AREN SHIFTED ON the tree branch, his gaze fixed firmly on the fortress. He’d been up a tree with Iria for at least an hour, waiting for Lera guards or soldiers to leave.
“They may never venture beyond the walls,” Iria said. She was straddling a branch on the other side of the tree, her legs dangling.
“That would be stupid. You have to send people out to scout the area, especially if you see something suspicious. They must have seen the smoke.” The smoke from the fire he lit on the other side of the fortress was no longer visible in the darkness, but the lookouts must have seen it. Aren was counting on it, to draw a few guards into the forest.
“You’re right,” she said with a sigh, arching her back.
“I can watch by myself if you want to get down.”
“I’m fine.” Her dark hair was piled into a messy bun on top of her head, and a few pieces had escaped and brushed her shoulders. She pushed a strand out of her face, her eyes catching his. He was staring.
Her eyebrows lifted slightly in question, but he didn’t look away. He wasn’t close enough to reach out and touch her. Who had decided on this wildly stupid position in the tree?
Right. That was him.
She let out an exhalation of air that was sort of like a laugh. If they’d been closer he might have brushed her hair behind her ear and seen if it made her smile again.
He quickly looked away. He needed to focus. He was never going to get into the fortress to talk to Cas by staring at Iria.
“Do you really think Cas will know anything?” Iria asked.
“I don’t know. But I’m sure Em will head back this way if she escapes August. I’m sticking near Cas until I find her.”
Iria nodded, then lifted an arm to point straight ahead. “Look. They’re leaving.”
He straightened and followed her gaze. The fortress gates opened, and a group of about ten guards walked out.
“Perfect. Let’s go.” He gripped the tree branch and quickly climbed down. Iria’s boots hit the ground a moment after him, and they both took off running. Aren ran as quietly as he could, ducking around tree branches and keeping Iria in the corner of his vision.
He’d chosen a route with heavy foliage, so it was unlikely that lookouts could see them in the darkness. He stole a quick glance at the back of the fortress. He didn’t hear any yelling, which was a good sign.
He slowed to a stop as they got closer to the guards and ducked behind a bush. Iria crouched down beside him.
It looked like the guards had split into two groups. Three men and two women were walking away from them, swords drawn. Aren had been hoping Galo or Mateo would be among them, but it seemed he wasn’t that lucky.
“It was here,” a woman said, nudging the remains of Aren’s fire with her shoe.
“Can you tell which way they went?” a man asked.
“No. Certainly not in the dark. It was probably just some warriors or Ruined passing through.”
“Just?” the man repeated. “I don’t know about you, but that sounds bad to me.”
“Let’s go back,” the woman said. “We’ll inform the king and see what he wants us to do.”
The guards turned and began walking back to the fortress. Aren closed his hand around a rock, his gaze on the guard in back, Nico. Aren had met him in the Lera castle.
He tossed the rock into the trees across from him. It landed with a soft thud. Nico whirled around. He opened his mouth to speak and Aren grasped Iria’s hand, focusing his Ruined power on Nico’s neck. Nico’s eyes widened as he grabbed his throat. He opened his mouth wide as if he was trying to yell, but no sound escaped.
Aren ran to him as quietly as he could, carefully watching the guards in the distance. Their backs were still turned as they walked to the fortress. Nico’s eyes widened in recognition.
Aren dropped Iria’s hand, grabbed Nico from behind, and pulled him out of sight of the other guards. Iria grabbed Nico’s wrists, yanking them behind him.
“Don’t panic,” Aren said quietly. The feeling of Iria’s skin still lingered on his hand, his Ruined power buzzing inside him. His magical grip on Nico’s throat felt almost effortless. “I’m only going to hold on until you pass out. When you wake up, we’ll be gone. But I’m sorry about the clothes.”
Nico’s eyebrows lowered in confusion, but there was no time for explanations. His head lolled to the side a few moments later.
Aren and Iria carefully lowered him to the ground and pulled off his pants and jacket. Iria averted her eyes as Aren pushed down his pants and put on the blue ones. He shrugged out of his jacket and buttoned up the guard’s jacket. He handed his clothes to Iria.
“Wait for me in the tree where we were before,” he said.
“I know.”
“If I’m gone too long you should just leave. It’s not safe to stay here. Especially for you.”
She let out a soft laugh. “I’m not leaving you, Aren.” She jerked her head at the fortress. “Go.”
He took off, resisting the urge to look back at her. She was probably already running to their meeting spot anyway.
He sprinted away from the guards who’d been with Nico and came up on the fortress gate from the other side. The other group of guards weren’t far behind him, and he slowed a bit so it would look like he was with them.
The gates were still open, and he ducked his head into his chest as he walked through. There had to be at least a hundred guards here who knew what he looked like. He needed to find Cas, quickly.
He put a hand on his neck to cover his Ruined mark as he approached the front doors. He pulled one open, not daring to look up at the men guarding the entrance.
Inside, the fortress buzzed with noise, and he risked lifting his eyes just slightly as he crossed through the entryway. Two soldiers rushed past, pausing to glance at Aren. He quickly turned away and scratched his cheek.
