Ruined (17 page)

“Put the castle staff in the wagon!”
The yell from behind him made Cas jump, and he quickly moved his hands off his father's chest as feeling returned to them.

“Find the prince!” the voice yelled. “Kill him on sight.”

Cas stumbled as he got to his feet. The sounds of boots thumping and voices yelling echoed all through the castle.
He was surrounded.

He wiped his bloody hands on his black pants and darted to the window, sparing a glance at the dead warrior on the ground. He had to resist the urge to drive his sword into the dead man's chest. The blood seeping from his neck and pooling on the floor didn't seem like enough punishment.

He peered around the windowsill. Smoke curled up into the night sky in the distance, near the center of town, and his heart jumped into his throat. Were they killing innocent people? Were they going to burn the whole city to the ground?

Was he the one who was going to have to decide how to retaliate, now that his father was dead?

He pushed the thought out of his mind. Now was not the time to panic about the fact that he'd just become the king. He
wouldn't be ruling anything if they caught him.

He looked left, to the front of the castle, and saw two warriors standing at the corner, their backs to him. He squinted to the right, at the dark wall that led to the gardens. He couldn't see anyone in that direction, but there was a lot of noise very nearby. Light spilled out onto the grass, and he suspected there were quite a few warriors in the gardens.

He eased his foot out the window, his sword still gripped in one hand. He didn't turn back to his father. Somehow he knew that if he turned around now, that was the image that would stay burned into his brain forever.

His feet hit the ground with a soft thud, and he crouched down next to the wall, stilling for a moment as he made sure no one had caught his movement.

He had three choices: make a run for it, which was likely to draw attention; try to sneak out the front gate, which was near impossible; or try to make it to through the gardens to the tree in back and attempt to jump over the wall. The latter was probably his best choice. He suspected there were more warriors in that direction, but that might work in his favor. He'd be harder to spot in the chaos.

He stayed low to the ground as he ran next to the castle wall.

Kill him on sight.
The words rolled through his brain again, and he looked down at his clothes. His shirt was gray, without any royal insignia on it. Many of the Olso warriors had never met him, but they must have seen drawings of him.

He leaned down, grabbing some dirt and rubbing it across
his cheeks. He ruffled his hair as well, pulling a few strands down into his eyes. It wasn't the best disguise, but perhaps they wouldn't recognize him right away.

He continued along the wall until he made it to the rear of the castle. He peered around the corner.

Horses led a wagon into the gardens. The wagon was a completely sealed wooden box on wheels, usually used to transport prisoners. The warriors must have stolen it.

Some of the castle staff were lined up to get in the wagon. Where were the warriors taking them?

He glanced out at the gardens. At least fifty Olso warriors milled around. Some ran back and forth, clearly in search of something.

“The king is dead!” someone yelled from the back door. “No sign of the prince.”

A hand clapped over his mouth suddenly, and Cas's body jerked. He started to twist from the tight grip the man had on him.

“Your Highness,” the voice whispered, “don't panic.”

The hand disappeared from his mouth and Cas turned. A boy a few years younger than Cas stood in front of him. He had a scar across one eyebrow and looked vaguely familiar. He worked in the kitchen, maybe.

“I'm sorry I did that,” the boy said, his eyes round with fear. “I didn't want you to make any noise and—”

Cas waved his hand for him to be quiet. “It's fine.”

The boy started unbuttoning his blue shirt. “Take off your
shirt and give it to me, Your Highness. If we trade and you get caught, they'll think you're part of the staff. They're putting all the staff in that wagon.”

“Oh.” Cas blinked at him before reaching to unbutton his own shirt. “Thank you, that's very smart.” His hands stilled as something occurred to him. “Will they think you're me, if you're wearing my shirt? Some of the warriors inside saw me.”

The boy started to laugh, then quickly stifled the sound “No, Your Highness. I don't think there's any danger of them mistaking me for you.”

The boy was tall and broad, his blond hair brushing his collar. He had a long nose and a pointed chin, and Cas realized he was right. The warriors must have had a vague idea of what Cas looked like, and this boy in no way resembled him.

He pulled the boy's shirt on. The sleeves were a little short and it was a bit tight, but it would do. “What's your name?” he asked.

