Ruined (Ruined, #1)(87)

“I think most of them are already dead,” she said, fighting back tears.

His face crumpled, regret filling every feature. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I know.”

He squeezed her wrist, then let it go. “Please, Em. Get out of here.”

He turned away, jumping over a dead warrior as he ran toward the fortress. Iria stood not far away, watching as he went. She looked from him to Em, as if deciding whether she wanted to follow.

“Retreat!” Em yelled as loud as she could. “Warriors, Ruined, retreat!”

Iria echoed her, and the warriors began running. There were so few of them left that Em could count them as they ran down the hill—seven, twelve, eighteen. No more than thirty were left, as far as she could tell. They must have started with at least a hundred.

She spotted Olivia, Aren leaning heavily on her as they staggered down the hill. Em ran for them, sheathing her sword. She took Aren’s other arm, swinging it around her shoulders.

Olivia was splattered with blood—her clothes, her arms, her face. It was everywhere.

“Are you all right?” Em asked.

Olivia nodded, her eyes flashing. She turned to Aren. “Don’t worry. I’ll teach you how to stay strong when you use your powers.”

“Yeah?” he asked, his voice full of hope.

“Definitely.” She smiled at him, wiping at the blood on her cheek.

They dragged Aren down the hill and through the trees. The warriors had scattered, and the area around them was quiet, still. The silence was almost too much, after the noise of battle.

“Where are we going?” Olivia asked.

“To see if there are any Ruined left alive.”

Olivia gasped suddenly, and Em’s words died in her throat. An arrow stuck out of Olivia’s left arm, and she staggered back, Aren crumpling to the ground without her support.

Another arrow whizzed through the air, so close to Olivia’s face that it left a tiny scratch on her right cheek.

Em whirled around. She couldn’t see anything.

Olivia yanked the arrow out of her arm. A blue liquid seeped out of the wound. They’d tipped the arrows with Weakling.

A body slammed into hers suddenly, and she realized too late she’d forgotten to look up. Of course the soldiers were in the trees. She knew that trick well.

Arms grabbed her around the waist, the neck, the legs. She twisted in their grasp, desperately trying to see Olivia, but one of them put her in a chokehold, yanking her around so all she could see was forest.

And the queen.

Fabiana didn’t smile, but the satisfaction was written all over her face.

She jerked her head. “Back to the fortress. She dies in public for her crimes.” She pointed behind Em. “You can kill Olivia here. Bring me her head.”

Em kicked her legs, but the arms holding her held even tighter. Olivia was still screaming, and Em was too scared to turn around and look for Aren. Was he already dead?

“Please just let her go,” Em begged as the soldiers dragged her behind the queen. “You can have me, but please let Olivia go.”

“I already have both of you,” the queen said, casting a glance over her shoulder. “Your negotiation skills could use some work.”

“Please.” Em’s words sounded desperate, but she didn’t care. “If you let Olivia go, you won’t see any of us again.”

The queen didn’t bother responding to her at all, and tears and rage swelled in Em’s chest. It was hopeless. She’d failed to save Olivia. Failed to save the Ruined. She would die having accomplished nothing.

Footsteps pounded against the ground, and the queen drew her sword as Em looked around hopefully. Now would be an excellent time for the warriors to make an appearance.

Cas’s face appeared through the leaves, and the tiny ball of hope in her stomach grew bigger.

He was out of breath, and his eyes bounced from Em to his mother. His expression was wild, and Em could tell he’d come expecting to find this situation.

The queen lowered her sword with a sigh. “Cas, please go back to the fortress.”

“Release her,” he said, pointing at the soldiers holding Em. They didn’t move.

“I understand why you can’t do it yourself,” Fabiana said. “But someone has to.”

“No, we don’t.” Cas’s voice shook, but he stood tall. “There’s been enough killing on both sides.”

“The damage she’s done to our kingdom is immeasurable,” the queen said. “If you just let her go, you will lose control of your people. I promise you that. They will see you as weak.”

Cas shook his head. “I think you and I have different definitions of weak. I’m not going to be that kind of king. I won’t order her execution.”

“I know you won’t,” the queen said quietly.

Em caught the glint of hope from Cas, the way he barely lifted his eyebrows at his mother, as if asking whether she was going to back down.

For a moment, he looked utterly optimistic.

The queen swung around, so suddenly one of the soldiers jumped.

She sank her blade into Em’s stomach.

The world turned black, then red, and black again. Em’s knees hit the ground, but she didn’t remember falling. Someone yelled, “No!” It was either echoing through her ears or he was saying it over and over.