by Amy Tintera
“Can I get a guard uniform?” he asked the colonel as they returned to the front lawn. “It’ll be easier to fight if I blend in.”
“Will you be joining us, Your Majesty?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll have someone find one.”
Cas thanked him and turned on his heel, shaking his head when a guard made a move to follow him. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
He walked through the front doors and across the large room. There were two arches on the back wall leading to the rear rooms, and he glanced over his shoulder before ducking through the left one. The guards watched him, but none made a move to follow.
He headed across the parlor, sidestepping the table and cluster of chairs in the center of the room. If he remembered correctly, the doorway at the back left corner of the room led to the dungeons.
He pulled open the door and quickly descended the stairs. A heavy wooden door was at the bottom, and he pushed it open to reveal a long hallway with cells on either side. Galo stood in front of one of the last cells, and he looked up at the sound of the door opening.
“This is Olivia?” Galo asked, pointing to the cell in front of him. His face was pulled tight with worry, and Cas quickly walked toward him. All the cells he passed were empty. Oddly, it smelled strongly of flowers or perfume the farther he went into the cells.
“Is she all right?” Cas asked.
The last cell was the only one occupied. It held a teeange girl. She was chained to the bed, facing the wall instead of out at the bars. A blindfold covered her eyes. She wore loose pants and a white shirt, both smudged with dirt and grime. Her dark hair was wild. She had more Ruined marks than Damian. The pale lines covered her arms and crept up her neck into her hair.
“I think that’s her,” Cas said quietly.
“Have they had her chained to that bed the whole time?”
Cas ran a hand down his face with a long sigh. “I don’t know.” What had he expected? That she had several rooms and a nice bed? That she was allowed to bathe regularly and given enough to eat? Neither had happened, given the state of her.
He held his hand out. “Do you have the keys?”
Galo handed them over. “They’re labeled. It’s the green one.”
He held the green key up to the lock. “Olivia—”
The dungeon door banged open and he jumped away from the cell. His mother and Jovita strode down the hallway, followed by four guards.
The queen extended her hand as she stopped in front of Cas. “Keys, Casimir.”
He took a step back, his shoulder brushing against Galo’s. He cleared his throat, trying to sound authoritative. “Could you all please give me a moment?”
“You can’t release her.” The queen shook her head. “I know that’s why you’re down here. I know Emelina put ideas in your head about the Ruined, but you can’t just let Olivia go. You don’t know what she’s capable—”
“She’s chained to the bed!” He pointed at her, anger rising in his chest. “She’s not capable of anything!”
“It’s a failed experiment, Cas,” Jovita said. “We’ll admit that. We learned a few things, and we thought Olivia’s healing powers could be useful, but she couldn’t be conditioned to—”
He pointed at the guards. “Get them out of here.”
None of the guards moved. His mother looked at him apologetically. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
The guards sprang forward. Hands closed tightly around Cas’s wrists. He tried to jerk away, but they held firm. One of them pried the keys out of Cas’s hand.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” one of them murmured.
Galo’s fingers curled around his sword.
“You’re too emotional,” the queen said.
Cas fought down a swell of rage. “You—”
“Lera isn’t about the opinions of just one person,” the queen interrupted. “Even if that person might be the next king.”
Might be the next king. Might? He swiveled his head to Jovita. She didn’t meet his gaze.
“We’re engaged in war,” his mother said. “Now isn’t the time to drastically change policies. If you were thinking clearly, you would see that. You’ve barely slept in days—we can all tell—and I can certainly understand you still being traumatized by the death of your father.”
His mother gestured at a cell. “Only for a few hours, until we fend off an attack from the warriors. You’ll be safe down here.” She grabbed her necklace, pulling it over her head and then throwing it over his head. The metal was still warm from her skin as it slipped beneath his shirt. “It has the Weakling flower in it. It protects you from Ruined magic.”
He looked down at it in surprise, turning a questioning gaze to her.
“It’s one of the reasons we had Olivia. We needed to know their weaknesses, in case of a situation like this. You should have it, if you’re going to be down here with her.” She pointed to Galo, who still had his hand on his sword. “Put him in there with Cas.”
Cas twisted against the hands holding him. He couldn’t get free. “You need all the guards fighting!” His mother just shook her head in reply. He shot her a furious look as a guard took Galo’s sword.
The guards gave Cas a gentle push to the cell. He stubbornly refused to budge, so they had to drag him through the open metal door. The two men released him and stepped out of the cell, then pushed Galo inside. The guards banged the door shut behind them and twisted the key.
Cas crossed his arms over his chest, noticing that his mother was avoiding his gaze. He stared at each of the guards in turn, making a mental note of their faces. He didn’t want to forget the faces of traitors.
“Let’s go,” the queen said. “One of you stay at the post outside the door. No one in or out.”
“I’ll stay,” a guard offered. The queen nodded, gesturing at Jovita to follow her. They disappeared through the door, the guard who’d elected to stay shutting it behind him as he followed.
Cas looked from Galo to Olivia, in the cell across from them. Was Em going to think he’d betrayed her? Would she attack with the rest of the warriors now? Dread curled at the bottom of his stomach.