“Felipe.”

“Thank you, Felipe.” A flash of red caught his eye. Behind the boy, an Olso warrior was coming around the corner of the castle, his head turned to call something over his shoulder.

Cas grabbed Felipe's arm and dashed to the left, his sights set on the bushes only a few paces in front of them. He dove behind one, crouching down next to Felipe. The Olso warrior was joined by three others, and Cas held his breath as their boots crunched against the grass.

He gripped his sword with two fingers and went down on his
hands and knees, crawling into the gardens. Felipe followed him. The row of bushes extended only a bit farther in front of him; then it was open space until he made it to the hedges. He would have a hard time making it through without someone seeing him.

“I'll create a distraction so it's easier for you,” Felipe whispered behind him.

Cas wanted to argue, but the boy had a determined look on his face, like he'd already decided. He nodded.

Felipe shot to his feet and ran in the opposite direction.

“There!” a woman yelled. “There's someone behind that bush!”

Cas waited until Felipe was halfway to the front of the castle before he took off. The warriors were all occupied running after him, and if he could just make it a few more steps—

He was yanked back by his shirt suddenly, the collar straining against his neck so hard he choked. His feet came off the ground. A boot slammed into the back of his legs. His sword sprang out of his hand and bounced out of reach.

He hit the grass hard, gasping for air and taking in some dirt as well.

“Get up,” a man's voice spat.

Cas slowly got to his knees, and then his feet. His heart thudded in his chest, and he was intensely aware of the sword the warrior had in his hand. It was half lifted in warning.

The man gave him another shove with his boot, almost knocking Cas to the ground again. “In the wagon with the rest.”

Cas did as he was told, the warrior following close behind.

“Two more castle staff,” the warrior said. Out of the corner of his eye, Cas saw Felipe being dragged across the grass by a warrior.

A female warrior stood at the back of the wagon, and she jerked her thumb for them to get in. “Any sign of the prince?” she asked the other warrior. Cas ducked his chin into his chest.

“No.”

“Start spreading the word to the locals that there's a significant reward for finding him. Dead or alive,” the female warrior said. “Preferably dead.”

Cas dared a glance inside the wagon and saw about thirty members of the castle staff loaded inside. They were a mix of young and old, cooks and maids he'd seen only in passing. He even spotted two guards. A few eyes widened in recognition.

He took a step inside, swallowing as he realized any of them could give him up, if they wanted.

But everyone was silent as he stepped into the wagon. Felipe followed behind him. Cas felt gentle tugs on his left arm, and he turned to see the staff making a hole in back for him to sit. He slumped down, pulling his knees to his chest, and the staff immediately filled in the space around him, hiding him from view.

“Are you hurt?” an older woman he vaguely recognized whispered. Daniela. She'd worked in the castle gardens for as long as he could remember. She grabbed his bloody hands.

He shook his head. “No. It's—it's not mine.” He tried wiping his hands on his pants again, but the blood had started to dry and it didn't budge. He noticed he was shaking, as were most of the
people sitting around him. They were staring at him with tight, scared faces, and he quickly stuffed his hands beneath him.

“It will be all right,” he said quietly. His voice shook, betraying the fact that he knew that was an outrageous lie. “They have taken the castle, but they have not taken Lera.” That one wasn't so much a lie as a hopeful declaration, since he had no way of knowing. What if Olso was already in the Southern Mountains? What if they'd defeated all the troops headed there? His mother and Jovita would head straight for the mountains as soon as they escaped.

If they escaped.

AT NIGHT
,
EM
thought of Cas.

And also in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings. But especially at night.

Two days had passed since their escape. Em watched as the sun disappeared completely behind the trees and the world fell into darkness. They'd been walking since early that morning, and her feet ached as she slid down a tree trunk.

The jungle was noisy around her, even though everyone in their party was quiet and on constant alert. The jungle was an absolute gift—loud and crowded, with chirping bugs and squawking birds competing for space with vines, trees, and leaves as big as her face. The forests of Vallos and Ruina were different. Quiet, sparse, harder to hide in.

Iria passed her a small piece of dried meat, and she took it with a soft “Thank you.”

