“Yes. I’m sorry, Cas.”
His stomach dropped into his feet. He’d known it, deep down, but maybe a part of him had still hoped she didn’t hate him that much. She hadn’t even had the decency to kill him herself. She’d just sent someone in with poisoned soup.
“How did you find out?” Galo asked after a brief silence.
“We talked to some of the guards,” Franco said. “Discreetly. Which led us to some people in the refugee shelters, who spoke to us once we assured them we wouldn’t try them for treason as well. None of them actually participated, they just knew of the plan,” he added quickly.
“We’re recommending a couple of guards be let go, because they didn’t come forward with this information earlier,” Violet said.
“You should pass the names along to Jorge,” Galo said. “He’ll take care of it right away.”
Violet nodded.
“This is not new information,” Julieta said. “Most of us suspected it was Jovita. And as long as Jovita is alive, she poses a threat. We understand that you’re not completely opposed to killing her, Your Majesty.”
The words were said so bluntly that Cas blinked, surprised. He glanced at Violet, who was chewing on her lip across from him. She must have told them that he’d asked if the soldiers could take care of Jovita.
“I . . . ,” he began, before realizing he didn’t know what to say.
“No one would blame you,” Violet said quietly. “She threatens the safety of everyone here.”
“Is there any news of her army?”
“It’s growing,” Danna said. “Jovita is smart, and determined. We all know what she’s capable of. We can’t just ignore her. She will attack again, Your Majesty.”
The words triggered a memory, and Cas suddenly heard his father’s voice in his head. Imagine if you were alone with him. Look what he’s capable of. He’d said it to Cas the night he’d captured Damian, as they watched the Ruined use his elemental powers as a result of being tortured. Cas remembered asking who Damian was, and what he’d done, and his father only had one answer: he was Ruined.
The situation with Jovita wasn’t the same—she’d technically broken Lera law by trying to take the throne. He could sentence her to death for treason and attempted murder and no one could argue.
But this had always been his father’s solution. Whether he was scared, or angry, or unsure, he always made the same choice. Kill them before they became a threat. Even if Cas had a better reason than his father, if the outcome still resulted in death, how was Cas any different?
Murmured voices sounded from behind the door, followed by running footsteps. Cas instinctively stiffened, waiting to hear the sounds of Olso attacking. He found himself listening for them at the first sign of trouble. They may have fled when the Ruined came to Lera, but he wasn’t convinced they were gone forever.
“Wait here, Your Majesty,” Franco said, jumping to his feet and flying out of the room. Galo stood and positioned himself in front of the door.
Franco darted back into the room a few moments later, breathless and eyes wide. “They’re saying Emelina Flores is at the gates. Alone.”
The guards at the front gate eyed Em warily. She didn’t recognize them, but they clearly knew her. She pushed back the hood of her cloak so they wouldn’t think she was trying to hide.
The sun was sinking behind one of the towers of the Lera castle, and she was surprised to feel a rush of affection as she looked at the castle. She was hit by a memory of walking down the hallways with Cas, sunlight filtering in through the big windows.
A familiar dark-haired man ran out the door. Galo. “Open the gates!” he called.
The guards obeyed immediately, pulling open the iron gate to let Em walk through. The gate was plain but shiny and new, replaced after the warriors destroyed the last one. She stepped forward.
A whole parade of guards rushed out the front door and Em’s face broke into a smile. In the center, flanked by guards on all sides, was Cas.
He darted away from the guards and ran forward, pulling her into his arms. She laughed as she hugged him.
“Why are you here?” he asked without pulling away. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I came to talk. Officially, as the queen of the Ruined.”
“Does that mean I should stop hugging you?”
She buried her face in his neck. “No,” she said, her voice muffled.
He held her for a few more seconds, and when he finally let her go, she saw that every eye was turned to them. Guards lingered all around them, and Galo, Violet, and several other people were watching from the front door. Behind them, staff members were clustered on the stairs, craning their necks to catch a glimpse.
“Come on,” Cas murmured, taking her hand. The guards fell into step beside them as they walked into the castle. She noticed they all had one hand on their swords.
The staff members scurried out of the way as Cas took her upstairs to a room she’d never been to before. Cas opened the door and nodded for her to go in first. It was an office.
“Please wait out here,” he said to his guards, and closed the door behind him.
When he turned, Em forgot why she’d come. She forgot about Olivia and the Lerans on the other side of the door. The world narrowed to just Cas, to that smile he was giving her.
She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the pent-up energy of the last couple of weeks. He pulled her body flush against his with a sharp intake of breath. His lips parted. Her fingers closed around his hair. He grabbed a fistful of her shirt. She melted into him.
She hadn’t planned to stay even one night in the castle, but being in his arms again made rational thinking difficult. If he’d asked, in that moment, if she’d stay forever, she might have said yes.
He pulled away, just a little, and she took in a breath as she prepared to speak. He shook his head and pressed his lips against hers, then to her cheek, then to her jaw.
“No,” he mumbled.
“No?”
He pressed his lips to her neck, making her fingers tighten around his hair again. “Whatever you were going to say, no. Not yet.”
She smiled as he kissed her again, and they stayed that way for so long that she was a bit dizzy when they finally broke apart. His hair was mussed from her fingers, and she laughed as she smoothed it down. He caught her hand and kissed the back of her palm.
“I did come here to talk, I swear,” she said.
“It was dangerous for you to come here, you know. Now that you’re here I may never let you leave.”
She laughed. “That’s the dangerous thing about coming here, is it?”
“Yes. Keep it in mind for next time.” He kissed her once more, then pulled away and led her across the room to the chairs next to the window. He gestured for her to sit and took the chair across from her.
He leaned forward, taking her hands in his. “How is Olivia?”
“The same. I’m sorry about the people in Fayburn. I would have stopped it if I could, but . . .”
She swallowed, unable to meet his eyes.
He squeezed her hands. “I know.” He laughed, though it wasn’t amused. “I really know.”
“What does that mean?”
“Jovita. She’s building an army against me. Maybe against you as well. We’re keeping an eye on her.”
“I guess that was to be expected.”
He sat back, letting go of her hands. His expression darkened, and she waited, thinking he was going to share his thoughts with her. But the moment passed, and he smiled and changed the subject.
“Tell me why you’re here. Besides to kiss me. I know that’s the main reason.”
“I came to discuss a way for the Ruined and the people of Lera to live together.”
“Are the Ruined open to that?” he asked.
“Are the Lerans?”
His eyes darted away from hers. “I’m working on it.”
“I know. I am too. I spoke to the Ruined about what it would take for them to stay here in Lera, to help protect you from Olivia.”
“What would it take?”
“We discussed reparations. Money to start rebuilding a life.”