“I have a report for the king from the scouting group,” he said.
“He should still be in his room,” the female soldier said. “Did you find anything?”
He shook his head and quickly walked past them. He had no idea where Cas’s room was, which posed a problem. He couldn’t ask where it was without giving himself away.
A stairway loomed in front of him, and he sidestepped an older woman and started up. The king’s bedroom was probably somewhere quiet, as secluded as possible. The second floor seemed a good bet.
He stopped at the top and looked left, then right. Many of the doors were closed.
An unfamiliar woman with a basket full of clothes walked in his direction.
“The king?” he asked carefully.
She tilted her head to the doors behind her. “He’s in his room.”
“Thank you.” He waited until she was down the steps, then cleared his throat. “Your Majesty?” he called loudly.
“Yes. Come in.” Cas’s voice came from the end of the hall, and Aren walked to the last door. He opened it carefully, hoping he’d gotten the room right.
Cas sat at a desk, a map rolled out in front of him. Galo sat in a chair on one side of him, Violet on the other.
Aren let out a sigh of relief and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Cas glanced up and did a double take, his eyes widening. He jumped out of his chair.
“Aren? How did you—what did you—why are you here? How are you here?”
“I grabbed one of the guards you sent out to scout. It was pretty easy, actually. You really need to work on your security.” He looked pointedly at Galo, and the guard flushed.
“What do you mean, grabbed?” Cas asked.
“He’s not dead. He’ll be waking up shortly, so I have to be quick. August took Em.”
“I know. I told Olivia. She went to get her.”
He winced. He was glad Iria had separated from the warriors. They were all doomed.
“You came here looking for Em?” Galo asked in confusion. “You really think she’d come here?”
“I think she’ll go to wherever Cas is.”
“And you don’t have anywhere else to go,” Cas finished.
Aren nodded and quickly relayed what had happened with the warriors and other Ruined he’d been traveling with.
“Iria and I could go back to Sacred Rock,” Aren said. “If the Vallos people haven’t realized we left, anyway.”
“Little chance of that,” Cas said. “I have a better idea.” He looked back at Violet. “You should take him with you when you go south.”
“What?” Violet asked, clearly alarmed.
Cas turned back to Aren. “I’ve amassed an army there, and I’m bringing them back here. We’ll be marching to Royal City.”
“I have no desire to go back to Royal City,” Aren said.
“You can’t stay here. Sacred Rock isn’t yours anymore. You can try to catch up to the Ruined, but I saw them march by a day ago. They’ve probably already crossed into Olso.”
“I can travel faster by myself,” Aren said. “I may be able to catch up to the Ruined.”
“If you knew where they were,” Violet said.
“I assume August took her to the castle. Olivia would think the same. Iria can tell me how to get there.”
“That sounds like an excellent way to get yourself killed,” Cas said.
Aren ran a hand down his face. “So, what? I’m supposed to just leave Em in Olso?”
“Olivia is already on her way. I think we can both agree that Olivia is more than capable of rescuing her sister?”
He let out an annoyed sigh. “Of course.”
“Then help me. You said it yourself, Em will come find me. You protect us, and we’ll protect you until you find her. Deal?”
“I don’t need your protection.”
“Fine. But I could really use yours. My army in the south could permanently defeat Jovita, which is exactly what Em wants. I think if Em was here, she would tell you this was a good idea.” His lips twitched a little when he said the last part, like he knew how much it would annoy Aren.
“I think Em wouldn’t be stupid enough to ask me to join the Lera army,” he said dryly. But Cas had a point. Em did want Cas firmly on the throne, and she would probably help him if she was here. And what else was he going to do? Go hang out by the Olso border, hoping to spot Em after Olivia saved her? He had no idea when that would be, or how long it would take. He certainly wasn’t going back to Ruina without her.
“I prefer to think of it as optimism,” Cas said. He was smiling as if he already knew what Aren’s answer would be.
Aren let out a short laugh, hardly believing the next word out of his mouth, even as he said it. “Fine. But only until I find Em.”
“Deal. I need a day to get everything together. Can you wait?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know the creek just south of here?”
“I do.”
“Violet and a few guards will meet you there tomorrow, by sunset.” He looked at Violet for confirmation and she nodded.
Yells sounded from outside, and Aren reached for the doorknob. “Sounds like they found your guard in his underwear. I should go.”
“Thank you, Aren. Don’t kill anyone on the way out.”
“I’ll try.” He pulled the door open and darted into the hallway.
“Get the guards together now!” a voice shouted.
He jogged down the stairs, his eyes on the door. People all around him were running and shouting. Someone sucked in a gasp.
“It’s him!” a vaguely familiar guard pointed a shaky finger at Aren. “One of the bad Ruined!”
Aren would have laughed if he didn’t have to concentrate. He tossed the guard out of his path with one quick look and sprinted to the door. Several people moved out of his way, fear etched across their faces. A woman put herself in his path, sword drawn, and he simply scooted her across the floor to the other side of the fortress.
He ran out the door and across the lawn. He could still barely feel the effects of using his magic, and he grinned as he tossed a guard away from the gate.
