SOMETHING HAD DIED in Cas’s mouth. And it had pounded on his head a few times before taking leave.
He swallowed, moaning as he shifted against something warm and solid. He was leaning against someone.
“Here,” a voice said. A cup appeared in front of him. “Drink.”
He frowned at the cup suspiciously.
“It’s just water.”
The voice sounded like Em’s. Was he dreaming again? Her voice kept floating in and out of his dreams. It was so vivid he’d swear she was next to him.
He took the cup with a shaky hand and tipped some water into his mouth. Someone took the cup away when he was finished. He turned, tilting his head up to see whose body he was snuggled up against.
Em.
He reeled back, blinking several times. He was definitely still dreaming. Or he’d died. Was this what waited for him after death? Waking up in Em’s arms?
She smiled. “Hi.”
“What are you …” His voice sounded strange.
“Galo and your friends were bringing you through Vallos to get you away from Jovita. Happened to run into me.”
“What are you doing in Vallos?” He was still half sure he was hallucinating.
“Retaliating. It’s a long story.”
A wave of dizziness crashed over him and he let his head sink into her chest.
“Am I dying?” he mumbled.
She ran her fingers through his hair. “Absolutely not. I gave you something to help neutralize the poison. It was a rough day, but you’re doing much better.”
“How long have I been here?”
“Since this morning. The sun just set.”
“Are Galo and Mateo all right? And Violet?”
“They’re fine.” She had one arm around his waist, and he found her hand, lacing their fingers together and pulling her arm in tighter.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he mumbled. “You’re here and I’m too sick to enjoy it. And I smell.”
Her chest shook with laughter. “You smell wonderful.”
“No I don’t.”
“No, you don’t.” Her lips brushed across his forehead. “But I don’t care. And I don’t smell so great myself. I’ve been traveling for days. So we’re even.”
“How considerate,” Cas said. His body wanted to whisk him back to sleep, but he forced his eyes open. He didn’t want to leave Em yet. “Jovita poisoned me.”
“I heard.” Her voice had turned to ice.
“My cousin tried to kill me. She convinced everyone I was insane and pretty much took the throne. Now that I’m gone she’s probably officially taken it.”
“She’ll pay for it.”
“What kind of king lets his cousin steal the throne right out from under him?”
“The kind who would never dream of doing that to his cousin.”
“The weak kind.”
“Her reign will be short,” Em said.
His eyelids fluttered shut again. He tried to open them and only half succeeded.
“Sleep,” Em said in his ear. “You need the rest. I’ll still be here when you wake up.”
He squeezed her hand tighter. He let his head sink into her chest and gave in to sleep.
Aren tapped his fingers on the table, his gaze fixed firmly on Galo. The guard caught him staring for the hundredth time and made an annoyed sound.
“Would you stop staring?”
“Can’t help it,” Aren said. “I don’t trust you.”
“The feeling’s mutual.”
“Em ordered that none of you were to be harmed. We’ll obey.”
Galo and Mateo didn’t seem convinced.
“So.” Aren leaned forward, propping his chin up on his hand. “Did Cas make you the captain of his guard?”
“Yes,” Galo said.
“Not doing such a great job there, friend. He’s been stabbed, captured, and poisoned recently. I think he might want to consider a change of staff.”
Galo’s jaw twitched. “Whose fault is that?”
Aren pointed a finger at himself, pretending to be baffled. “Me?”
“I knew there was something weird about you from the moment you stepped foot in the castle.”
“Yet you never figured it out,” Aren said smugly. Galo looked like he was considering the best way to murder him.
Across the room, Violet stirred on the couch. She rubbed a hand across her eyes and sat up, blinking at the dark windows. “Was I asleep a long time?”
“A couple of hours,” Galo said.
“Is Emelina still up there with him?”
“Yes,” Aren said.
“She’s been up there all day. Should I offer to take over again?”
“Don’t bother,” Aren said. “She’s not leaving his side.”
Violet stood and walked to them, sliding into the chair next to Galo. She was trying not to stare at the burns on Aren’s arms and failing. Aren knew the expression well. He placed his palms flat on the table so she could get a good look.
“She actually cares for him?” Violet asked, her tone full of surprise.
“She’s not up there saving his life because she hates him,” Aren said dryly.
“Yes, she cares about him,” Galo said. “And the feeling’s mutual.”
“He’s more forgiving than I would be,” Mateo muttered.
Aren glared at him. “And she’s more forgiving than I would be.”
“What does Cas have to be sorry for?” Mateo asked.
“Sitting back and letting his people murder us? His father killing her mother? Kidnapping her sister and experimenting on her for a year?”
“Cas did none of that himself,” Violet said.
“Staying silent in the face of horrible atrocities is just as bad as actually committing them,” Aren said.
“I don’t know if I agree with that,” Mateo said.
Aren opened his mouth to shoot out a reply, but Galo got there first. “Cas would agree with you,” he said to Aren.
“Really.”
“Yes.” He didn’t elaborate.
“Have you checked on him recently?” Violet asked after a brief silence. “Is he doing all right?”
“I went up not long ago. Em said he woke up for a few minutes and was actually lucid.”
“Good.” Violet pushed her chair back. “Can I sleep on that sofa tonight?” She looked at Aren.
“Do you mean will I rip off a few of your limbs while you sleep? Probably not. Give it a shot and see what happens.”
“Aren.” Violet said his name almost wearily. He hadn’t realized she’d learned it. “I’m exhausted and I’ve spent the last few days taking care of our sick king and sneaking him out of a heavily guarded fortress. Can I sleep on that couch or not?”
He recognized her exhaustion. The kind that came with being on the run and losing everything.
“You can sleep there,” he said quietly.
“Thanks.” She shuffled back to it and plopped down.
Aren motioned to the stairs. “You guys go up and take the second bedroom. I’ll be down here all night. No one’s getting to Cas with Em around.”
He’d thought the guards would put up a fight, but Galo stood and extended his hand to Mateo. “Feel free to wake me if Cas needs anything,” he said.
“I will.”
Their footsteps disappeared upstairs, followed by the quiet sound of a door closing. Aren sat back in his chair, running a hand down his face.
“She’s your queen now? Emelina?” Violet asked. She was stretched out on the couch, her face turned to him. She’d tucked her hands beneath her face.
“She’s one of them,” he said.
Aren watched as Violet curled her legs into her chest. He’d started a fire, but the room was still chilly.
He let out a long sigh as he got to his feet. He grabbed a blanket off a chair and tossed it over her. She stirred, pulling it up to her chin.
“Thank you.”
“Sure. I was … uh, I was being a jerk earlier. I wouldn’t actually hurt you.”
“I appreciate that.”
He turned to find Iria standing in front of the open door, an odd expression on her face. She tilted her head, looking from Violet to Aren.
“No warriors,” he said, striding to the door. “Sorry. Em was clear. No warriors in the house.”
“I came to see if you needed anything.”
“We’re fine.”
She lifted her chin to look into his eyes. She always did that. She stared into his eyes with such intensity it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up.
He wished she would stop. It was easy to ignore how pretty Iria was when she was across the room or surrounded by warriors. But when she stood in front of him and stared at him like that he lost control of his senses.
He rubbed the back of his neck and turned his attention to the floor. “Is there something else?” The question came out harsher than he’d intended.
She took a step back. “Sorry. No. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He shut the door behind her, turning at the sound of Violet’s laughter. “What?”
“You really are a jerk.” She rolled over so she was facing away from him. “Some girls like that, I guess.”