She stared at her feet, nodding as she blinked away tears.
“If I can think of something to tell Cas, I will. An old location of a camp, maybe. But they’re still going to kill me, Em.” He wrapped his fingers around hers through the bars. “We knew we risked our lives with this plan. I honestly didn’t expect to make it out of this war alive.”
“I expected you to make it out alive.” She took in a ragged breath. “I thought you’d be there when we went back to Ruina. I thought that you and I . . .” She thought she had more time to figure out what was between them. She needed more time. She needed her friend beside her.
“I appreciate that optimism.” His fingers gripped hers tighter. He jerked his head. “Now go. I don’t want that guard telling the king you were down here forever.”
She wiped a tear off her cheek, forcing a smile before she headed to the stairs. Aren strode to the cell, leaning his head close to Damian’s to speak to him.
She didn’t care about the risks. Whatever it took, she would find a way to save him.
SIXTEEN
CAS RAISED HIS hand to knock on Mary’s door, a flutter of nerves exploding in his stomach. He cracked a knuckle as he waited for her to answer.
No one answered the door, and he stepped back. A maid approached from the other end of the hallway with a handful of linens, and she paused when she spotted him.
“Have you seen Mary?” he asked.
“I believe she’s in the sparring room, Your Highness.”
He murmured a “thanks” and headed down the stairs to the back of the castle. Laughter spilled into the hallway.
He stopped at the open doorway of the sparring room and found Iria with a dull sword in her hand, Mary across from her.
Mary wore a determined expression as she took a step to the side, her sword extended in front of her. The trainer, Rulo, watched them from the corner of the room.
Iria lunged first, and Mary lifted her sword to stop the attack. He leaned against the door frame, watching as they circled the room, the swords noisily crashing against each other. An Olso warrior wasn’t an easy opponent, but Mary’s skills with a sword were almost unmatched.
“I heard she went to visit Damian last night.”
Cas jumped at the sound of the voice to find his mother leaning against the wall on the other side of the door. She was out of view from the two women inside, which wasn’t a coincidence.
“Mary?” he asked.
“Yes. Did she ask you if she could do that?”
“I . . .” He watched as Mary ducked Iria’s blade. “She doesn’t really ask my permission to do things.”
“She should.”
He snorted. “Really. You ask Father for permission regularly?”
The queen’s lips twitched. “I see your point.” She peeked around the doorway. “She’s very good. Odd for a girl from Vallos.”
“Talent, I guess.”
“That’s not talent. That’s hard work and training. The kind of training they don’t usually have in Vallos.”
“Why do you sound suspicious?”
“Not suspicious. Just impressed. Does she ever talk about her training?”
“No. But I’ve never asked.”
“You know what I think is sad?” the queen said. She talked slowly, in that way she did when she was saying one thing but meant another. “She didn’t bring any portraits of her family with her.”
“I think they all burned in the fire when the Ruined attacked.”
“I figured. I thought I might try to track one down, as a surprise. I’ve sent someone out to work on it.” She smiled at him. “But don’t tell her. I don’t want to get her hopes up if I can’t find one.”
“That’s nice of you.”
“Don’t sound so surprised, Cas.” She squeezed his arm as she walked past. “She’s about to beat that warrior. And I suspect King Lucio sent the best.”
Cas turned to look. Mary leaned away from Iria’s attack, knocking her arm away as she jabbed the dull tip into the warrior’s chest.
“I win,” Mary said breathlessly.
Cas returned his gaze to his mother to find nothing but empty hallway. He caught a glimpse of her skirts as they disappeared around the corner.
Iria laughed, drawing Cas’s attention back to them. “I will get you next time.”
“Or you could get me right now, if you’d like to go again.” Mary spread her arms wide in invitation.
“I’d like to go,” Cas said, stepping out of the doorway. The women turned, Mary’s smile faltering as their eyes met.
“Your Highness, I didn’t see you there,” the trainer said, straightening and adjusting his collar. “Would you like me to get your practice gear?”
“No, thank you,” Cas said, stepping into the room. Mary’s gaze followed him as he came closer.