Olivia’s lips parted. She stared at each of the Ruined in turn, her expression growing more furious by the second. “You let this happen? You’re helping the people who murdered us?”
“Olivia,” Em said gently. “It’s complicated, and we—”
“It is not complicated!” Olivia yelled. “We do not partner with Lerans! We do not betray our fellow Ruined!”
“We have to make certain alliances to survive,” Ivanna said. “If you can’t see that, then—”
“Then what?” Olivia screamed. “What will you do?”
“Aren!” Em yelled. “Jacobo, behind you!”
Aren let go of Galo’s wrist, and they both whirled around. Jacobo charged at Galo with a sword. Galo actually felt a burst of relief. A sword he could handle. He reached for the blade at his waist.
Aren yanked on his shirt suddenly, pulling Galo back and darting in front of him as Jacobo lunged. Galo stumbled, his hand slipping from his sword. Jacobo’s eyes widened as he realized he was going to stab Aren, not Galo, and the blade twitched to the right. It sliced across Aren’s waist.
Gasps echoed across the forest. Aren’s shirt was immediately soaked through with blood.
“They’re coming!” someone yelled from the tree. “From the west! We have to get into position now!”
Galo stared at the blood spreading across Aren’s shirt. He put a hand out, ready to steady Aren if he was going to fall. “Is it deep?” he asked.
Aren didn’t reply. He and Em were communicating with their eyes. He didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the wound.
“It’s a trap,” Jacobo said.
Olivia stared at Em. “I killed all their Lera soldiers.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Em said quietly. “I have no control over the Olso army. You either need to run or prepare to fight.”
Olivia’s eyes flashed. Em took a step back.
“Let’s run,” Jacobo said. “They’re planning something.”
“No,” Olivia said sharply. “Get in position.”
“But—”
“Get in position!” Olivia screamed. “I don’t care what they’re planning.” She directed her next words at Em. “I can kill all the soldiers myself, if I have to.”
Galo took in a sharp breath. He didn’t think that was true, but Olivia looked determined enough to make it happen.
“Get in position!” Olivia yelled again.
Em took off first, headed into the trees to find a hiding spot. Aren grabbed Galo’s arm and pulled him, frequently looking over his shoulder at Olivia. Galo’s gaze was fixed on Aren’s bloody shirt.
Aren led him west, away from the Ruined, and in the direction the Olso army would be coming from. The trees were a little thinner this direction, and they had to crouch low behind a mess of vines. It wasn’t the best hiding spot, but they’d be the first to see the soldiers as they approached.
“Let me see,” Galo said to Aren. He tried to lift Aren’s shirt to examine his wound.
“It’s just a scratch,” Aren said, batting his hand away. “Get down.”
Galo obeyed, sinking a little lower to the ground. He looked over his shoulder to see the last few Ruined running into position—climbing trees, disappearing behind bushes, and making gestures to each other. He’d lost sight of Olivia and Em.
The jungle went still and quiet. Galo looked at Aren to find him lifting his shirt, examining the gash on his side. It was more than “just a scratch,” and actually looked rather painful.
“Why would you do that?” Galo whispered. “I’m good with a sword, I could have fought him off.”
“You’re welcome,” Aren said wryly.
“I didn’t mean—”
“I know. I’m fine. It’s just one more scar.” He said it easily, without bitterness. Galo’s gaze fell to the burn scars on Aren’s arms. He’d always tried not to stare at them, afraid it would make Aren uncomfortable, but he couldn’t help himself this time. If someone had asked him, an hour ago, if he considered himself vain, he would have immediately said no. Now he was thinking about what kind of scar that rock was going to leave on his face, and thinking that he wouldn’t want even half the scars that Aren had.
“Thank you,” he said. He could tell Aren had noticed him looking at his scars. “For saving me,” he added, like it wasn’t obvious. He felt the sudden urge to do more for Aren, though he wasn’t sure what that would be. He didn’t have much to offer a powerful Ruined.
“Sure. I’m probably going to have to do it again in a minute, so don’t leave my side no matter what. Got it?”
