She jerked her head. “Back to the fortress. She dies in public for her crimes.” She pointed behind Em. “You can kill Olivia here. Bring me her head.”
Em kicked her legs, but the arms holding her held even tighter. Olivia was still screaming, and Em was too scared to turn around and look for Aren. Was he already dead?
“Please just let her go,” Em begged as the soldiers dragged her behind the queen. “You can have me, but please let Olivia go.”
“I already have both of you,” the queen said, casting a glance over her shoulder. “Your negotiation skills could use some work.”
“Please.” Em’s words sounded desperate, but she didn’t care. “If you let Olivia go, you won’t see any of us again.”
The queen didn’t bother responding to her at all, and tears and rage swelled in Em’s chest. It was hopeless. She’d failed to save Olivia. Failed to save the Ruined. She would die having accomplished nothing.
Footsteps pounded against the ground, and the queen drew her sword as Em looked around hopefully. Now would be an excellent time for the warriors to make an appearance.
Cas’s face appeared through the leaves, and the tiny ball of hope in her stomach grew bigger.
He was out of breath, and his eyes bounced from Em to his mother. His expression was wild, and Em could tell he’d come expecting to find this situation.
The queen lowered her sword with a sigh. “Cas, please go back to the fortress.”
“Release her,” he said, pointing at the soldiers holding Em. They didn’t move.
“I understand why you can’t do it yourself,” Fabiana said. “But someone has to.”
“No, we don’t.” Cas’s voice shook, but he stood tall. “There’s been enough killing on both sides.”
“The damage she’s done to our kingdom is immeasurable,” the queen said. “If you just let her go, you will lose control of your people. I promise you that. They will see you as weak.”
Cas shook his head. “I think you and I have different definitions of weak. I’m not going to be that kind of king. I won’t order her execution.”
“I know you won’t,” the queen said quietly.
Em caught the glint of hope from Cas, the way he barely lifted his eyebrows at his mother, as if asking whether she was going to back down.
For a moment, he looked utterly optimistic.
The queen swung around, so suddenly one of the soldiers jumped.
She sank her blade into Em’s stomach.
The world turned black, then red, and black again. Em’s knees hit the ground, but she didn’t remember falling. Someone yelled, “No!” It was either echoing through her ears or he was saying it over and over.
She started to sway and hit a warm body.
“Please, no,” Cas said in choked voice, and she realized she was on the ground, against his chest. She looked down and saw blood on his hands. Was he hurt?
No. That was her blood.
“I’m sorry,” he said against her hair. “I’m so sorry.”
She shook her head, because she didn’t want him to be sorry. He didn’t need to be sorry. She couldn’t speak, but she managed to find his hand on her stomach and squeeze it.
I could think of worse ways to go. Cas’s words from yesterday floated through her brain, and she almost laughed. Maybe she did.
Then there was screaming.
Horrible, terrified screaming.
And a man’s head was rolling, rolling, rolling across the ground.
Cas’s arms gripped Em tighter, and she blinked a few times, trying to make her vision work again. There was blood all over the ground. There were no more guards or soldiers, just pieces of them scattered about.
Olivia stepped into the middle of the mess. Stretched her arm out.
The queen’s chest swelled outward, an inhuman sound escaping her mouth.
Her chest opened with a crack that made Cas’s entire body jerk. Something flew through the air, landing in Olivia’s hand. Blood dripped down her arm as she slowly unfurled her fingers one by one, letting the queen’s heart drop to the ground with a plop.
Olivia turned, her eyes narrowed at Cas. “Move.”
He didn’t obey right away, but Olivia yelled it again as she came closer to Em. His warmth was gone suddenly, her head laid gently on the ground.
“You’re all right,” Olivia said, the anger absent from her voice. She put her hands on Em’s stomach.
Em sucked air into her chest, the world suddenly coming back into sharp focus.
“Go,” Olivia said, glancing over her shoulder.
Em rolled her head to one side to see Cas standing a few paces away from his dead mother. His face was a frozen mask of fear and horror.
“Go, she’s going to be fine,” Olivia said through clenched teeth.
Cas stared at Em, as if waiting for confirmation. She barely nodded. Her body was weak, but she could feel Olivia’s magic working, stitching her back together.
His entire body shook as he hesitated another moment, his gaze locked on hers. Tears filled his eyes when she nodded again.
He took off running.