’t need you to protect me from Olivia. We’re so close to the Olso border. It would be ridiculous not to go now.”

Aren rubbed the back of his neck, his face pained. He clearly wanted to go. “It’s too dangerous to go by myself,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll wait until things settle down.”

“When was the last time things settled down for us, Aren?” Em asked. “That may never happen.”

“I’ll go with you,” Galo blurted out. Em and Aren both looked at him in surprise. He shared the emotion. The idea had been in the back of his mind for days, but he wasn’t sure he was crazy enough to actually make the offer.

Mateo was going to be really, really mad.

He pushed the thought away and looked at Aren. “You need help, don’t you?”

“Sorry?”

“Going to Olso. You just said it was too dangerous to go by yourself, and none of the Ruined can go right now. Wouldn’t a human be more help to you anyway? You said we fuel your power.”

“Y—yes?” Aren stuttered, unable to believe what Galo was clearly getting at.

“I’ll go with you.”

“Why?” Aren asked, with growing incredulity.

“You need help. I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“I want to help.” He turned to Em before Aren could protest. “If that’s all right with you. Can you make it to Royal City by yourselves?”

“We can manage.”

“Tell Cas I went with Aren? And tell Mateo . . .” Galo winced. “Um. Tell him I’m sorry. But I had to.”

“Sure. I can do that.” She traded a look with Aren, raising her eyebrows just slightly, and Aren nodded. If Galo were going to guess, that was a You better not let him die look. Nerves exploded in his stomach. Mateo was right. He really did feel the need to save everyone.

Em reached down and squeezed Aren’s hand briefly. “Be careful in Olso. I hope you find Iria.”

“I will.”

Em took off, the Ruined following behind her. Aren strapped his bag to a horse, and Galo mounted another. He’d lost his bag when Olivia attacked, and he certainly didn’t have time to look for it now.

“That cut looks bad,” Aren said, pointing to his face. “Do you want to bandage it before we go?”

He gingerly touched the gash above his eyebrow. His fingers came away bloody. “It’s fine. I’d rather put some distance between us and Olivia first.”

Aren nodded. He looked down at his shirt, which was covered in blood. “Good idea.”

They rode west, in the direction of Olso, until it was pitch-black. Galo’s head was pounding and he wondered if perhaps he’d hit it so hard that he’d lost his mind.