He let out a long sigh, pushing a hand through his hair. He turned to Galo. “I need to tell you what happened in the jungle.”
THIRTY-SEVEN
EM LAY FLAT on her stomach at the top of a hill, Aren stretched out beside her. She’d been watching the front of the fort for an hour, and there had been no sign of Cas or Olivia. The Lera soldiers had disappeared inside the fortress, and the front lawn was deserted.
“Em.”
She glanced over her shoulder to see Iria crouched behind her. “Everyone is almost in position. Are you and Aren helping?”
Em searched the front lawn again, like Olivia was suddenly going to appear if she wished for it hard enough. Why hadn’t Cas released her? Had she been moved? Was she dead?
Had he changed his mind?
She looked at Aren.
“I’m going to help,” he said quietly. He got to his feet. Em sighed, slowly standing and following him and Iria down the hill.
“We’re doing two waves,” Iria said as they walked. “We’ve got a Ruined in position to take down a section of the front wall, and then the warriors are going in. The Ruined will attack shortly after. We’ve got them scattered in safe positions. Once they’ve exhausted their magic, we’ll move back in.”
“I want to try and get into the building and grab Olivia,” Em said.
“Your best bet is to wait until after we’ve taken it,” Iria said.
“What if you don’t succeed?”
“We will.” They’d reached the bottom of the hill, and she pointed into the thick of the trees. “Aren, there are a couple of Ruined that way. If you go meet up with them, they’ll get you in position.”
Aren shook his head. “I’m staying with Em. We’re going for Olivia. I’ll take down as many Lera soldiers as I can, though.”
“Fine.”
Iria took off, her footsteps quiet in the grass as she disappeared into the trees.
“Do you want to go in the front with everyone else?” Aren asked Em.
She shook her head. “All the attention will be there. Let’s be sneakier.” She headed into the trees, gesturing for him to follow her. Mariana stood with two warriors, and her eyes brightened when she saw Em and Aren coming.
“Did he release Olivia?”
“No,” Em said. “We’re going in after her. Is there anyone set up at the back of the building who could blow a hole in it?”
“Sure, we have Weldon back there, and he can do it,” Mariana said.
Em turned to Aren. “Can you hang back with Weldon and take out any Lera soldiers in the immediate area? I’ll go in by myself.”
“I should go in with you,” Aren said.
“No, you’ll be more useful if you can get the soldiers off me so I can get in. And I know how much energy that will take. You should be in a safe place.”
He paused, then nodded. “All right.”
“You need to hurry,” Mariana said. “We’re attacking any minute. You’ll hear the wall come down soon.”
Em and Aren took off, whispers of “Good luck” following them. The sun had completely set, and it was dark and silent as they ran. Her feet ached and her stomach had given up on the hope of food and just twisted sadly, but she ignored the pain.
They found Weldon in a tree not far from the back of the fortress. His legs dangled on either side of a branch, and he listened carefully as Aren explained the plan.
“We need you to blow a hole in the wall first,” Aren said. He pointed. “Then take out that spot right there at the back of the building. And if you could make it big, we’d appreciate it. Take some people out with it.”
Weldon grinned. “Absolutely.”
A low whistle echoed through the quiet night, and Weldon twisted his face into a more serious expression. “The front wall’s about to come down. Go!”
Em drew her sword and ran. The area at the back of the fortress was nothing but grass, and anyone in the tower could have seen her coming.
A loud boom sounded from the front of the fortress. The ground beneath her shook, and she fell to her knees, watching as the stones of the rear wall of the fortress rumbled. A large section exploded, sending pieces of stone and wood shooting out in every direction. She ducked her head, covering it with her hands.
She jumped to her feet, squinting in the dust and darkness. Weldon had blown a huge hole in the wall and the building, and two men lay crumpled in the rubble. Another was stumbling around, blood pouring from his scalp.
There were more guards inside. She could see at least four running toward the wreckage, and she headed right for them. Aren could take out at least three; that left one for her and her sword.
She hopped over the stones, pointing her sword to her left. Aren took care of the guard rushing toward her immediately. His body made a crunching sound as it slammed into the ceiling and then to the ground.
The guard right in front of her also flew out of reach, and she raised her sword to the one rushing at her. She kept one eye on the scene around her, frantically searching for Cas. Where was he?
She ran her blade into the guard’s chest when he lost his balance, and quickly darted away from him. Footsteps pounded the floor somewhere nearby, and she ran in the opposite direction. She didn’t want Aren to use his magic anymore. He needed to conserve his energy.
She slipped around the corner. Where would they keep Olivia? Locked in a cell, for sure. All the cells in Lera had been underground, so it was best to assume it was the same here.
She found a kitchen and a small dining room first, but no doors leading downstairs. She waited for the sounds of footsteps to fade, then darted across the destroyed room to the other side of the fortress.
She opened a door to find a small parlor. There was a door at the back of the room, and she ran to it and threw it open.
Stairs leading to the basement stretched out in front of her. A guard stood at the bottom, protecting a closed door, and his head popped up. He drew his sword.
