Allied (Ruined #3)(65)

“Iria!” Aren’s voice ripped through the yells.

Her body almost collapsed with relief. “Aren!” she yelled, sticking her arm through the bars.

He shouted her name again, excitedly, and she waved, hoping he could see it.

A hand roughly yanked her back. Julia pulled her into the cell, twisting her around and shoving her against the wall. Iria curled her fingers into fists.

“Aren!” Iria yelled.

Julia went to put a hand over Iria’s mouth, but Iria batted it away. She threw a punch, hard, and Julia stumbled backward.

Julia regained her balance quickly and slammed her body into Iria’s, shoving her forearm into her neck. She gagged.

The arm disappeared from her neck as a loud crack echoed through the room. Julia screamed, stumbling backward as she cradled her arm to her chest.

Iria looked up. Aren stood in front of her cell. He appeared even better than she remembered—strong and confident and looking at her like he’d never been so happy to see someone in his entire life.

But worry crossed his features for just a moment as he took in her appearance. He opened his mouth.

“I’ve got it!” a voice yelled before Aren could speak. A familiar Lera guard ran to Aren, holding up a key. “I think this is it.”

Iria gaped at Galo. What was a Lera guard doing in Olso?

Galo stuck the key in the lock. The door swung open.

Iria stared at Aren and completely forgot her disappointment and anger. She limped across the cell as fast as she could and threw her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist so tightly he lifted her off the ground.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I should have come sooner.”

She shook her head, afraid that if she tried to talk she’d burst into tears. She didn’t want to tell him she wasn’t sure he was going to come at all.

“Aren, to your left,” Galo said.

Aren quickly released her and turned. A line of ten guards ran up the stairs.

Aren settled his gaze on them, and they all tumbled back down at once and landed in a heap at the bottom.

Aren took her hand, glancing down at her bandaged foot.

“I . . . I can’t run very fast.” Her voice shook, and she wished it hadn’t.

“That’s fine. I can carry you on my back when we get outside.” He gripped her hand a little harder, and she could tell he wanted to say something, maybe ask how she was. She looked away.

Aren reached around her and closed the cell door, locking Julia inside. Her roommate glared at them, still cradling her arm to her chest.

Aren pulled on Iria’s hand gently as he started running, glancing at her as though to ask if the pace was comfortable. Pain shot through her foot, but it was bearable. Especially if it meant getting out of here.

She let go of Aren’s hand to grasp the railing and limp down the stairs. The bodies of guards were scattered across the floor, some of them dead, but most of them with broken arms or legs. A few ran in the other direction when they spotted Aren coming back.

“Can we go out that door?” Galo asked, pointing to the right. Cells stretched out in either direction, and there was a door at both ends of the room. The left door led straight to the front of the prison, right into the laundry and a mess of hallways she hadn’t had a chance to figure out yet.

Aren shook his head. “Let’s go out the front. Less chance they can trap us.”

They took off again, Aren launching guards against cell doors as they went. The prisoners were screaming and shaking the bars of their cells, and Iria felt a blast of panic shoot up her spine. If Aren failed, she’d be dead by tomorrow. Maybe in the next few minutes. The guards could certainly use an escape attempt as an excuse to kill her.

They reached the door that led to the front lobby, and it was locked when Aren tried it the first time. She had to bat down another swell of panic. But he pulled out a chain of keys and easily slid the right one in.

They ran into the big circular lobby and Aren headed straight for the front door. Through the windows, she could see guards lined up, waiting for them.

Aren fixed his gaze on them through the window, tossing them so far Iria wasn’t even sure where the bodies landed. When he opened the door, there was nothing but bare grass in front of them, all the way to the fence.

Aren crouched down in front of her. “Get on my back.”

She circled her arms around his neck and he reached back and grabbed her thighs as he stood. He broke into a jog and headed for the fence.

He let her down when they reached it, and Galo gave him a boost over. Aren used his Ruined magic to pull her and Galo over, and offered his back to her again when she was on the ground. She climbed on.

He ran slowly with her on his back, but his breathing was steady. She buried her face in his neck and refused to look back at the prison.

“Do you want me to take her for a while?” Galo asked as they turned a corner onto a tree-lined road.

Aren shook his head. “I’m fine.” They jogged in silence for several minutes, Galo often running backward as he checked to see if they were being followed. In the distance, Iria heard shouts, but no one appeared as they turned another corner.

Aren slowed to a walk after a few more minutes, turning to peer behind him.

“I haven’t seen anyone,” Galo said.

Aren nodded, leaning down to let Iria slide off. They stood in front of a small, unfamiliar house. The front door opened a crack, then a little more. A familiar face stuck her head out. Bethania.