“THE RUINED ARE moving! The Ruined are moving!”
Cas’s head popped up at the sound of the scream echoing through the fortress. He dropped the potato in his hand and it rolled across the counter. Blanca grabbed it. “Go,” she said. He ran out of the kitchen.
In the foyer, a breathless soldier stood in front of Jovita. “The Ruined. We spotted them moving north.”
“Are they coming this way?” she demanded.
“It doesn’t look like it. It appears as if they’re passing us by.”
Cas drew in a shaky breath. What did that mean? Was Olivia amassing an army to rescue Em?
It seemed more likely that Olivia hadn’t found her sister, had returned for reinforcements, and they were all now headed for Olso.
“But there are no warriors with them, as far as we can see,” the soldier said.
“Interesting,” Jovita murmured, looking pointedly at Cas.
Cas turned to find General Amaro standing a few paces away, watching them. According to Violet, the general wasn’t on Jovita’s side, but she wasn’t really on Cas’s, either. She jerked her head, indicating he should follow her, then turned and began walking.
He trailed behind her, through the fortress and into the empty parlor. He closed the door behind them.
“Where are the Ruined going?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Why do you think I know that?”
“You went to Sacred Rock. And you left alive.”
He stared at her, unsure how much truth he could share without ending up locked in his room again.
“I’ve heard rumors you made deals with the captains and judges in the southern province. They say you were open about still having connections with the Ruined.”
“The southern province was never in favor of the Ruined policies.”
“Will you just answer my question?” General Amaro snapped. “How am I supposed to support you if you won’t be honest with me?”
“Yes, I made deals with the southern province. I still have connections with the Ruined. I left Sacred Rock alive because I’ve promised to leave them alone. Their queen has promised to leave us alone in return.”
“Their queen,” General Amaro repeated. “Olivia?”
“Emelina.”
She pressed a hand to her chest. “The news of their diarchy still horrifies me. Two Flores women in charge instead of one.”
“Be grateful Emelina is in charge as well. Otherwise, we’d all be dead.”
She regarded him skeptically. “Where are the Ruined going, then?”
“They’re probably going to Olso.”
“Why?”
“I can’t be sure, but I believe the alliance between the Ruined and the warriors is about to break.”
Her eyes widened.
“If I’m right, it will be an excellent time to head north and try to retake the castle.”
“Jovita has given up the castle. She says we’re staying right here until the Ruined are eliminated.”
“I don’t care what Jovita is doing. The south has already agreed to follow me north. As has most of the guard, and some of the soldiers.”
“My soldiers only take orders from me.”
“And you take orders from your king.”
“We need time to form a plan to retake the north. A strategy, more training—”
“Then you better start soon, because I’m leaving in a few days, whether you come with me or not.”
She stared at him for a moment. “You’re sure you can do this?”
He almost laughed. He wasn’t sure of anything most days, much less his ability to command an army to retake his country. But perhaps if he pretended hard enough, the confidence would actually come.
“Yes.” He said it with a little more conviction than necessary. General Amaro didn’t seem to notice.
“Then I’ll start preparing the soldiers.”
Aren didn’t want to go back to Sacred Rock. Not yet, anyway.
He glanced at Iria. She rode beside him, the other warriors and Ruined behind them. They were on their way back to Sacred Rock, and the ride from Gallego City had been uneventful so far. Aren almost wished they’d run into trouble so they could spend a few more days on the road. He knew he needed to check in with Em and Olivia, but he liked this quiet journey with Iria next to him. He didn’t even mind the warriors. Em would probably be proud when he told her how well he’d gotten along with them.
Iria held her hand up suddenly, indicating for everyone to stop.
Aren snapped to attention, pulling on the reins of his horse. He slid to the ground, his boots hitting the dirt. Ahead of him, he spotted flashes of movement in the trees.
“We’re warriors!” a voice yelled. A man emerged from the trees, holding up his hands and smiling at Aren. “Hi, Aren.”
“Holden,” Iria said with a sigh. “You scared us. What are you doing out here?”
Several other warriors emerged from behind him, until there were eight total. They’d dismounted their horses.
“We followed the route Emelina gave you. We’ve cleared out of Sacred Rock,” Holden said. “King August and Queen Emelina sent a group of us to find you. They didn’t want you to get lost.”
“Why?” Aren asked. The town was reasonably safe and in a good location. Why would Em leave?
“Attack from the Lera soldiers,” Holden said. “It’s half destroyed. Everyone is moving north so we can organize a response.”
“Is everyone all right?” Aren asked quickly. “Were there casualties?”
“Olivia held them off pretty well,” Holden said. “Rodrigo’s got a note for the three Ruined from Olivia.” He turned, scanning the other warriors. “Right, Rodrigo?”
A short warrior patted his pockets, then turned to his horse. “Yeah. It’s here somewhere.”
Aren jerked his head at Clara and Santino, indicating for them to follow him. The warriors parted as they came through, like they were afraid to get too close. Several of them scurried to Iria and the other traveling warriors.
Rodrigo dug through the pack attached to the saddle. “Hold on. I know it’s in here.”