She tore off a piece of meat with her teeth, looking down at the mess that used to be her dress. The blue fabric was now completely brown at the hem, and smudges of dirt dotted the skirt. There was even a smear of blood, from where she'd caught the sharp edge of a tree branch on her arm and wiped it on her skirt.

She'd fashioned a belt out of a vine and stuck her sword through it, and she found herself always watching the warriors' movements, waiting to see if they were still partners now that they were safely away from the Lera castle. Two warriors against one tired, useless Ruined. Not her best odds.

“Who's taking first watch?” Koldo asked, planting his hands on his hips as he surveyed the jungle.

“I will,” Em said, even though she was exhausted. She didn't want to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Cas's face. When she drifted off for even a few minutes, the guilty ache in her chest would jerk her awake, and everything she'd done would come rushing back.

“You barely slept at all last night,” Iria said.

Em shrugged, dropping her gaze to the ground.

“Koldo, you want to refill the canteens?” Iria asked.

“Sure,” Koldo said, taking the hint and disappearing in the direction of a nearby stream.

Iria watched him go, the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance. “I know that you developed feelings for Cas and it's eating you up that he's going to die, but don't lose sight of
why you did this,” she said quietly. “Your people were headed for extinction, and you're the only one who stepped in to do something about it. You did what you had to do.”

“I did what I chose to do.”

“You chose right.”

“Yes, you did,” a voice said.

Iria scrambled to her feet, pulling out her sword. Aren stepped out from behind a tree, hands raised in surrender. Em jumped up and threw her arms around him.

Iria let out a relieved sigh. “I didn't hear you coming.”

Em grasped both his arms. “Are you injured? Did the Lera soldiers hunt you down?”

He smirked. “They tried.” He glanced around. “No horses? Are we traveling all the way to Vallos on foot?”

“Warriors will meet us with horses day after tomorrow,” Iria said. “If all is going well, they should be launching their attack right about now.” She looked up at the sky. “We've traveled too far to hear it, unfortunately.”

Em's stomach dropped into her feet. Was Cas already dead? Would he be able to escape?

She rubbed her fingers across her forehead, the guilt burning so intensely in her chest it took her breath away. This had always been the plan. If the warriors didn't attack, then she'd have no hope of rescuing Olivia. They'd be completely outnumbered when they arrived at the Vallos Mountains. She'd known this was how her time at the castle would end.

Still, she felt like curling into a ball and screaming.

Aren nudged her arm. “Iria's right about sleeping, Em. I could use some sleep as well. I covered your tracks as best as I could as I followed you, but I'm sure we'll still encounter some Lera soldiers soon. We need to be prepared.”

“I'll keep watch,” Iria said.

Em's shoulders slumped in defeat as she let Aren tug her down to the ground. He put an arm around her, leaning back against the tree.

“Thanks for finding me,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Thanks for not getting killed,” he whispered, squeezing her arm. “That would have really put a damper on my day.”

Her lips twitched up as she let her eyes drift closed.

CAS LURCHED FORWARD
as the wagon stopped. A few of the people around him stirred, waking from sleep. Beside him, Daniela arched her back, wincing as she rubbed a wrinkled hand across her eyes. They'd been crammed in the closed wooden wagon all night, and it was incredible that some of them were able to sleep. He wasn't sure he'd ever sleep again.

It was dim inside the wagon, only wisps of sunlight leaking in through the cracks in the wood. It was almost unbearably hot inside, and Cas's clothes were stuck to his body.

The door at the back swung open, and Cas squinted in the bright sunshine.

“Men first,” the warrior barked. He jerked his thumb, indicating they should get out.

For a brief moment Cas panicked, thinking the warriors were lining them up for execution.

“Over there in the bushes,” someone said as the men started piling out. Cas sighed as he realized the warriors were just letting the prisoners relieve themselves.

He climbed out of the wagon, ducking his head into his chest. There were six warriors around the wagon, and Cas noticed that many of the saddles were Lera colors as they dismounted their horses. They must have taken them from the castle or the townspeople.

The warriors marched them in a straight line to the bushes, swords pointed at their backs. No one appeared to be thinking about running, as that seemed pointless. A few warriors had spread out in a circle, covering every corner.

