The ground started to shake.
Cas stumbled, throwing his arms out to steady himself. A long crack ripped through the dirt right in between his legs, and he quickly jumped to one side. A guard had his arm, keeping him steady as the ground rumbled.
“Heads up!” someone yelled, and Cas spun around to see the tree just next to the Ruined tilting dangerously to the left. A few hunters scrambled out of the way as the roots ripped out of the dirt. The trunk slammed to the ground, narrowly missing a guard. Two more trees quickly followed.
The Ruined tried to make a run for it, but a guard grabbed him from behind. Another one punched him across the face. Dirt lifted off the ground as if caught in an invisible wind. The Ruined glared as he tossed it in the faces of a few guards.
Cas whirled around, shaking off the guard who still had his arm. His father stood in front of him. Behind him, Cas heard a loud smack, then a grunt from the Ruined. The ground rumbled again, though not nearly as powerfully as the first time.
“Imagine if you were alone with him,” the king said. He gestured at a fallen tree. “Look what he’s capable of.”
Look what he did because you tortured him. The thought hit him so forcefully he felt sick.
“Who is he?” Cas asked quietly. He wanted his father to tell him that this was one of the worst Ruined. Explain how he’d killed innocent people. Maybe he’d been with the group that murdered Mary’s parents.
“You heard them,” the king said, gesturing at the guards. “He hasn’t spoken. We’ll find out who he is and why he was crossing into Olso soon enough, though.”
Dread filled Cas’s chest, and he dropped his gaze from his father’s.
Was this what the hunters did in Ruina and Vallos? They hunted down Ruined and tortured them? Killed them?
Of course they did. Cas knew that. He’d known it since his father issued the order. But it felt different, seeing it in action.
His father took a step closer to him. “If Olso partnered with the Ruined, it could be devastating to us. Do you understand that, Casimir? The combination of Olso’s military abilities with the Ruined’s powers could destroy us.”
“They said they didn’t know the Ruined were coming into Olso,” Cas said. “Do you think they were lying?”
“Yes.” The king ran a hand over his beard. “Always assume everyone is lying. Don’t trust anyone, except those closest to you. You have a tendency to see the good in people, and I admire that, but it will destroy you. I promise you it will.”
Cas’s head was starting to pound, and the screams from the Ruined were doing nothing to help it. The gusts of wind blowing across his face kept getting softer as they drained the man of his power.
“What will you do if he admits to working with the warriors?” Cas asked.
“We will plan an attack. We’ve defeated Olso before, and we can do it again. We just can’t allow ourselves to be caught off guard.”
Cas glanced over his shoulder at the Ruined. He was on the ground, his injured hand cradled against his chest. His eyes fluttered, a moan escaping his lips.
“I understand. But is this the best way?” He lowered his voice, unable to keep back the questions he’d often wanted to ask the past year. “Is killing the Ruined the only way?”
“When you think you’ve come up with a better plan, please share it. I’ll be eager to hear it.” The king walked back to his horse, gesturing to a few guards to follow him.
Laughter sounded from behind Cas, and he turned to find a hunter with his dagger poised over the Ruined’s other hand. The Ruined had his eyes squeezed shut as he waited to lose another finger.
“Stop!” Cas yelled. The hunter jumped away, almost losing hold of the dagger. “He’s had enough.”
Every guard focused on something behind him, and Cas glanced over his shoulder to see his father atop his horse, watching him.
“You want him alive, correct?” Cas asked.
“I do, for now. You can handle his transport to the cell with the guards, since you’re confident he’s weak enough.”
“I’d be happy to,” Cas said. His father gave Cas a look that wasn’t exactly disapproval, but maybe wasn’t supportive either. He turned his horse toward the castle. Three guards followed him.
“How did you transport him to Lera?” Cas asked the nearest hunter.
“Wagon,” the hunter said, pointing into the darkness. “It’s not far that way.”
“Put him in it and bring him to the castle. I assume he’s going to the cells on the south lawn?” He doubted his father would let any Ruined step one foot inside the castle.
A guard nodded. “Those are our orders.”
“I’ll meet you there.” Cas mounted his horse, and Galo and a few other guards rode with him back to the castle grounds. He left his horse at the gate and walked in the dark to the south lawn. Outdoor and sporting events were often held there, but there was a small underground prison at the far end of the property. It was used to house the more dangerous prisoners, the ones they didn’t want sleeping beneath the castle.
The hunters brought the wagon straight onto the south lawn, and one of them had to practically hold the Ruined up as they pulled him out.
Galo grabbed the handle of the door in the ground and opened it. He hopped in first, and Cas followed him down the stairway into the underground cells. It was pitch-black, but the narrow space filled with light as Galo lit the first lantern.
There were five cells in a row to Cas’s left, every one of them empty. A walkway ran between the cells and the wall, and two chairs sat at either end of the room, for the guards.
Several guards descended the stairs, and Cas moved to the far end of the area as the hunters dragged the Ruined down the steps. They thrust him into the first cell, not even the slightest bit gently. He hit the ground on his hands and knees, and Cas studied his dirty left hand, missing its pinkie finger.
