Ruined (Ruined, #1)(64)

TWENTY-NINE


CAS FELL TO the ground, the arrow sticking out of his left shoulder. Em frantically scrambled across the dirt to him.

“You missed,” Iria said from behind her.

“Tell her to move out of the way, and I’ll make sure the next one’s in his heart,” Miguel said.

Em yanked the arrow out before Cas could protest. He pressed his lips together to muffle his scream. He looked like he wished he’d killed her.

“Move, Emelina,” Miguel said.

Her eyes met Cas’s. His father deserved to die. Lera deserved to be burned to the ground. But Cas didn’t deserve any of this.

“No,” she said, her voice sounding stronger than she felt. Boots stopped next to her, and Aren frowned down at her.

“If you’re going to kill him yourself, do you mind being quick about it?” Miguel asked. “I know your mother was fond of extended torture, but we don’t really have time—”

“No one is killing him,” she said. Some of Cas’s anger melted into confusion.

“Em . . .” Iria’s voice trailed off, and she glanced at Miguel.

“We have to,” Miguel said. “King Lucio ordered the royal family killed.”

“I do not take orders from King Lucio, and I say that he lives.” Em looked at Aren. “Will you help me move him to the river? That arrow was probably filthy. We should boil some water and clean the wound.”

“We should what?” Miguel let out a disbelieving laugh.

“No one needs to help me,” Cas spat, sitting up with his hand braced against his bloody shoulder. “I can walk.”

“Oh good,” Miguel said. “He can walk. Let’s catch him some fish and make him a lovely meal while we’re at it, why don’t we?”

Cas eyed his sword, just beyond his reach, and Aren quickly scooped it off the ground. He knelt down next to Em, lowering his voice so Cas wouldn’t overhear. “He tried to kill you, Em.”

“He wasn’t going to do it. He was lowering his sword.”

“It looked like he was going to kill you from where I stood.”

She glanced over her shoulder to see the four warriors in a huddle, talking among themselves. Miguel kept throwing his arms around in annoyance.

“Come on,” Em said, jumping to her feet and extending her hand to Cas. He glared at it. “You have to get that wound clean.”

He struggled to stand on his own, almost falling over in the process. He blinked, obviously light-headed from the loss of blood. “Why? Just kill me and get it over with.” He let out a strangled laugh.

“No one is killing you.” She gestured for him to walk in front of her, because she didn’t trust that he wouldn’t take off running. He didn’t stand a chance out in the jungle with that wound and no sword.

He walked past her and toward the river, casting a quick glance at the warriors. They all followed him with their eyes, and Em kept careful watch on Miguel’s bow and arrow. There were four warriors, and only she and Aren. Em didn’t think she could count Cas on their team, even if he weren’t injured. She had Aren, at least. He made their odds much better.

“Tell them you want to offer him as a trade,” Aren whispered to Em.

She looked at him quickly. “What?”

“Tell them you want him alive so you can trade him for Olivia. Fort Victorra will be well protected by Lera soldiers by the time we get there—tell them you have doubts that the warriors will be able take the area. He’s your backup plan.”

“That’s a good idea. They may actually go for that.”

“I think you should kill him, for the record,” he said. “But if you really can’t, I trust your decision.”

“Thank you,” she said as they approached the river. Cas stood near the water, a muscle in his jaw twitching. He looked at them suspiciously, obviously wondering what they were whispering about.

“How do you expect to boil water out here?” he asked.

Aren snorted. “How sad. Prince Casimir doesn’t even know how to build a fire. Life’s a bit tough without Mommy and Daddy’s maids, isn’t it?”

Cas flushed, his eyes sparking with fury, and Em cleared her throat.

“Aren, would you mind gathering some branches and kindling?” she asked. She pointed at Cas. “You. Sit down.”

He stood there for several seconds, like he wasn’t sure he wanted to obey her. But then he slumped to the ground, blowing a piece of hair out of his face. The warriors hadn’t moved; their heads were still bent together as they talked. She knelt down in front of Cas, careful to keep the warriors in her sight.

“What. Are. You. Doing?” He spit out every word, like it pained him to talk to her. “Why are you helping me?”

“It looks like you need it.” She knew what he meant, but she didn’t think she had the words to explain why she was helping him. Because I have feelings for you was too pathetic now, given the utter fury on his face. “Where are your guards?” she asked. “Why are you alone?”

“I imagine most of my guards are dead, thanks to you.”

“And almost everyone I ever cared about is dead, thanks to you,” Aren said as he dropped an armload of branches off.

“Aren,” she said softly, in a warning tone. He stomped away. She passed Cas her canteen. “You should have some water.”