“Quickly,” a warrior barked as they approached a thick patch of bushes.

When they headed back, Cas snuck a glance around. They must have been traveling south, because the air was thicker near the jungle. Were they headed for the Southern Mountains?

Would Emelina be there?

Anger bubbled in his chest, so powerfully it almost knocked him over. She must have known the warriors planned to attack. She'd probably had a hand in planning it.

She'd known they were coming specifically to kill him and his family, and she'd let it happen. How strong could her feelings really be for him if she'd so easily sent him to his death? His father was gone because of her. Galo too, most likely.

His throat closed, and he forced the image of his dead father out of his brain.

The women streamed out of the wagon as the men approached, and Cas took a moment to appreciate the fresh air around him. How many days was he going to be in that wagon?

And worse, where was he going to be when they finally let them out?

The man in front of him stepped onto the wagon, and Cas put one foot up, tossing his hair out of his eyes.

“Wait,” the warrior said.

Cas froze as a hand closed over his arm.

“Look at me.”

Cas's heart stopped. The warrior gasped as their eyes met.

The warrior's hand found his sword. “You're—”

Felipe shot in front of Cas so quickly it was nothing but a blur. The boy kicked the warrior in the hand, sending the sword flying. The boy scrambled in the dirt to grab it, and Cas opened his mouth to scream for him to stop.

Felipe grabbed the sword and sank the blade into the warrior's chest.

Cas's eyes went wide as the warrior fell to the ground, his mouth forming silent words.

A female warrior lunged, easily blocking Felipe's attack. She sliced her blade across his neck.

Cas screamed. A sob caught in his throat as he fell to the ground. Felipe's blood pooled beneath his knees.

Someone grabbed him under the arms and he struggled
against them, kicking his legs and trying to get back to the boy.

“Get him in there or I'll slit his throat too!” the female warrior yelled.

Tears streamed down Cas's face as a staff member gently tugged him into the wagon. He wiped a hand across his face as he scooted on his knees to the corner of the wagon, but a fresh wave of tears came.

People moved in all around him. Daniela sat beside him again. She put a hand on his arm, and he had to fight back another wave of tears.

He took in a shaky breath, glancing at the people around him.

“Please don't anyone else do that,” he whispered.

Daniela patted his arm. “I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I think we're all going to ignore that order.”

His cheeks burned as he wiped tears from them. His people were probably looking to him for leadership and strength, and he was weeping like a child.

He cleared his throat, turning his gaze to his feet. They began moving again, and Cas spent most of the morning and afternoon struggling to hear the chatter outside. He needed a plan, and an idea of their location, but the warriors gave no indication as to where they were going. The only hint he got was that they were “sticking to the road and staying clear of the river,” which he took to mean they were avoiding traveling through the heart of the jungle. It would have been very difficult with a wagon anyway.

He leaned his head back against the wood, noticing suddenly
that every head in the wagon was turned in his direction. He straightened, giving them a curious look.

Daniela pointed to something across from him, and Cas leaned over so he could see what she was trying to show him.

A young woman in the back left corner had her hand braced against the side of the wagon. She tilted her hand forward, an entire wooden panel coming with her. She'd managed to free a large piece of the wood and was only keeping it in place with her hand. It was big enough for someone to squeeze through.

“They have us surrounded,” he said quietly.

“When we stop,” the girl whispered, her dark, tangled hair falling in her face. “They're talking about stopping soon. Come to this side, and we'll make a distraction.”

Cas hesitated. If he got caught, they'd kill him no matter who he was. But if he stayed, someone else would surely recognize him. If not on the road, then when they arrived.

The staff started making a path for him to crawl through.

“I shouldn't leave you,” he said. “I don't know where they're taking you.”

Daniela shook her head. “You can't stay. The king is dead. If they kill you too, what will happen to Lera? They will have won.”

Cas swallowed. He knew she was right, though guilt still nagged at him.

“Only if it seems safe,” he said, scooting forward. “If I get caught, they'll know you distracted them so I could escape.” He wasn't letting anyone else die for him today.

“I think you might get a few splinters in odd places,” the girl
said as she squeezed next to him. She squinted at the small area he'd have to wedge himself through, then glanced over at him. She seemed to immediately remember to whom she was speaking, and her whole face flushed.

