She’d grown up not far from here, and had visited that bakery several times. Mornings were chilly year round, and she had the first shift at school, so she’d often duck in before sunrise and eat a warm sticky bun before class. The owner, an older woman with a kind smile, would give her free hot chocolate sometimes, and Iria would sit at one of the stools by the window and watch warriors and judges and other government people stream into the courthouse.
She’d gone back to the bakery recently, when she’d been home briefly between her trips to Lera and Ruina. The kind owner had passed away and a perfectly nice young man had taken her place, but the rolls tasted different and they didn’t sell hot chocolate anymore. And as she walked out of the bakery with her disappointing pastry, she’d thought of Aren, and wondered if he’d made it to Ruina, and if he had enough food. It had been her idea to bring the Ruined food when the king decided to send August.
She willed away thoughts of Aren as a guard stomped down the center aisle of the jail cells. There were at least twenty cells at this location, but Iria hadn’t seen or heard any other prisoners. Perhaps they thought being a traitor was contagious.
Iria got to her feet as the guard stopped in front of her cell. The door slid open with a bang. Another guard appeared beside him.
“It’s time,” the first guard said. “Hold out your arms.”
She did as he said, and the guard slapped handcuffs around her wrists. The chains rattled as she lowered her hands.
“Follow me.” The guard stepped out of the cell and she trailed behind him. The other one was on her heels, and up ahead she could see two more in their white-and-red uniforms. Olso jails were not easy to escape from, but they clearly weren’t taking any chances.
The cells were attached to the courthouse through a long hallway, and her heart thudded in her chest as they walked. She hadn’t seen her family or friends since arriving back in Olso, and she was both dreading and looking forward to it.
They reached the end of the hallway and the guard pulled open the door. Iria squinted in the bright light as they stepped onto the marble floors.
She knew this courthouse well—the high ceilings, the bright white floors, the stained-glass doors that brought a blast of cool air every time they opened. Her father was a judge. She wondered if he still was, or if he’d been punished for her actions as well.
The courthouse was full of people, and they turned to stare as she walked by. Cas’s mother, the former queen of Lera, used to be the most famous traitor in Olso. It seemed Iria had snatched that title away.
She swallowed down a wave of panic. She still wasn’t entirely sure how she’d gotten here. Her family was highly regarded in Olso, and she’d had no trouble passing the exams to become a warrior. She’d beaten out stiff competition to win the honor of helping Emelina Flores execute her plan to take down Lera. Then the Lera castle had fallen, the Ruined agreed to partner with Olso, and Iria had been heralded as a hero. She could still see the pride in her mother’s eyes when she’d come back from Lera, the first time. She had exceeded her expectations, and that was not an easy task with her mother.
And now, Iria was here. About to go on trial for treason.
Aren. His face popped into her head and refused to leave, no matter how many times she willed it away. She had betrayed her fellow warriors in the jungle for him. The choice was to let them kill Aren, or betray them, and that had not been a difficult decision. She hadn’t given it a second thought before screaming the warning that saved Aren’s life. She hadn’t hesitated to run when he took her hand.
He, however, hesitated plenty. He was still in Lera—or back in Ruina, maybe—because he was too scared to leave the Ruined. Even when he was horrified and scared of Olivia, he chose her over Iria, because of the marks on their bodies. Because of the powers they shared. She could see the conflict in Aren’s eyes, but still, he hesitated.
Not that it mattered now. Barring a miracle, she would rot in a prison for the rest of her life.
I’ll find you. I don’t care if I have to break into every prison in Olso. I’ll find you. Aren’s last words to her rang in her ears, spoken only a couple of weeks ago. She’d believed him at the time. She remembered thinking that of course the most powerful Ruined alive would rescue her.
But reality hit on the journey across the sea. As they put her in the cell. Aren had never even been to Olso. The Ruined were on the brink of war with Lera. She was not his priority, and to hope for a miraculous rescue from him would only bring disappointment.
A shout made her head jerk up, and through the front windows, she saw a huge group of people standing outside the courthouse. Most of them wore black and brown coats—fashion in Olso was much more understated than in Lera—and there were a few red warrior uniforms scattered among them. Some of the people held signs, and she craned her neck to read a few.
WE DEMAND VICTORY.
FIGHT THE RUINED.
A few of the protestors were trying to enter the courthouse, and guards were struggling to keep them back.
Iria felt a tug on her chains, urging her to walk faster, and she turned away from the protestors. The Olso warriors had suffered humiliating defeats in Lera and in their own country, and it seemed not everyone was ready to give up the fight.
The guard opened the door to the courtroom. The benches to her left and right were packed but silent, and she had to blink away tears as she scanned the faces. Many were familiar.
She spotted her parents almost immediately. Her mother hadn’t bothered to turn to see Iria enter. She stood rigidly, staring straight ahead. Iria’s mother was not understanding about even the smallest of things, so she certainly wouldn’t have any sympathy for a traitor daughter. Iria knew this, but it stung anyway. Her father was turned to watch Iria, tears in his eyes, disappointment and anger lining his face.
At the front of the room sat the judge, on a platform elevated slightly over the rest of the room. To the left of the judge was a woman Iria didn’t know—a government official, probably—and to the right was August. King August now, since Olivia had killed almost his entire family. Of all the heirs to the Olso throne, Iria would have chosen August last.
The king wouldn’t normally be present at a trial, but Iria was special. He watched her walk into the room, his face unreadable. He was already an unpopular king, since the people (rightly) blamed him for the Ruined attack on the Olso castle.
A long table was in front of the judge, where Iria was expected to stand during the proceedings. The guard left her at the table without removing the chains around her wrists.
Iria dared a glance over her shoulder. Just behind her was Daven, a boy she had dated briefly a couple of years ago. He glared at her with such contempt that she wished she’d been meaner when she dumped him.
She faced forward again. The judge motioned for the room to quiet down and the hushed whispers around her faded.
“Iria Ubino,” the judge said. “You’ve been charged with treason, murder, and colluding with the enemy. You may speak to these charges, if you wish.”
She clasped her hands together to keep them from shaking. “I never murdered anyone.”
The judge pointed to Iria’s right. “Warrior Rodrigo, can you speak to those charges?”
Iria looked and found Rodrigo standing. He was a warrior she’d known well, before. He had been there when she escaped with Aren, when he and the other warriors killed the Ruined with no warning, no reason.
“Three warriors died when that Ruined, Aren, attacked us and left with Iria,” he said.
Iria faced the judge. “And two Ruined died. The warriors killed them.”
“As they’d been ordered to,” the judge said.
“It was the wrong order.”
“That is not for you to decide. You took an oath to always follow the orders of your leaders. Three warriors died because you did not. Do you have anything else to say with regard to the charges?”
Tears pricked her eyes. There was no miracle coming. She didn’t know what she expected—understanding? Not about the Ruined. Not when Olivia had just burned down a good portion of the castle and killed the royal family.