“Can someone please bring something to clean his wound?” Cas asked. “And bandages?”
A hunter gave him a confused look.
“I don’t know how long my father wants him alive,” Cas said. “Do you want him to die of an infection?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” a guard said, turning away.
“You can go,” Cas said to the four hunters crowding around the cell. “Thank you.”
They disappeared up the stairs, leaving just Galo and three other guards. Cas stepped to the open door of the cell, leaning against it.
“Perhaps we should close the door, Your Highness,” a guard said.
“After his wound is cleaned.” He held out his hand. “May I have a sword, though?”
A guard withdrew his blade from his belt and offered it to Cas. He took it and turned back to the Ruined. The Ruined straightened, scooting back to lean against the end of the small bed in the corner. One of his eyes was starting to swell shut, and he lifted his head to meet Cas’s gaze.
“What’s your name?” Cas asked.
The Ruined didn’t reply.
“I’m Casimir. Prince of Lera.” He waited for the Ruined to offer his name, but he remained silent. “How old are you?”
“A hundred and two.” The Ruined smirked. “I’ve learned how to live forever and keep my good looks.”
“Really?” Cas asked, feigning surprise. “My father would love to talk to you about that.”
A snort came from one of the guards behind him, and the Ruined stared at Cas as if he wasn’t sure if that was a joke.
“A name?” Cas asked again. “Just a first name, so I know what to call you.”
“You can call me Ruined,” he said, leaning his head against the bed. “I’m not ashamed of it.”
Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and the guard who’d left reappeared with a bucket of water, a clean cloth, bandages, and a small silver tin. The guard hesitated, like he didn’t want to enter the cell, and Galo held his hands out for the items.
“I’ll do it.” He grabbed everything from the guard and walked past Cas
into the cell, placing the bucket and tin on the ground. He dipped the cloth in the water. “Hold out your hand.”
The Ruined hesitated, peering at his bloodied fingers.
“It’s going to hurt, but I’m not going to make it worse on purpose,” Galo said.
The Ruined slowly put his hand out in front of him. He winced as Galo began wiping it down.
“This is berol root,” Galo said as he scooped some of the black paste out of the tin with the cloth. “It will help the wound close without getting infected.” He gently applied it over the stump where the Ruined’s pinkie finger used to be.
“We wouldn’t want me getting an infection before you kill me,” the Ruined said through clenched teeth.
“If you tell my father what he needs to know, maybe we can come up with a way to spare your life,” Cas said.
The Ruined let out a hollow laugh. “Like keeping me prisoner for the rest of my life? No thank you.”
He wasn’t wrong, so Cas said nothing. His father would never just release one of the Ruined, even if he’d done nothing wrong.
He rubbed a hand across his forehead, the full weight of those words settling in. Even if he’d done nothing wrong.
Galo wrapped the Ruined’s hand in the bandage and stood, grabbing the remaining supplies. Cas stepped back and a guard closed the cell door.
“Two guards should stay down here with him,” Cas said. “He should have water and three meals a day.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” the guards murmured.
Cas looked at the Ruined to find him staring, his eyebrows drawn together.
“I’ll be down often to check on you,” Cas said. “We don’t mistreat our prisoners in Lera, Ruined or not.” He glanced over his shoulder at the guards. “Please remind the other guards of that.”
“I look forward to being treated well right up until you chop off my head, Casimir,” the Ruined said, bringing his knees close to his chest and throwing his good arm over them.
Cas wanted to ask what the Ruined’s life was like. Who he’d killed. If he’d kill everyone in the room, if given the chance. If he hated everyone who wasn’t Ruined, and if he’d always felt that way, or if Cas’s father had caused it.
But whatever he said to the Ruined right now was likely to get repeated all over the castle by the guards.
“People call me Cas,” he said. “And I’d rather not call you Ruined. I’d prefer to use your name.”
The Ruined’s eyes flashed with anger and a tiny hint of interest. He held Cas’s gaze almost to the point of discomfort, like he was testing the prince to see how much he really wanted to know.
“Damian,” the Ruined finally said. “My name’s Damian.”
THIRTEEN
EM FLEW OUT of her room, the door slamming closed behind her. A maid looked down the hallway, startled. Em rushed past her and to the stairs.
They’d captured a Ruined. The news was all over the castle this morning, according to Davina. He was being held in a cell on the south lawn and was only being kept alive long enough to spill information to the king.
Her heart pounded as she reached the bottom of the stairs. It was very likely that she knew the man they had captured, since there weren’t that many of them left. Would he leak the secret about their pact with Olso? And if he didn’t talk, would she have to stand by and watch him die, or risk blowing her cover?
The castle was just starting to come alive for the morning, and she edged around the corner to avoid the queen and several ladies walking across the foyer. She headed for the back of the castle, pushing open a door to the west wing. The guards’ rooms were down this wing, and two of them straightened as she walked through the door.
“Have you seen Aren?” she asked.
“I’ll get him for you, Your Highness,” one of the guards said, jogging down the hallway. He knocked on a door, and Aren stuck his head out a few moments later. He stepped out of the room, buttoning his blue shirt as he walked. She could tell from his expression that he’d already heard.