Galo might have laughed if he weren’t still vibrating with terror from his encounter with Olivia. “Got it.”
Aren leaned forward, bracing his hand against a thick vine as he looked for the Olso army. Beside him, Galo was on his knees, his hands pressed to the dirt like he was preparing to run at a moment’s notice. Aren nodded his approval.
A few horses appeared in the distance. The riders weren’t wearing Olso or Vallos uniforms, and Aren leaned forward just slightly, squinting at them. Several more horses appeared behind them.
“It’s Jovita,” Galo whispered. “The one in front, on the brown horse.”
Aren glanced at him. “How can you tell?”
“She’s wearing a royal belt. The sun is catching it. See?”
Aren looked again. Sure enough, a large buckle on her silver belt was shining in the sun, announcing her presence to everyone in the area. She wasn’t used to traveling discreetly. Or she just didn’t care.
There were about two hundred riders in all black around her, and Aren caught a flash of blue on several of their shirts. Ruined pins. They were hunters.
More horses appeared behind her, these wearing red-and-white warrior jackets. There were a few black and yellow Vallos uniforms scattered among them as well.
They kept coming, hundreds of them, probably more than Olivia and her Ruined supporters could handle. That was the plan, but his gut still twisted.
The army advanced in their direction. Some of the people in front were near enough to see now, and it was indeed Jovita. They were on the path directly in front of Aren and Galo, so close that Aren could have taken only a few quick steps to reach them.
The hunters passed, and a familiar blond man appeared behind them. He was on a horse, flanked by two warriors. August. The new king of Olso.
Aren’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t expected August to join the troops.
August’s brow was lowered, dark circles beneath his eyes. He looked not just exhausted, but almost like a completely different person. Aren wasn’t surprised. He knew what it felt like to lose your entire family in one swoop. He knew the toll it took.
August turned, scratching at a spot on his neck. His eyes met Aren’s.
They stared at each other for a moment. August cut his eyes to the left, then the right. His gaze landed on the tree not far ahead, where Jacobo sat in the branches.
Galo took in a sharp breath. Aren curled his fingers around a vine, preparing to shout for the Ruined to attack.
August jerked his head at the men around him and cut his horse to the left. Away from the Ruined.
Jovita and the other hunters looked over their shoulders, frowning in confusion as they watched the Olso and Vallos soldiers take off.
“Is he . . .” Galo let his voice trail off.
“He’s leaving her,” Aren said. “They’re not prepared to fight, so he’s abandoning her.” It was a smart choice, maybe the only one Aren had ever seen August make. The warriors weren’t prepared to fight, their bombs and weapons packed away. By the time they got ready, Olivia would have already killed them all.
Of course, that meant there were only a couple of hundred humans for Olivia to fight off. She could handle a few hundred without a problem. Em’s plan had failed.
A loud whistle rang through the forest. The signal from Olivia to attack. Jacobo dropped from the tree right next to Jovita’s horse. Jovita’s face changed from
confusion to horror as she realized what was happening. A couple of hundred hunters were surrounded by Ruined on all sides.
“August!” Jovita yelled, like she’d thought he’d simply made a mistake. She clearly didn’t know him very well.
Chaos erupted around Jovita and the hunters. Olivia dropped from her tree, and at least thirty other Ruined emerged from their hiding spots. Jacobo used his magic to shake the ground beneath the hunters and several fell off their horses. The animals darted away in fear.
Olivia killed three men with the flick of her wrist, but she was staring at the retreating army. A warrior fell off his horse as she killed him.
“Cowards!” she screamed after them. She whirled around and pointed at Aren. “Help me stop them!”
Aren stood slowly and shook his head. If August had stayed, he and Em and their Ruined supporters would be running right now. They’d be putting as much space between themselves and the armies as possible. But Aren could see Em, rooted to the ground as she watched the army leave.
Olivia turned left, then right. The Ruined who were supposed to be helping her were moving back, away from the hunters. Davi and Mariana ducked behind trees. Several other Ruined followed.