“Let him go!” he heard Cas yell from behind him.
He ran away from the fortress and into the woods, daring a few glances over his shoulder. They weren’t following him.
He slowed when he was far enough away from the fortress to feel relatively safe, and came to a stop under the tree where he’d been earlier. He tilted his chin up to find Iria climbing down. She hit the ground lightly.
“Is everything …” She trailed off, cocking her head. “Why are you smiling like that? Was Em there?”
“No. They called me ‘the bad one.’ I thought it was funny.”
“The bad one? Rude.”
“You don’t think I’m one of the bad ones?”
“No!”
“I think by ‘bad’ they mean powerful.”
“Hmph.” She smiled. “I guess by this expression that everything went well?”
“Yes, but I did something you might not like.” He explained the plan quickly, Iria’s expression turning more and more confused as he laid it out for her.
“We’re joining the Lera army?”
“Temporarily. Just until I find Em.”
“Uh …”
“You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want. I’ll understand.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m sticking with you.”
He tried not to grin too widely. “Good.” He glanced back at the fortress. “We should put some space between us and the fortress. Cas probably will have to send some people out looking for me.”
Iria nodded, reaching into her bag and pulling out his clothes. She turned away as he changed. He left the guard’s uniform crumpled on the ground.
“You’re really not insulted when people call you bad?” Iria asked, falling into step beside him as they began walking south.
“I’m used to it.” He paused. “I, uh, would be bothered if someone I knew was scared of me. Like you.”
“You know I’m not scared of you. Remember when I visited the Ruina castle a few years ago?”
“Yes. We didn’t spend much time together then, did we?”
“No. Because I called you a cocky miscreant.”
He let out a laugh, the memory taking shape in his head. “That’s right. Wait, miscreant? You called me a miscreant?”
“I did. I don’t think it fits, does it?”
“Not really. I think I would have preferred ‘jerk.’ Or ‘cad.’” He scanned the area, but there were still no soldiers to be seen. They were probably preparing for an attack. “Why did you call me that, again?”
“I challenged you to a duel and you said sword-fighting was for peasants.”
“I did?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry. I was a cocky miscreant.”
“It’s all right. I actually kind of liked that about you.”
“CASIMIR!” Jovita’s voice rang through the fortress as she stomped across the entryway to where he stood in the doorway. “Why was there just a Ruined in here?”
“I don’t know.” He gestured to where Galo stood on the lawn with a few guards. “Organize a search. Bring him alive if you find him. I have questions.”
“How much Weakling do we have?” Jovita asked.
“Very little,” a solider replied. “We can shoot out one cannon, and it will be light.”
“We should save it,” Cas said. “We won’t be able to get into Ruina anytime soon to get more.”
“I know,” Jovita snapped. She turned back to the soldier. “No Weakling for now. Everyone keep watch. I want an update every hour.”
Cas brushed past her. “I’m sure my guards can give you an update after they give me one.”
Jovita followed him, her footsteps so heavy he thought she must be channeling her anger into her feet. “That was Aren,” she hissed.
“I heard.”
Jovita grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop and face her. She jabbed a finger at his chest. “I know he talked to you.”
“He came to my room, yes, but luckily my guards discovered something was wrong before he could harm me.”
“I’m not an idiot, Cas. I know that Ruined was trying to communicate with you.” She was having a hard time not yelling, and Cas could barely keep himself from grinning. Watching his cousin lose her grasp on the situation was the most fun he’d had in days.
“Aren hates me,” he said. “He’s made it clear a number of times. I don’t know why he’d want to talk to me. I’m sure he came here to kill me.”
“Cas.” Jovita said his name like she was talking to a small child. “We have to work together. If that Ruined is planning something and you don’t tell me—”
“If Aren is planning something, don’t you think it would be wildly stupid to waltz inside the fortress and let everyone know?”
“Then why was he here?” Jovita yelled.
He lifted his shoulders. “If we catch him, we’ll ask him. But he left without killing anyone, so I think we should count ourselves lucky.”
She rolled her eyes. “Please, Cas.”
“In the meantime, we should order everyone to stick close to the fortress. No more scouts after this batch of guards gets back. I’m sending Violet and a few guards to check on the status of the southern province, but other than that, we’re all staying put.”
Jovita eyed him suspiciously. “You were just in the southern province.”
“I know, but Violet wanted to go back, and it is her territory. I didn’t feel right ordering her to stay here.”
“You’re the king. Learn how to order people, Cas.”
“I’ll work on that.” He smiled at her. “I’ll see you later, Jovita.”
He walked away, finding Mateo standing in the entryway. Cas beckoned him over, and gestured for Violet to follow him as well. He led them into the parlor and closed the door behind them.
“Violet is leaving for Franco’s tomorrow,” he said to Mateo. “Will you go with her?”
“Yes,” Mateo said immediately.
“You’ll be meeting Aren and Iria on the way. They’ll accompany you.”
“Aren and Iria,” Mateo repeated.
“Is the answer still yes?”
“Of course.”
“We’ll get you the fastest horses we can. I want everyone here and ready to march within days.” He looked at Violet. “Can you do that?”
“I can do that.”