She jerked her head, indicating that he should follow her. He trailed behind her through the castle and into the gardens. They walked through the flowers into the center of the tall hedges, away from any prying ears.
She took a quick glance around before facing Aren and lowering her voice so it was barely a whisper.
“Have you heard a name?” she asked. “Did he talk?”
“The guards I asked didn’t know. And they don’t want us going down there unless we’re assigned a shift. I can volunteer for a shift, but I thought it was best to time it right.”
She swallowed down a wave of panic. “If he tells them the Ruined are partnering with the warriors—”
“He won’t,” Aren interrupted.
“We don’t even know who they have.”
“That doesn’t mean he would betray us. There’s nothing the king could say or do that would make him want to talk. Would you talk, if it was you who were captured?”
She pushed her hands through her hair with a sigh. “Of course not. They would kill me as soon as they got the information.”
“Exactly. Whoever this is knows that too. But don’t go down there, just in case. We don’t want him recognizing you and using it as leverage.”
“What do you think our chances are of being able to rescue him?”
“Not good,” Aren said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But maybe you can convince them not to execute him for a while. If you can stall them, he might have a chance.”
“I can try.”
“They’re saying Cas was there last night.”
“Good. I’ll go find him. I’ll let you know if I figure out who it is.”
“Be careful,” Aren warned. “Don’t blow your cover for this. If we have to let one Ruined die . . .” He lifted his shoulders. “Then we have to let him die. It’s unfortunate, but there are bigger things at stake here.”
He stared at something behind her, and she turned to see Iria crossing the gardens, a grim expression on her face.
“You were supposed to protect them!” Em hissed as soon as Iria was near. “Why is there a Ruined in that cell?”
Iria tugged on a piece of hair, twisting it around her finger. “It’s Damian.”
Em’s heart stopped beating. All the sounds of the garden faded away and were replaced by a loud buzzing noise in her ears, like a million bugs had descended around her head at once.
Damian would never talk. Even though he knew the biggest secret, Em’s secret, he wouldn’t give the king one shred of information.
But he would die.
“How do you know that?” Aren asked.
“Cas went down there. Got his name out of him. Koldo heard it from one of the guards.”
“What?” Em practically yelled.
Iria’s usual smug expression fell into a mask of annoyance. “Would you keep your voice down? Do you want them to throw you in that cell with him?”
Yes. She did. That was where she belonged, not married to the prince who had put Damian in that cell.
“How did Cas get it out of him?’” Em asked, lowering her voice. “Did they hurt him?”
“Yes. The king and Cas tortured him last night to weaken him, from what I understand.”
Anger boiled in her veins. When it came down to it, Cas was exactly like his father. She knew this, yet still felt the briefest flicker of disappointment.
“We’ve been protecting the Ruined, but—” Iria said.
“Then why is Damian about to be executed?” Aren asked.
“We are helping hundreds of Ruined in Olso. The fact that only one has been captured is actually pretty impressive.”
Em balled her fingers into fists, seriously considering punching Iria in the face.
“I’m very sorry that the one who was caught was your friend,” Iria added, putting her hands up like she knew what Em was thinking. “But you need to pull yourself together. You look devastated. Mary would not be devastated about a Ruined bein
g captured.”
“He’s not just our friend, he’s the current leader of the Ruined,” Aren said. “What are the Ruined going to do without him?”
“They’re going to keep crossing into Olso, like they were ordered,” Iria said. “Just because he isn’t there doesn’t mean everything will fall apart. They know what to do. Right now, it’s more important for you both to stay calm and not give yourselves away.”
Aren gave Em a pained expression, like it physically hurt him to agree with Iria. She was right, of course. Mary wouldn’t care at all about a Ruined being captured. In fact, she’d probably go down there and kill him herself.
“The Ruined killed Mary’s parents. She’d be at least a little upset to have one in the castle,” Em said. “Maybe I can use that as an excuse to talk to Damian. Say I want to find out if he was the one who killed them?”
“Or I can try to get down there.” Aren frowned in thought. “Maybe I can find a way to break him out.”
“Maybe,” Iria said. “I wouldn’t do it at the expense of our plan, though.”
It’s unfortunate, but there are bigger things at stake here. The words Aren had said only a few minutes ago ran through her head, and she could tell he was thinking of them as well. It had been different when they didn’t know who it was. When it wasn’t their best friend.
“We’ll think of something,” she said firmly. “We’re not going to let him die.”
Cas was nowhere to be found that morning and through the afternoon. No one Em asked had seen him, and it appeared Galo was missing as well. They must have snuck out again.
She spent the afternoon circling the castle, hoping to run into Jovita or the king and queen, but they were behind closed doors all day. She wasn’t sure she wanted to ask them for permission to see Damian anyway. She had a better chance with Cas.
The staff let her wait in his office after they found her pacing in front of his door for the fifth time. She settled into the chair in the far corner and stared up at the rows of books.
He finally walked through the door as the sun was setting in the window behind her. He was shoeless and carrying a book, a surprised expression crossing his face when he spotted her.