An arrow whizzed through the air, and Aren gasped as he watched it barely miss Olivia’s face. It soared past her ear and found a different target—Jacobo. The arrow pierced his chest, making him stumble backward, blood dripping out of his mouth. He crumpled to the ground.
Olivia whirled around, finding the hunter with the arrow. Blood spurted from his chest and he slumped to the ground. The hunters around him fell as well.
“Why aren’t you helping?” Ester screamed at the hiding Ruined. Ivanna and Em were nearby, crouched behind a bush, but neither of them moved. Ruined-made lightning streaked across the sky.
Olivia’s face contorted with rage, but her anger at being deserted didn’t slow her down. She spun and flung her arms, the hunters around her dropping to the ground as she killed them. Galo, still crouched on the ground near Aren’s feet, made a strangled noise as he watched.
The two hundred hunters were fewer than fifty in a matter of minutes. Priscila pulled a tree down with her Ruined magic, crushing several more hunters beneath it. Other Ruined formed a circle around Olivia, guarding her as she surveyed the area. There were about twenty hunters left, all of them running for their lives. They darted through the trees in every direction.
Olivia pointed to each hunter as she killed them. One fell only a few paces from Aren. Another straight ahead of him. A few disappeared into the jungle, but Olivia killed the others.
Aren sucked in a breath. Human bodies littered the ground all around them. Olivia had killed almost every one of the two hundred hunters. And as far as he could tell, they’d only lost one Ruined—Jacobo was slumped on the ground, an arrow still sticking out of his chest.
Priscila collapsed against a tree, and several other Ruined followed suit. Olivia’s eyes met Aren’s, and he could see the exhaustion there. Blood was splattered across her white shirt. Her hands shook just slightly.
Em stepped out from behind the bush, Ivanna and several other Ruined following her. Mariana appeared next to Aren, looking at the scene in front of Olivia with wide eyes.
“Are the Lera soldiers still there?” Em asked Galo.
“No, she killed them all.”
Em closed her eyes briefly. “Right. Of course she did.”
“Oh, Em!” Olivia called. Her voice shook with rage.
Em slowly turned to face Olivia. Aren gestured for Galo to get behind Mariana.
Olivia took a step forward. She scanned the area, clearly searching for something. She knelt down and pulled a sword from beneath a dead hunter.
Olivia stood, sword pointed at Em. She lunged.
TWENTY
EM’S SWORD WAS in her hand. She hadn’t even thought about it. When someone came at her with a weapon, she grabbed her sword.
But this someone was Olivia. Her sister was racing straight at her, blade pointed in front of her.
Em tightened her fingers around the handle of her sword but didn’t lift it. She stood there, motionless, watching as Olivia drew closer. Em waited for her to slow down or lower the sword. She kept coming.
Em raised her sword at the very last minute. Olivia’s blade hit hers. It would have been Em’s chest if she hadn’t reacted in time.
Olivia tried to point her sword at Em again, but Em easily deflected it. The sword tumbled out of Olivia’s hand. Em had told Olivia once that she should spend more time learning to use a sword. It might be necessary one day, Em had said.
Olivia glared at her like she could tell what Em was thinking.
“Was this your plan?” Olivia asked, gesturing to the dead bodies around them. “Lead us to a battle, and then refuse to fight? Did you think that would be enough to defeat me?”
Em didn’t respond. She was still looking at the sword on the ground. Olivia would have killed her if she hadn’t stopped it. Her sister would have driven that sword through Em’s chest, and she was suddenly rooted to the ground, her body cold.
“Were you hoping they would kill me?” Olivia asked. “Were you hoping they would kill all of us?” She gestured to the Ruined behind her.
Em still had no response. She hadn’t been hoping for that, no. Dreading it. Expecting it. She’d spent the last few days feeling sick over her decision, living with a constant rock in her stomach, and she didn’t know how to handle the fact that Olivia was both alive and wanted to kill her.
“You’re a traitor,” Olivia said. “You and everyone who helped you.”
“I’m sorry,” Em finally said quietly. Her voice shook. “You left me no choice.”
