“I know, but he offered. He said to tell Mateo he had to, and he’s sorry.”
He blinked, his brain still trying to process it. “Olso. With Aren.” Mateo was going to love that. He glanced behind him, but Mateo wasn’t among the guards. He was probably on duty in a different part of the castle.
“The others, though . . .” Em took in a shaky breath, and he realized she was trying not to cry. “Olivia killed all the Lera soldiers. I’m sorry, Cas. She almost killed Galo, too, but Aren saved him just in time. And the Olso army—” She cut herself off suddenly, glancing at the guards and others around Cas like she’d just realized they were there. She looked so lost, so upset, that he couldn’t stop himself. He rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her tight into his chest. She squeezed him in return, but it was a weak effort.
“I failed, I’m sorry,” she said into his neck. “The Olso and Vallos armies took off as soon as they spotted us. Olivia killed all the hunters and captured Jovita.”
He started a bit at the information that Olivia had taken Jovita. He wasn’t sure what Olivia could possibly want from her.
“I’m just glad you’re here,” he said softly. He pulled away, lacing his fingers through hers, and looked at the Ruined behind her. Nerves twisted in his stomach. “We have rooms prepared. Will you come inside?”
A stone-faced young woman just stared at him. “Em,” she said.
Em pulled her hand out of his and walked to the Ruined, saying something to them that he couldn’t hear. Several of the Ruined looked alarmed at the prospect of going into the Lera castle.
“You’ll be safe here,” Cas called.
The woman leaned to look around Em and rolled her eyes. “Please. We won’t be safer here than we are anywhere else.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but the look Em shot him made him shut it. The Ruined was right, as much as he hated to admit it. The castle could be attacked tomorrow for all he knew.
Em said something that finally made them all trudge forward. He took her hand again and led them down the dirt path. Several people were gathered in the front entryway to see what the commotion was about, Violet and Franco among them.
“The Lera soldiers?” Violet asked. Cas shook his head.
“I’ll set up a meeting right away and Emelina can tell us what happened,” Franco said. “Violet, get Julieta from—”
“No,” Cas said quickly. Em was staring straight ahead, her eyes dull like she wasn’t even listening. “They’ll rest first.”
Franco seemed like he was going to argue, but Cas gave him a look that meant there was no room for argument.
“I can tell them,” Em said. She’d been listening after all.
“It can wait,” he said, squeezing her hand.
He led them through the castle and to the west wing, where the guards’ quarters were. The rooms had been half empty since they returned anyway, and they’d squeezed an extra cot into each room so it could house three people. Staff members scurried around him, opening doors down the long hallways and ushering the Ruined in. They were visibly nervous, and he watched as one girl quickly darted away from a Ruined to avoid touching him.
“They’re bringing some food,” he said, to no one in particular. A passing Ruined man looked at him suspiciously. He glanced at Em, who was still by his side. “Is this all right? There are some rooms upstairs as well, if you want to take some Ruined up there.”
“I think they’d rather be together.”
“Will you stay with me?” he asked quietly. He couldn’t imagine leaving her here, not when she looked ready to crack at any moment.
“Just give me a moment,” she said, and walked away from him. She stepped into a room and emerged a few minutes later, looking upset.
“It’s fine if you need to stay down here with them,” he said. “If it will make them feel better.”
“Nothing will make them feel better.” She said it a little bitterly as she passed him. He turned to follow her, and they went through the corridor and up the stairs. He gently steered her in the direction of his room. She looked over her shoulder at the royal suite, which he still hadn’t moved into, but didn’t say anything as they went to the room that had always been his.
They walked through his library and into the bedroom. Em looked down at her hands, like she’d just realized something.
“I left my bag on my horse.”
“A staff member will bring it in,” he said. “Your clothes from before are all still in your old room. I’ll have someone bring them over.”
She walked across the room and sat on the chest at the end of the bed. She looked down at her arms, which were flecked with dirt. “I need a bath.”
Cas knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his. “I’ll have them draw one for you.” He was quiet for a moment, unsure if he should ask what happened. She looked devastated, and he didn’t know if it was about Olivia, or if something was going on with the Ruined. He realized suddenly he knew very little about Em’s relationship with her own people.
“Olivia wants to kill me,” Em finally said. “She already tried, actually. She and the other Ruined were just too weak to fight me.”
He tightened his fingers around her hands. “She can’t, though, can she? Kill a useless Ruined?”
“Not with her powers, no. But she can find other ways. She will. Find other ways.” She met his gaze. “It may not be safe for you to be near me.”
Cas shook his head. “We’re safe here, for now. For tonight, at the very least.”
She nodded, closing her eyes briefly. He got the impression that she didn’t agree, but she was too tired to argue about it.
He stood and lightly kissed her forehead. She wrapped her arms around his waist, letting out a long sigh as she leaned against his chest.
“We’re together now,” he said quietly. “Everything will be fine.”
TWENTY-THREE
AREN HAD UNDERESTIMATED Olso.
He’d thought their defenses would be weakened, that the border would be less guarded than usual with all the warriors in Lera.
If they were spread thin, Aren had picked the wrong spot to try to cross into Olso. All the border posts were manned, warriors stationed in basic wooden towers placed at strategic points.
Aren and Galo stayed hidden in the trees as they crept along the border, scoping out the posts.
“I think in between these two,” Aren said. He looked left, then right, but it was too dark to see either post from this location. It was unlikely they could pass through without being spotted, but if they were fast enough, the warriors might not be able to catch them. “I guess.”
“That doesn’t instill a lot of confidence,” Galo said.
“Do you have a better idea?”
“No,” Galo said. “But they’re going to aim for the horses.”
Aren glanced back at them. “I think we should leave them.”
“And go on foot?”
“Like you said, they’re going to aim for the horses, whether with arrows or the cannons. We likely won’t make it far on them, and I don’t want you getting crushed to death under a horse.”
“I see your point,” Galo said. “So we’re going to run fast. And hope their aim with those cannons isn’t great?”
“We’re going to hope they don’t have those ready to go.” Aren raised an eyebrow. “Having regrets about this yet?”
“Not yet, but there’s still time.” He looked back at the horses. “It’s going to take us a long time to get to the capital on foot.”
“The warriors have horses at every post,” Aren said. “They’re going to use them to chase after us. We’ll grab them after I get rid of the warriors.”
“That easy, huh?” Galo asked.
“If the warriors stay on those horses we’re dead, so yeah, I’m hoping it’s that easy.” Aren peered through the trees at the posts. They were still far enough away not to be spotted, but just barely. The element of surprise was the best thing they had going for them.
“What do you want me to do?” Galo asked. “Hold your hand?”
“Yes, actually. Not right away, but as soon as I start using my Ruined magic. Just grab on to me.”