EM OPENED HER eyes to find Cas smiling at her.
She drew in a quick breath, bracing her hand against the mattress as she sat up. Sunlight streamed in through the window, and voices drifted in from downstairs.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Terrible.” He smiled as he said it. “But better.”
She pressed her hand to his forehead. No fever. It had broken late last night, and he had fallen into a deep sleep. She’d dozed off with her palm against his chest, to make sure it didn’t stop moving.
Cas caught her hand as she pulled it away and brushed his lips across it. He tucked it close to his body. “Where am I?”
“Vallos. Half a day’s ride south of the fortress. A small town called Sacred Rock.”
“Why are you in Vallos? What happened to going back to Ruina?”
She tucked her legs beneath her and told him what Jovita had done. How they’d begun building a new life in Ruina when she attacked. She told him about August, and the warriors outside.
She left out the part about August wanting to marry her.
“I’m sorry, Em,” he said softly when she was finished. “I tried to stop her. I tried to convince people that the Ruined would leave us alone if we stopped killing them.”
“I know. And we were. I’d ordered everyone to stay in Ruina.”
He cocked his head. “You ordered?”
“Oh. Yes. I’m, um, the queen, actually. One of them. Olivia suggested forming a diarchy.”
Cas’s lips slowly turned up. “Very impressive, Your Majesty.”
She nudged his leg with her foot. “Stop it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He laughed when she wrinkled her nose at him. “You can call me ‘Former Majesty.’ Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
Em’s smile faded. “You’re still the king, Cas. You just need to show Jovita you can’t be beaten.”
“What do you think the warriors outside would have to say about that?”
She had no reply, because he was absolutely right. The warriors had no interest in returning Lera to Cas. Just persuading the warriors not to kill him had taken some doing.
“I think I’d like a bath,” Cas said. “Is that possible?”
“Sure.” She slid off the bed. “I doubt you’re strong enough to do it yourself, though.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Was that an offer to help?”
Her face warmed. “That was an offer to get Galo.”
He sat up slowly, bracing his hands against the mattress. “Yes. Please. I will definitely need the help.”
“I’ll get him.” She walked to the door.
“Em.”
She turned. Cas’s face had grown serious.
“Am I safe here?” he asked. “Should we be worried about the Vallos army attacking? I can’t imagine they’ve forgiven you for killing their princess.”
“We should definitely be worried about the Vallos army attacking. But I have Ruined and warriors on watch. This is probably the safest place for you right now.”
“Thank you, Em.”
“Of course.”
“Come back later?”
“Absolutely.” She pulled the door open and walked into the hallway. The voices downstairs stopped as she descended, all heads turning to her. Aren sat at the kitchen table alone. Mateo, Galo, and Violet were in the living area.
Galo jumped to his feet. “Is he all right?”
“Much better. He wants a bath. Can you go, Galo?”
“Of course,” he said. “Mateo, can you get us some water?”
The guard nodded, grabbing a bucket from the kitchen before hurrying out of the house. Galo jogged up the stairs.
Em looked at Violet. The girl was about the same age as her, perhaps a couple years older. She’d gathered her dark hair into a loose bun, soft tendrils framing her pretty face.
“Violet, right? Are you guard or staff?”
Violet stood, crossing the room to stand in front of Em. “Neither. I’m the governor of the southern province of Lera. Recently.”
“Recently as in after the warriors attacked the castle?”
“Yes.” Tears filled her eyes and she quickly blinked them away.
“You and Cas knew each other before?”
“No. We met for the first time in the wagon. The one the warriors put us in—”
“I know the one,” Em interrupted. “What’s your opinion on the Ruined, Violet?”
The girl jerked her head at Aren. “Well, we’ve established he’s a jerk.”
Em let out a short, startled laugh. She tried to hide it by clearing her throat. Aren rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched.
“And you organized the raid on the Lera castle that killed my father,” Violet continued, returning her gaze to Em. “So I’m not inclined to like either of the Ruined in this room.”
The house went silent as Violet stared at Em.
“I’m sorry about that,” Em said quietly. Wariness colored Violet’s features. “But I meant your opinion on the Ruined as a whole.”
“I judge the Ruined like I judge everyone else. Case-by-case basis.”
Em almost smiled. It didn’t matter if this girl didn’t like her, as long as she didn’t harbor hate for the Ruined. She was Cas’s biggest ally, his best hope of regaining his throne. The southern province of Lera was the largest, and as far as Em knew, the warriors hadn’t taken it yet.
“This house will be for the four of you,” Em said. “No one but you, Cas, Galo, and Mateo may come in unless you say it’s all right. I’ve ordered that none of you are to be harmed. If you feel like someone is disobeying that order, come see me directly.”
“Fine,” Violet said.
“I will also order everyone not to speak a word about your presence. You’ll be safe here, for the time being.” Em walked to the front door and gestured at Aren. “Let’s go.” She stepped outside. Aren followed her, pulling the door closed behind them.
“Do we leave it unguarded?” he asked.
“For now. I’ll be back in the evening.” She scanned the area. The road in front of them led directly into the center of town, and warriors and Ruined walked by, laughter floating into the air.
“Olivia got the two of you an apartment next to the courthouse. I found a small place above the bakery,” Aren said. “And Olivia wants to talk to you.”
“I’ll bet she does.” Em rubbed her thumb across her necklace. “I need to talk to August first.”
“That should be interesting,” Aren said with a snort. He stepped off the porch.
“Aren.”
He turned back to her, squinting in the sunlight.
“Do I have your support here? Letting them stay?”
“I guarded them all night, didn’t I?”
“That’s not what I meant. I know you’ll do what I ask. I want to know if you think it’s a stupid decision. If you’ll back me up with the Ruined.”
“Of course I’ll back you up with the Ruined,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a stupid decision. I think the reasoning behind it is stupid.”
She looked at him curiously.
“You’re letting Cas stay because you care about him. Because you’re trying to hold on to a relationship that doesn’t have a chance of working out. You’ll have to let him go eventually, Em.”
He was right, but she couldn’t help the relief she felt at seeing Cas again. Like maybe these few days she’d get with him were a gift.
“But if it were me, I would keep them too,” Aren continued. “You have the king of Lera in there, and the governor of the largest province. I certainly wouldn’t let them go on their merry way. But that’s not why you’re letting them stay.” He rubbed his fingers across his forehead. “I’m exhausted. I’m going to find a place to sleep.”
“Thank you, Aren.”
“Explain it like that, all right? The way I did? Don’t bring your feelings into it.”
“I won’t.”
“Try to get rid of those feelings, Em. You may care about him, but he’s nothing compared to you. You’re our queen and our savior. You’ll be the best leader the Ruined have ever known. He’s just a boy.”
Aren’s words reverberated through her body. They were spoken calmly, kindly, but they still threw her off balance. She couldn’t come up with a response.
He didn’t wait for one. He turned on his heel and walked away.
He didn’t need for her to tell him he was right.