“Who are you?” she asked.
“We’re just trying to get across to Vallos,” the man with the dagger said. He stood slowly. His legs shook beneath him. He was staring straight at her chest.
“That’s not what I asked. Who are you?”
“We’re Vallos laborers working in the Ruina mines,” he said to her chest. “Are you … are you Emelina Flores?” He said her name in a hushed, almost reverent, tone.
She frowned in reply, unsure how he knew that.
“The circle of vengeance. I’ve heard about it.”
“The what?”
“Your necklace. The circle represents vengeance. ‘What goes around comes around,’ as they say.”
Her lips twitched. Did everyone really think that was what her necklace symbolized?
The circle of vengeance. How fitting. Olivia would love it.
The man with the dagger held the weapon in front of him, but it shook in his grasp. The other had his arms pressed to his chest, fear oozing out of his every pore. She’d earned a reputation, it seemed.
“Go,” she said, jerking her head. “Don’t come back.”
They both spun around and sprinted away from her. Everyone ran from her now. People whispered her name, as that man had. They said it with fear.
It was what she had always wanted.
It did not feel as good as she had expected.
TWO
CAS’S MOTHER WAS buried behind Fort Victorra, in a shady spot where flowers would probably bloom in the spring.
Cas never went there. He’d watched the soldiers bury her the day after Em and Olivia disappeared, and he’d never been back.
Instead, he came to where she died.
It had rained two days ago and washed all the blood away. There was nothing left but dirt and grass and trees. The trees had been full of red and orange leaves a few days ago, but now the branches were mostly empty, the leaves smashed beneath his feet. The ugly trees seemed more appropriate, given what had happened here.
He could still see it. Em almost dying in his arms. Olivia killing his mother and rescuing her sister.
“You don’t deserve to be here,” a voice behind him said.
For a moment, he worried the voice was in his head. He’d been thinking the same thing. But he turned and found his cousin standing a few paces away. Jovita had her hands on her hips, ice in her eyes as she glared at him. Her dark hair blew in the wind, and an angry red scar cut down her right cheek. Em had given her that scar. She looked a little like his father. They had the same olive skin and wide mouth.
He turned away.
“It’s not safe, anyway,” Jovita said. Her tone was more scornful than concerned.
“The Ruined are gone. The warriors are gone.”
“And whose fault is that?” Jovita stepped beside him, tapping her chin like she was thinking. “Oh, that’s right. It’s your fault. For freeing Olivia Flores and letting Emelina waltz right out of here.”
It was his fault. He’d freed Olivia, and she’d killed his mother. Right after his mother almost killed Em.
He couldn’t muster up any anger for Olivia. He was mostly just sad.
“I want the necklace,” Jovita said, holding her hand out. “The one the queen gave you, with Weakling in it.”
“I buried it with her,” he said.
Her jaw clenched. “That was stupid, Cas. That necklace could have protected me from the Ruined.”
Cas shrugged. The Weakling herb hurt most Ruined, but it barely seemed to slow Olivia down. He doubted the necklace would have offered much protection.
“If she’d kept that necklace instead of giving it to you, she might still be alive,” Jovita spat. “And you just—”
“Two more advisers arrived during the night,” he interrupted. “I’m meeting with them in an hour if you want to join.”
“No.” Jovita turned away and started walking.
“Why? Because you already met with them behind my back?”
Jovita stopped. She looked over her shoulder, arching an eyebrow. “If you know, then it’s not really behind your back, is it?” She stomped away. He watched her go, an uneasy feeling swirling in his gut.
A guard emerged from the trees as she left. It was Galo, lurking near Cas as usual. The captain of his guard rarely let Cas out of his sight these days, even when Cas would prefer to be left alone. The price of being king. Today, Galo’s boyfriend and fellow guard, Mateo, was with him. Mateo stood a few paces away, his back to them as he surveyed the area for possible threats.
Cas stuffed his hands in his pockets, rounding his shoulders against the cold wind as he walked back to the fortress. Galo fell into step beside him, Mateo trailing behind them.
“Everything all right?” the guard asked quietly.
“Probably not.”
Galo appeared concerned, but Cas didn’t elaborate. The castle and most of his kingdom was in the hands of Olso. His cousin hated him. His parents were dead. Em was gone, and he would likely never see her again.
There wasn’t much left to say.
“We confirmed the governor of the southern province died in the attack on the castle,” Galo said. “But his daughter didn’t, and she’s here. Violet Montero. She found me this morning and asked to speak with you.”
“She’s here? When did she arrive?”
“Same time as you, apparently. She was lumped in with the staff and no one knew at first. She’s been ill.”
“Is she better?”
“Yes.”
The fortress loomed in front of them, and Cas stepped over a pile of bricks into the front yard. Portions of the wall had been blown out when the Ruined and warriors attacked, and it was still damaged. It would be quite a while before it was fully repaired. Beyond the wall was Fort Victorra, a square, mostly windowless pile of bricks that Cas had come to hate.
“She’s probably in the breakfast room now, if you wanted to see her,” Galo said. “I can get her.”
“That’s fine, I’ll go look. Will you confirm with the two advisers who arrived last night that we’re meeting in an hour?”
“Of course.” Galo rushed off.
Cas should have chosen a personal adviser by now. Galo was the captain of his guard, not his errand boy, and he felt guilty making him do both jobs.
But Fort Victorra wasn’t like the Lera castle. There wasn’t enough staff, and Cas had to do many things himself. There was no longer a whole crew of people to wait on him hand and foot and announce visitors.
A soldier held open the front doors of the fortress as he approached, and he murmured a thank-you and stepped inside.
He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dark. Lanterns lined the wall as he left the entryway and walked into the large foyer, but they did little to cheer up the place.