Tears spilled down his cheeks. He couldn’t rescue anyone. Not Iria, not the people in these cells, not the Ruined who were terrified of Olivia.
It had been easier when he hated everyone. Back when they’d first rescued Olivia, walking to the Ruina border with her and Em, discussing plans for the Ruined. Aren had thought they’d never see Cas or Iria or any of them ever again. Now he wasn’t sure how he’d ever stirred up that much hate.
He tried to think of what his mother would say in this situation. Maybe: Your gifts only take you so far. Use your head. Or: You can’t control the actions of everyone around you, but you can control how you respond. Or even: Have faith, Aren. Do your best and everything will work out in the end. None of it seemed right. Even his talkative, lecture-prone mother might have been speechless in this situation.
“Are you Aren?” a female voice asked.
He wiped a hand across his eyes as he peered over his shoulder at the woman in the first cell. She’d moved to the far left side, probably so she could see him. She sat cross-legged on the ground, the anger he’d seen on her face a moment ago gone.
“Yes,” he said. He turned so he was facing her. “Have we met?”
She shook her head. “I heard her mention you to Jacobo. She said, ‘Watch out for Aren. He may try to free them.’”
He scrubbed his hands down his face. “I can’t free you. They have the only keys. I’m sorry.”
“You’re Ruined.” She eyed the marks on his neck. “I thought maybe you were human when she said you’d try to rescue us.”
“Not all Ruined are like Olivia.” He closed his fingers around the bars of her cell. “Listen. Do what she wants. Things are . . . tense here. We probably won’t be here for long. If you can hold out for a little while longer, I can try to get you out of here.”
The woman leaned her head against the wall. “That honestly doesn’t inspire much confidence, Aren.” The man in the cell behind Aren laughed hollowly.
“I’m sorry,” he said, the words getting stuck in his throat. “It’s . . .” He wanted to tell her they were working to save all of Lera, that he had to be careful not to bring the full force of Olivia’s anger down on them. But it all sounded stupid. It didn’t excuse that he was leaving them here, maybe to die.
“I’m sorry,” he said again quietly. He slowly got to his feet. “Do you need anything? I can bring more food if you want.”
“Another blanket would be nice,” the woman said. “It’s cold in here at night.”
“Me too,” one of the men said.
“Sure,” he said, relieved to have something to do for them. He walked out of the room, leaving the door propped open.
He found a room around the corner with linens and grabbed four blankets. When he walked back to the cells the woman was standing in front of her bars, her head tilted forward like she was watching to see if he’d really come back. She took a few steps back when she spotted him.
He held one blanket through the bars. She hesitated for a moment before taking it, her fingers lightly brushing his.
“Thank you,” she said.
The shock of her touch vibrated up his arm. His Ruined magic stirred, almost like it wanted him to lean closer to her.
He took a step back instead. The woman was looking at her hand like she’d felt something too. She regarded him suspiciously.
He quickly distributed the other blankets and walked away from the cells. Tears burned in his eyes and he stopped as soon as he was outside. He braced his hands against his thighs, taking in gasps of air.
What use was it to be the most powerful Ruined alive if he couldn’t save anyone? If he couldn’t save Iria?
NINE
CAS TAPPED HIS fingers on his desk as he regarded the man in front of him. He was many years older than Galo, who stood next to him. His name was Jorge, and he was probably in his late forties or early fifties. Gray streaked the sides of his black hair. He’d been part of Cas’s father’s guard since his early twenties, according to Galo. His face was familiar to Cas, though he couldn’t remember ever meeting him.
Cas didn’t think his father would have bothered to pick his captain of the guard personally, but he’d told Galo he wanted to meet everyone. He trusted very few people these days.
“Where were you usually assigned with my father?” Cas asked.
Jorge sat up straighter in his chair. “For the past few years, I was his personal protection whenever he left the castle, Your Majesty. Here, I swept his rooms every day and stood guard outside.”
“What would you change if you became captain of my guard?”
“I would rotate the guards stationed outside your room more often—they’ve been getting drowsy,” Jorge said immediately. “I would form a small, private committee to look into every one of the guards. Some slipped back on your side after you banished Jovita. Anyone who wasn’t always loyal to you should go.”
“Even if they’ve changed their minds?” Cas asked. “We don’t exactly have a surplus of guards right now.”
“A smaller, fiercely loyal group is better than a large group that can be swayed. And the new guards we’re recruiting worship you. You have an incredible reputation with the people of Lera, and we have many interested in being guards as a result. We’ll have plenty of new guards to train.”
Cas leaned forward, resting his chin in his palm. “An incredible reputation? I think you may overestimate the people’s love for me. I’m the king trying to convince them that the Ruined aren’t dangerous.”
“No, Your Majesty. They’re scared and confused about the Ruined, but they trust you. They think you’re immortal.”
Cas let out a short laugh. “Immortal?”
“You’ve survived numerous attempts on your life.”
“True. I hope Jovita hears that rumor.” He laughed, though it was tinged with a hint of bitterness. “She’ll really never have a shot at the throne if I can’t die.”
Cas noticed Galo’s lips twitching. He’d mostly been serious through the interviews for the new captain of the guard, but he seemed more relaxed with Jorge, who he’d told Cas was his top choice.
“I’m assuming you agree with my Ruined policies?” Cas asked Jorge.
“I do.”
“You understand it is my sincere hope that you will have direct contact with Emelina Flores soon, and often, and I’ll expect you to protect her the same way you protect me?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Cas asked a few more questions about security, then Galo ushered Jorge out of the room.
“Would you like to talk to a few more guards, or have you made a decision?” Galo asked, standing in front of Cas’s desk.
“I think it should be Jorge.”
Galo smiled. “I agree.”
“Why don’t you go change out of your uniform and meet me in the Ocean Room? I have a meeting and I’d like you to attend.”
“The meeting with Violet and Franco?” Galo asked, clearly surprised.
“And Danna and Julieta.”
“Are you sure?” Galo asked.
“I’m sure.” Cas wasn’t sure what role Galo should fill now that he wasn’t a guard, but he was happy to have another person he could trust. Surely he could find something for Galo to do, and Cas would start by keeping him by his side during important meetings.
Galo hurried out of the office, and Cas ate a few bites of the lunch a staff member brought him. Then he headed to the meeting, guards trailing after him. They stopped at the door of the Ocean Room and he stepped inside.
Everyone was already there, including Galo, now dressed in black pants and a crisp blue shirt. They all stood when Cas entered the room.
“Have a seat,” Cas said, sliding into the chair at the head of the table. Violet was on one side of him, Franco on the other. Next to them were Julieta and Danna, and Galo at the end.
“You all look grim,” Cas said. “Did Olivia attack another town?”
“No, Your Majesty,” Franco said. “She appears to have gone back to Westhaven after killing everyone in Fayburn.”
“It’s Jovita,” Violet said. Her voice was gentle, her eyes worried, and Cas already knew what she was going to say.
“She poisoned me,” he said. “You found out for sure.”