Ruined (Ruined, #1)(30)

She didn’t know why she’d blurted out that story about Damian, but Cas’s expression brightened as she told it. She might be inclined to tell him all her stories, if he was going to look at her like that.

She took a tiny step away from him. It was easier to think when he wasn’t close enough to touch, and she needed to use this opportunity to get information about Lera’s defenses.

She pointed to a tall, round tower in the distance, at the edge of the coastline. “Is that your coastal defense?”

He nodded. “Those towers are scattered up and down the coast, though we have three just in this area.”

“Have you had any threats since the last war with Olso?” she asked.

“No. An Olso ship was spotted several years ago, but when they contacted the crew, they claimed it was off course. It turned around when the guard in the tower fired a warning. Once the warning is fired, troops immediately come down from the castle and surrounding areas. By the time the ship arrives, an army is ready for them.”

She pointed to the ships in the harbor. “Where are they coming from?”

“Vallos and Ruina.”

“Do you have a lot of ships from Ruina?” she asked.

“We have people there, working the coal mines. The criminals who aren’t suited to be hunters are sent there to work.”

“The hunters are criminals?” she asked.

“Yes. We didn’t have enough volunteers, so my father sent most of the prison population.”

“Were they given a choice?”

“No. And my father used the entire prison population, even petty thieves and people who would have served only a few months. He promises everyone a pardon, but with no end date for their service. Just offers them money for each Ruined kill and sends them out.”

She had no room inside of her to feel compassion for the hunters, but maybe she understood them for the first time. Maybe they were as trapped by their circumstances as she was.

“No wonder they want to kill you.” She glanced over her shoulder. They were alone except for Galo, standing a few paces away. “Come to think of it, I should have brought my sword. There are probably a few people nearby who want to kill you.”

“Oh, at least a few?” He looked like he was trying not to smile.

“I’m sure. They might try to kill me simply for standing next to you. Perhaps you could keep a larger distance between us?” She scooted away from him, a grin spreading across her face almost against her will.

He laughed. “I think I’d actually prefer to have you close by.”

He extended his hand to her, and her breath hitched in her throat as she realized she wanted to take it.

“Walk?” he asked.

She slipped her hand into his, and when he laced their fingers together, her entire traitor body flushed. She ducked her head, pretending not to notice the bursts of happiness exploding in her chest.





TWELVE


CAS WOKE TO someone shoving his shoulder, and he rolled over, squinting in the sudden light. His father stood next to his bed, holding a lantern in the pitch-black room.

“Get up,” the king said. “I want you to see this.” Light flickered off his face, and Cas could see his father’s mouth pulled into a thin, grim line.

Cas hurried out of bed and didn’t question his father.

He pulled on pants and his boots and followed the king out of the room. The castle was quiet as they headed quickly down the hallway to the stairs.

Several guards waited at the main door, including Galo. They formed a circle around the king and the prince as they strode out the door and into the cool night air.

Cas glanced at his father’s tense face. They hadn’t spoken since the meeting with the warriors last week, but he got the feeling the serious expression the king was wearing didn’t have much to do with Cas.

They walked so quickly they were practically jogging. They passed the front gate, where horses waited, and Cas jumped onto one. He followed his father to the east, away from Royal City, the horses at a trot.

They rode for only a few minutes before the glow of several torches lit up the night sky. The king slowed, then stopped and dismounted his horse. Cas and the guards did the same.

His father motioned for him to come closer, and Cas fell into step beside him as they headed in the direction of the torches. A large group of guards surrounded something Cas couldn’t see yet. Four men dressed in black-and-gray hunter uniforms stood with the guards.

“We’ve caught one of them,” the king said. “One of the Ruined trying sneak into Olso.”

Cas took in a sharp breath and turned his attention back to the circle of guards, hoping to catch a glimpse. He’d never seen a Ruined before.

“We’re bringing him to the castle for questioning, but not while he’s at full strength. It’s not safe. I want you to see what they’re capable of.”

“How will you weaken him?” Cas asked.

“A Ruined can only use so much power before it starts to wane. The more power you bring out, the weaker they get.”

Cas suddenly wished he’d brought his sword. It had been stupid to run out of his room without grabbing his sword first. His father had one at his hip.

The circle of guards parted as they approached, revealing a young man in the middle. He sat in the dirt, his hands tied behind his back. He was dressed in all black, with spots of dust on his pants and shirt. He had a small cut under one eye, but he was otherwise unharmed. His arms were covered in an intricate web of marks, and Cas squinted to see them better. He’d always assumed the Ruined marks were ugly. But this Ruined’s were a shade lighter than his olive skin, a series of thin lines that wrapped around his flesh like a complicated series of vines. They were more art than ugly.