Ruined (Ruined, #1)(83)

“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” one of them murmured.

Galo’s fingers curled around his sword.

“You’re too emotional,” the queen said.

Cas fought down a swell of rage. “You—”

“Lera isn’t about the opinions of just one person,” the queen interrupted. “Even if that person might be the next king.”

Might be the next king. Might? He swiveled his head to Jovita. She didn’t meet his gaze.

“We’re engaged in war,” his mother said. “Now isn’t the time to drastically change policies. If you were thinking clearly, you would see that. You’ve barely slept in days—we can all tell—and I can certainly understand you still being traumatized by the death of your father.”

His mother gestured at a cell. “Only for a few hours, until we fend off an attack from the warriors. You’ll be safe down here.” She grabbed her necklace, pulling it over her head and then throwing it over his head. The metal was still warm from her skin as it slipped beneath his shirt. “It has the Weakling flower in it. It protects you from Ruined magic.”

He looked down at it in surprise, turning a questioning gaze to her.

“It’s one of the reasons we had Olivia. We needed to know their weaknesses, in case of a situation like this. You should have it, if you’re going to be down here with her.” She pointed to Galo, who still had his hand on his sword. “Put him in there with Cas.”

Cas twisted against the hands holding him. He couldn’t get free. “You need all the guards fighting!” His mother just shook her head in reply. He shot her a furious look as a guard took Galo’s sword.

The guards gave Cas a gentle push to the cell. He stubbornly refused to budge, so they had to drag him through the open metal door. The two men released him and stepped out of the cell, then pushed Galo inside. The guards banged the door shut behind them and twisted the key.

Cas crossed his arms over his chest, noticing that his mother was avoiding his gaze. He stared at each of the guards in turn, making a mental note of their faces. He didn’t want to forget the faces of traitors.

“Let’s go,” the queen said. “One of you stay at the post outside the door. No one in or out.”

“I’ll stay,” a guard offered. The queen nodded, gesturing at Jovita to follow her. They disappeared through the door, the guard who’d elected to stay shutting it behind him as he followed.

Cas looked from Galo to Olivia, in the cell across from them. Was Em going to think he’d betrayed her? Would she attack with the rest of the warriors now? Dread curled at the bottom of his stomach.

He let out a long sigh, pushing a hand through his hair. He turned to Galo. “I need to tell you what happened in the jungle.”





THIRTY-SEVEN


EM LAY FLAT on her stomach at the top of a hill, Aren stretched out beside her. She’d been watching the front of the fort for an hour, and there had been no sign of Cas or Olivia. The Lera soldiers had disappeared inside the fortress, and the front lawn was deserted.

“Em.”

She glanced over her shoulder to see Iria crouched behind her. “Everyone is almost in position. Are you and Aren helping?”

Em searched the front lawn again, like Olivia was suddenly going to appear if she wished for it hard enough. Why hadn’t Cas released her? Had she been moved? Was she dead?

Had he changed his mind?

She looked at Aren.

“I’m going to help,” he said quietly. He got to his feet. Em sighed, slowly standing and following him and Iria down the hill.

“We’re doing two waves,” Iria said as they walked. “We’ve got a Ruined in position to take down a section of the front wall, and then the warriors are going in. The Ruined will attack shortly after. We’ve got them scattered in safe positions. Once they’ve exhausted their magic, we’ll move back in.”

“I want to try and get into the building and grab Olivia,” Em said.

“Your best bet is to wait until after we’ve taken it,” Iria said.

“What if you don’t succeed?”

“We will.” They’d reached the bottom of the hill, and she pointed into the thick of the trees. “Aren, there are a couple of Ruined that way. If you go meet up with them, they’ll get you in position.”

Aren shook his head. “I’m staying with Em. We’re going for Olivia. I’ll take down as many Lera soldiers as I can, though.”

“Fine.” Iria took off, her footsteps quiet in the grass as she disappeared into the trees.

“Do you want to go in the front with everyone else?” Aren asked Em.

She shook her head. “All the attention will be there. Let’s be sneakier.” She headed into the trees, gesturing for him to follow her. Mariana stood with two warriors, and her eyes brightened when she saw Em and Aren coming.

“Did he release Olivia?”

“No,” Em said. “We’re going in after her. Is there anyone set up at the back of the building who could blow a hole in it?”

“Sure, we have Weldon back there, and he can do it,” Mariana said.

Em turned to Aren. “Can you hang back with Weldon and take out any Lera soldiers in the immediate area? I’ll go in by myself.”