She flew down the steps and the guard charged at her with a yell. She blocked his sword, raising her boot and slamming it into his chest. He fell backward, crashing into the door.
She seized the handle, pushing it open. The guard fell backward and scrambled to find his footing. She drove her sword into his chest.
“Em.”
She pulled her blade out of the guard, looking up at the sound of the familiar voice. A hallway of cells stretched out in front of her, and she stepped forward, toward the sound of the voice. Cas stood in a cell, his fingers wrapped around the bars. Galo was behind him, an utterly baffled expression on his face.
“What are you doing in . . .” Her voice trailed off as she noticed the dark-haired girl in the cell across from them. Olivia.
“I’m sorry,” Cas said. “I tried to free her, and my mother and Jovita stuck me in here.”
She rushed forward, gripping the bars of her sister’s cell. “Olivia? Are you all right?”
Her sister’s head popped up, and she turned her blindfolded eyes toward Em. She was too thin, her hair a crazy mess. Olivia was nearly sixteen, but she was so tiny it was almost as if she’d aged backward since Em had last seen her. Her Ruined marks had almost doubled, covering more skin than Em had ever seen. She had even more than their mother.
“Where are the keys?” She whirled around and Cas pointed at the guard. She ran over and snatched them off his belt.
“The green one,” Galo said. Then softer, to Cas, “Is she going to let us out too?”
“Of course I am,” Em said, running back to Olivia’s cell. She stuck the key in the lock and the door swung open. She darted inside and yanked the blindfold off her sister’s face.
Olivia blinked several times, her gaze resting on Em. Her lips twitched, the chains around her wrists rustling as she reached for Em, but she didn’t say a word. She just stared.
“Which one unlocks these?” she asked, reaching for the chains. The iron cuffs were locked at the wrist, and the long chain attached to them went all the way to the wall.
“I don’t know,” Galo replied. “Maybe one of the smaller keys?”
She sorted through the keys, trying two small ones before one clicked in the lock. She tore the cuffs off, taking Olivia’s hands and pulling her to her feet.
“Can you walk?” she asked. She put her hands on her sister’s cheeks. “Say something. You’re scaring me.”
Olivia scrunched up her face, glancing over her shoulder at Cas and Galo’s cell. She turned back to Em, lowering her voice to a whisper.
“Did you really marry him?”
Em laughed, but the sound died as screams sounded from upstairs. Footsteps pounded the floor above them. Olivia lifted her chin, her head cocking in interest at the noise.
“Em, if the warriors corner us down here . . .” Cas looked at her pleadingly. “It’s the red key.”
She rushed to Cas’s cell and unlocked it. Cas stepped out, his fingers wrapping around hers. “I’m so sorry they did this to her,” he said quietly.
Em shook her head. “It’s not your fault.”
“It’s absolutely his fault,” Olivia said from behind her.
Em turned away from Cas and faced Olivia. “I’ll explain later. The Olso warriors are attacking, and we need to get out of here.”
Olivia’s eyes lit up. “They are?”
Em jumped over the dead guard, running up the stairs with Cas and Galo close behind. Olivia took in a deep breath as they stepped into the parlor.
“That is so much better,” she said with a sigh. “Did you smell the Weakling flower down there? They lined the cells with it. I’ve barely been able to breathe for a year.”
The sounds of yelling and swords crashing together echoed through the fort, and Cas began running toward the front door. “Galo, can you help them get out safely?” he called over his should
er. He disappeared around the corner.
“Unnecessary.” Olivia held out her hand, and Galo’s feet left the ground. He hit the wall with a loud thud and crumpled to the floor with a grunt.
Em quickly grabbed Olivia’s hand, pulling it down. “Don’t. He’s a friend.”
“And that’s why I didn’t pull his spine out through his throat.” Olivia made a waving motion with her hand as Galo got to his feet with a wince. “Run, human. Before I change my mind.”
Em cast an apologetic look at Galo. “Go, Galo. We’ll be fine.”
Fear crossed his face, and he took off after Cas without a word.
“Are there really warriors outside?” Olivia asked, darting across the parlor.
Em caught her arm, pulling her back before she ducked through the archway. “Wait.” She pressed her back to the wall, peering around the corner. A guard walked past the front door, his sword drawn.
“Who let him out?” Jovita’s voice rumbled through the fortress, accompanied by the pounding of footsteps. She ran down the stairs, jabbing a finger at the guard. “Who let Prince Casimir out? Why did I just see him run into battle?”
Em put her arm out, telling Olivia to stay put for a moment.
“I don’t know,” the guard said. “He ran by me before I could stop him.”
Jovita turned her back to them, and Em gestured for Olivia to follow her. Em carefully snuck around the corner, taking a quick glance at the mess she’d left a few minutes earlier. The only guards in the room were dead, lying beneath piles of rubble.
Olivia yelped suddenly, and Em whirled around to see her pulling a rock off the bottom of her bare foot.
“Hey!” Jovita yelled, running around the corner. “Who’s—” Her eyes widened as they landed on Em, and she whipped her sword out. Olivia focused on the guard behind Jovita, sending him flying across the room.
