Allied (Ruined #3)(5)

But now Galo had the highest job of any guard in the castle, and even his father couldn’t find something to complain about.

“I haven’t thought about it much,” Galo lied. “We’re still adjusting.”

“This is delicious,” Mateo said, chewing on a mango and clearly trying to save Galo from this conversation. He knew that the last thing Galo wanted to talk about right now was the job of guarding Cas. It was part of the reason Galo had come home.

“There’s plenty more if you want,” Galo’s mother said with a smile. It was true—the kitchen was well stocked with food, the house untouched by war. Galo’s parents weren’t wealthy, but they’d always had enough to eat and a comfortable home.

He hadn’t been sure it would still be standing. He’d left Royal City yesterday fearing the worst, actually—that his home was gone and his parents were dead. But the Olso warriors had never ventured very far north, instead focusing their resources on the two largest cities, Royal City and Gallego City. His hometown, Mareton, was the same as it had always been. The people there wouldn’t have even known there was a war going on if it weren’t for messengers bringing word from other parts of the country.

“I’ve heard the Ruined are still in Lera,” his father said. “The king isn’t really going to let them stay, is he?”

His mother leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper, like there was someone who was going to overhear and judge her. “I don’t wish them ill, but I really think they should go back to where they came from. They just don’t belong here, you know?”

Galo had been wrong—the last thing he actually wanted to talk about was the Ruined. His parents had never hated the Ruined, but they’d also never spoken particularly kindly about them, and Galo found himself feeling uneasy. The extermination of the Ruined had always made Galo uncomfortable, but now that he knew them, it was embarrassing to hear his parents speak about them in such careless ways.

“King Casimir has a close relationship with Em—with Emelina Flores,” he said. Cas had made it clear he had no intention of hiding his affection for Em. “And they don’t have a home to go back to.”

“Surely they can rebuild,” his mother said. She took a piece of fruit from a plate that had been hand-painted by Galo’s grandmother. It was easy to tell the Ruined to rebuild their entire lives when they’d lost nothing themselves.

His father seemed to read the expression on Galo’s face and quickly changed the subject. He asked a few more questions about the last few weeks—Cas’s poisoning, their trip to Vallos, the march back to Royal City—until Galo caught Mateo trying to hide a yawn, which Galo used as an excuse to retreat to his room.

He said good night and took Mateo’s hand to lead him to the back of the house, where his room was. It was small and bare, with only a bed and a wardrobe. He didn’t come home much.

Galo sat heavily on the bed with a sigh. Mateo kicked off his shoes and flopped down on his back next to him, running a hand through his dark curls.

“Your parents like me,” Mateo announced.

“Everyone likes you,” Galo said with a smile.

“Well, yes. But your father disapproves of everything you do, so I thought that might extend to me.” Today was the first time Mateo had met his father, but Galo had told him stories.

“Apparently he doesn’t disapprove anymore,” Galo muttered. “Is it weird that all the praise made me uncomfortable?”

“Yes.” Mateo gave him a hard look. They’d had this conversation before.

“I’m just saying that Cas got captured and stabbed and poisoned recently. Maybe I’m not actually that good at being a guard.”

“Would you stop it with that?”

“Remember when Aren said I wasn’t doing a good job? He kind of had a—”

“Who cares what Aren thinks?” Mateo interrupted. “That guy is the worst. And the entire guard is to blame for Cas being captured. You can’t keep taking responsibility for that. Plus, you weren’t even there when he was stabbed.”

“Because I let him get captured.”

Mateo made an annoyed noise. “And Jovita didn’t let you near Cas when she was poisoning him. There was no way for you to stop it.”

“Because I let him get locked up.” Galo scooted back to lie down next to Mateo.

Mateo rolled onto his side, draping an arm over Galo’s stomach and resting his head on his shoulder. “Not everything is your responsibility, Galo. You don’t have to save the whole world.”

“I have to save Cas, at least. It’s my job.”

Mateo snorted. “Please. You have to save everyone. It’s your most endearing and most annoying quality.”

Mateo might have had a point. It was even how they had gotten together—Galo had helped Mateo save his brother from being shipped off to join the hunters. Galo had barely known Mateo at the time, but Galo had taken the risk anyway. Of course, Mateo’s dimples had also played a role.

“Besides, you’ve saved Cas. He’s back in his castle, protected every minute of the day. You succeeded.”

Galo wasn’t so sure. Cas was alive thanks to Em, not him. Thanks to Aren, of all people, who helped them get out of the fortress and away from Jovita without a fight. Everyone on the guard knew it, and Galo had noticed the way some of them stopped talking when he entered a room. He knew many of them thought he wasn’t qualified to be captain of the guard, that Cas had just picked him because they were friends.