Aren watched as Rodrigo searched for the letter. Had Cas warned Em about the attack? It seemed strange that the Lera soldiers had been able to destroy so much of Sacred Rock. Maybe Cas hadn’t known. Maybe—
“Aren, run!” Iria’s panicked voice ripped through the air. He whirled around just in time to dodge a sword headed straight for his heart. Holden lunged forward. Aren snapped his neck. The sword fell out of the warrior’s hand.
He hadn’t focused to use his magic, and a wave of dizziness crashed over him. He stumbled backward, his foot hitting something.
A choked gasp escaped his mouth. Clara and Santino lay dead on the ground, blood seeping out of gaping wounds in their neck.
He looked up. Three warriors held Iria back, one of them with a hand over her mouth. The warrior flinched suddenly, pulling his hand away like she had bit him.
“Behind you!” Iria yelled.
Aren spun around to find two warriors charging at him. He threw them backward so hard the tree shook as they crashed into it.
He could run. He needed to run. All the remaining warriors were in a clump with Iria, and none of them were stupid enough to follow him.
Iria. She’d just betrayed her fellow warriors. There was no way they’d let her live.
He strode forward, blinking away the dizziness. The warrior had his hand on Iria’s mouth again, and muffled yells he couldn’t understand escaped from behind it. Her eyes were wide and she shook her head at him, obviously telling him to leave her.
The two warriors holding her arms shot through the air, and Aren didn’t bother to watch where they landed. The one with a hand on Iria’s mouth moved in front of her, like he was going use his body to shield her.
Aren ducked under the man’s arm, using his magic to slide him a few feet away. Around Aren, warriors closed in from all sides. One was running straight for Iria’s back, sword drawn.
He grabbed Iria’s hand. Relief coursed through his veins and the dizziness disappeared.
He pulled her into his chest just in time to miss the blade aimed at her back.
Every warrior’s feet left the ground. Aren shot them all back at once, thuds echoing through the forest as they hit the dirt.
Iria sucked in panicked breaths against his chest. He grabbed her hand firmly and broke into a run.
She didn’t hesitate. She held his hand tighter and matched his strides.
They ran for several minutes, until the forest was quiet again and it was clear none of the warriors were stupid enough to follow them. Iria dropped his hand and leaned against a tree trunk, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.
“Why did you do that?” Aren asked, also struggling to catch his breath.
“They … had … a sword,” Iria gasped out.
“You could have tried to signal me discreetly!”
“You weren’t looking at me.”
“You betrayed them. They’re going to execute you for that.”
She leaned over and braced her hands against her thighs. “We don’t execute people in Olso. It would be life in prison.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
She let out a strangled laugh. “What did I …” She straightened, her eyes wide and full of tears. “I just …” Her breath became panicked puffs again.
Aren jumped forward and grabbed her by the arms. “Go back. Tell them Santino was messing with your mind. Tell them you realized as soon as you got away from him that he’d been confusing you the whole time.”
She shook her head.
“They’ll believe it if you aren’t gone for long. Do you want me to hit you? I can make it look like we struggled.”
She shook her head again, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I don’t want to take it back. They betrayed you and—and …” She took in a shuddering breath. “I don’t want to take it back. It was the right thing to do.”
She lowered her head, sobs shaking her shoulders. He pulled her close to him, wrapping one arm around her waist and putting his other hand in her hair. She tucked her arms against his chest.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
He held her for a long time, until her shoulders stopped shaking and her breathing evened out. When she pulled away from him she seemed embarrassed, wiping her cheeks and avoiding his gaze.
He wanted to tell her not to be embarrassed. He wanted to pull her back into his arms and keep her there until she wasn’t sad anymore.
“I’m sorry,” she said, letting out a long breath. “They told me they have Em.”
He snapped to attention, all the warmth of her body against his fading. “What?”
“A warrior took me aside when Rodrigo was pretending to give you the letter. He said, ‘August has Emelina. Our orders are to go back to Olso.’”
“Why would August take Em? What’s he going to do with her?”
She lifted her shoulders. “I have no idea.”
“Olivia wouldn’t stay in Sacred Rock if she knew the warriors took Em. And if all of the warriors disappeared along with her, she’s going to know what happened.”
“That was deeply stupid on August’s part.”
“Yes, it was. Should we go to Olso? Could we get across the border?”
“No, not just the two of us. There’s no way.”
He rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “Maybe we should go back to Sacred Rock. Maybe some Ruined stayed behind. Or …” His voice trailed off, and he looked up at the sun. They’d run south. They were close to the fortress. Dangerously close. “Cas,” he said quietly.
“What?” Iria looked over her shoulder, like Cas might be standing there.
“We’re not far from the fortress. He and Em were meeting secretly, sharing information. He might know what happened. And even if he doesn’t …” Just watch. If we get separated again, I bet we find each other. Cas had said those words to Aren with such confidence. “Em’s going to find him. Or he’s going to find her.” If Olivia didn’t find Em first, Em would head straight for Cas. She would have nowhere else to go, if everyone had cleared out of Sacred Rock. It was the only meeting place he could think of.
“How are we going to get to him?” Iria asked.
“I have no idea.”