“You’re sorry?” Olivia balled her hands into fists. “You’re choosing that boy over me, over your people, and you’re sorry?”
Em couldn’t deny that. She had chosen Cas over her sister. She’d chosen a lot of things over her sister.
“It’s bigger than that,” a voice said. Ivanna was standing a few paces away from Em.
“You’re worse than her,” Olivia said to Ivanna. “A useless Ruined isn’t a Ruined at all. But you should know better.”
A rustling noise made them all turn, and Em saw a dark-haired girl jumping over bodies, trying to dart out of sight. Jovita.
Olivia waved her arm, sending Jovita crashing to her feet. “I know that one.” She glanced over her shoulder at Ester. “Bring her here.”
Ester trudged to Jovita and grabbed her by the shirt collar. Jovita clawed at Ester’s hands as she dragged her across the dirt.
“Cas’s cousin, right?” Olivia asked. “The one you so desperately didn’t want to have the throne?”
“Yes,” Em replied. Jovita landed in a heap behind Olivia, breathing heavily.
“Weren’t you going to kill her?” Olivia asked. “Failed at that, too, I guess.”
“Cas was going to kill her,” Em said. “But he didn’t need to.”
Jovita looked startled, and then insulted, even through her fear.
“Get some rope and tie her up,” Olivia ordered.
Jovita threw a panicked look at Em as Ester dragged her away. Em felt sorry for Jovita—she felt sorry for anyone Olivia took hostage—but there was nothing she could do for her. She had to make sure the Ruined made it away from Olivia.
“Let’s go, Em,” Ivanna said. “We’re not leaving without you.”
Olivia looked around, like she suddenly realized just how few Ruined were left with her. She jumped forward and grabbed Em by the collar, bringing their faces close together. A few flecks of blood were spattered across her cheek.
It took Em a moment to realize what Olivia was doing.
Her sister stared at her, eyes wide and wild. Her brow crinkled.
She was trying to use her powers on Em.
Em felt a flood of relief when nothing happened. Her body didn’t move. It didn’t even twinge. Dread quickly followed the relief. Olivia was trying to ki
ll her. Again.
She jerked away. “Did you just try to use your powers on me?”
“You’re not Ruined,” Olivia snarled. “You’re nothing.”
Part of Em wasn’t surprised to hear Olivia say that. Another part of her was devastated, thinking of every time Olivia told her she still had value even though she was useless. Those two words—you’re nothing—immediately canceled out every kind thing her sister had ever said to her about her lack of Ruined power.
“Whatever I am, you can’t control me.” Em’s words came out a little bitter.
Olivia’s expression darkened. The truth hurt, it seemed.
A hand touched Em’s arm. She turned to see Ivanna standing next to her.
“It’s time to go,” Ivanna said softly.
“I’ll consider everyone who goes with Em a traitor,” Olivia said. “You will not be welcome back.”
“You’re not our queen,” Ivanna said. “She is.”
For a moment, it was as if Ivanna had slapped Olivia. The anger melted off her face and she just looked hurt, like the girl Em had once known.
Then Olivia lowered her eyebrows, pure rage in her gaze as she stared at Ivanna.
Ivanna screamed. Blood soaked through her shirt and trickled down her arms. Em pressed a hand to her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. She heard the body drop a moment later.
Gasps echoed across the forest. When Em opened her eyes, she found even a few of the Ruined behind Olivia were horrified. Priscila stared openmouthed at Ivanna’s dead body. Carmen looked like she was going to vomit. Em’s stomach churned.
Olivia grabbed a fistful of Em’s shirt and yanked her closer. “I’m going to kill you.”
Em’s heart dropped into her feet. Her sister wasn’t being dramatic or just speaking in anger. She was dead serious.
Em thought briefly of their mother, of her big plans for Em to rule by Olivia’s side. She wondered suddenly if their mother would be horrified by both of them, or if she would have taken Olivia’s side. The uncertainty was too much, and Em had to push the thought away.
“Em, let’s go,” Aren said, his voice strained. He knew Olivia was serious.
Em tried to tug her shirt from her sister’s grasp. Olivia held tighter.