Ruined (Ruined, #1)(34)

Iria tugged on a piece of hair, twisting it around her finger. “It’s Damian.”

Em’s heart stopped beating. All the sounds of the garden faded away and were replaced by a loud buzzing noise in her ears, like a million bugs had descended around her head at once.

Damian would never talk. Even though he knew the biggest secret, Em’s secret, he wouldn’t give the king one shred of information.

But he would die.

“How do you know that?” Aren asked.

“Cas went down there. Got his name out of him. Koldo heard it from one of the guards.”

“What?” Em practically yelled.

Iria’s usual smug expression fell into a mask of annoyance. “Would you keep your voice down? Do you want them to throw you in that cell with him?”

Yes. She did. That was where she belonged, not married to the prince who had put Damian in that cell.

“How did Cas get it out of him?’” Em asked, lowering her voice. “Did they hurt him?”

“Yes. The king and Cas tortured him last night to weaken him, from what I understand.”

Anger boiled in her veins. When it came down to it, Cas was exactly like his father. She knew this, yet still felt the briefest flicker of disappointment.

“We’ve been protecting the Ruined, but—” Iria said.

“Then why is Damian about to be executed?” Aren asked.

“We are helping hundreds of Ruined in Olso. The fact that only one has been captured is actually pretty impressive.”

Em balled her fingers into fists, seriously considering punching Iria in the face.

“I’m very sorry that the one who was caught was your friend,” Iria added, putting her hands up like she knew what Em was thinking. “But you need to pull yourself together. You look devastated. Mary would not be devastated about a Ruined being captured.”

“He’s not just our friend, he’s the current leader of the Ruined,” Aren said. “What are the Ruined going to do without him?”

“They’re going to keep crossing into Olso, like they were ordered,” Iria said. “Just because he isn’t there doesn’t mean everything will fall apart. They know what to do. Right now, it’s more important for you both to stay calm and not give yourselves away.”

Aren gave Em a pained expression, like it physically hurt him to agree with Iria. She was right, of course. Mary wouldn’t care at all about a Ruined being captured. In fact, she’d probably go down there and kill him herself.

“The Ruined killed Mary’s parents. She’d be at least a little upset to have one in the castle,” Em said. “Maybe I can use that as an excuse to talk to Damian. Say I want to find out if he was the one who killed them?”

“Or I can try to get down there.” Aren frowned in thought. “Maybe I can find a way to break him out.”

“Maybe,” Iria said. “I wouldn’t do it at the expense of our plan, though.”

It’s unfortunate, but there are bigger things at stake here. The words Aren had said only a few minutes ago ran through her head, and she could tell he was thinking of them as well. It had been different when they didn’t know who it was. When it wasn’t their best friend.

“We’ll think of something,” she said firmly. “We’re not going to let him die.”

Cas was nowhere to be found that morning and through the afternoon. No one Em asked had seen him, and it appeared Galo was missing as well. They must have snuck out again.

She spent the afternoon circling the castle, hoping to run into Jovita or the king and queen, but they were behind closed doors all day. She wasn’t sure she wanted to ask them for permission to see Damian anyway. She had a better chance with Cas.

The staff let her wait in his office after they found her pacing in front of his door for the fifth time. She settled into the chair in the far corner and stared up at the rows of books.

He finally walked through the door as the sun was setting in the window behind her. He was shoeless and carrying a book, a surprised expression crossing his face when he spotted her.

She jumped to her feet, glancing down at his knuckles. Of course they weren’t bruised. Whatever they’d done to Damian, they’d had the guards do it for them.

She barely held back from curling her lip in disgust.

“I hope you don’t that mind I waited for you,” she said.

“Not at all. I was upstairs reading. I wanted some time to think.” He dropped the book on the table, sliding his hands into his pockets.

“Oh. I looked everywhere for you.”

“It’s a hidden room upstairs. I’ll show it to you sometime.” He smiled. “Did you need something?”

“I heard about the Ruined you captured. You’ve seen him?”

He nodded slowly, an emotion she couldn’t identify flickering across his face.

“What—what happened? Why is he here?”

“My father wants information.”

She twisted her fingers together, her stomach churning. What kind of torture were they inflicting on Damian?

“Don’t worry, you’re safe,” Cas said. “We’ve been draining him of his power.”

“Are you going to see him?” she asked. Perhaps she could casually tag along.