He laughed softly. She smiled through her embarrassment and ducked her head.

“What's your name?” he asked quietly.

“Violet,” she said.

“Thank you, Violet.”

They rolled to a stop a few minutes later, a blast of fresh air blowing through the wagon as a warrior opened the door.

Daniela lurched forward, falling on a few people in the process.

“Sir?” she croaked, reaching for the warrior at the door. “I'm going to vomit.”

The warrior jumped back as she tumbled out of the wagon. Retching noises filled the air as she hit the ground. Another girl poured herself onto the ground and did the same.

Cas leaned forward, watching through a crack in the wood as two warriors dismounted their horses and walked to the back of the wagon to see what was going on. The left side of the wagon was totally clear, from what he could see.

“They need water,” one of the warriors said. Cas glanced over to see a big clump of them standing at the door. The staff members in front of him were sitting as tall as possible, hiding him from view in the back corner.

He nodded at Violet, and she slowly moved her hand, letting
the wood fall away from the wagon. She gently lowered it to the floor of the wagon.

The narrow opening was only barely big enough. He eased his leg through first. Seemed preferable to getting his head stuck. He slipped the other foot through.

His feet found the ground, and he took a quick glance back to see the staff divided between watching him and keeping an eye on the warriors at the wagon door. The warriors' attention was still on the women, but they started to turn back to the wagon.

“Come on, come on out,” one of the warriors said, waving his hand impatiently.

A man in front made a sound like a scream or a cry, causing every head to turn in his direction.

Last chance. Cas braced his hands against the wood, arching his back as he let his torso through. His feet slipped, the wood scraping against his stomach as he began to fall. Definitely a few splinters in weird places.

He hit the ground on his butt with a soft thud.

He was out.

“Come on, everyone out!” a warrior called impatiently.

Cas gingerly moved into a crouch, scooting behind the front wheel of the wagon. A warrior atop a horse was only a few paces in front of him, but he was facing forward, away from Cas.

“What's going on back there?” a voice yelled from ahead. The warrior near Cas started to turn.

Cas scrambled beneath the wagon, rolling onto his back
directly in the center, away from the wheels. He held his arms against his chest, willing himself not to breathe.

“They're getting sick from the heat,
”
a warrior replied.

Boots hit the ground, spraying dirt across Cas's right arm. “Get them some water,” a female voice said.

The boots disappeared, and Cas lifted his head to see them headed for the back of the wagon. His left looked clear, though it was hard to tell from underneath the wagon. He'd have to risk it, because he had to get out from under the carriage before they started moving again.

Cas eased himself to the left and slowly rolled over onto his stomach. He scooted forward, barely peeking his head out.

The horse at the front of the line was unmanned now.

He looked at the rear of the wagon. He could see the side of one warrior and the back of another. If they turned this way suddenly, he'd be done for. He ducked his head, peering out the other side of the wagon. A line of shoes walked away from him. The staff was all headed to the other side, so hopefully the warriors would stay there with them.

He moved his forearms against the ground, wiggling forward on his stomach until his body was halfway out from underneath the wagon. He didn't dare stand, as one of the warriors might catch the movement out of the corner of his eye.

“Men with me!” a warrior yelled.

Cas dared to go a little faster. He was completely out from under the wagon now, lying flat on his stomach in the middle of the road. The tall grass in front of him wouldn't be enough to
hide him if anyone looked closely, but maybe if he stayed still. Very still.

A grunt made him peer over his shoulder, and he saw the two warriors closest to him now facing each other, talking.

He scooted into the grass until his feet were off the road, and then went a bit farther. He placed his palms flat in the dirt and rested his face on top of them. He was breathing heavily, but he tried to be perfectly still.

“Back inside!” a warrior finally yelled.

Horses' hooves thudded against the ground, and he knew the warriors had all gone back to their posts. All they had to do was glance over at the lump in the grass and he was dead.

Cas held his breath as the wagon creaked and the horses began to move.

“What is that?” a voice called.

Cas curled his toes in his boots, preparing to run. Maybe if he ran fast enough they wouldn't catch him. Maybe he could find a good enough hiding place.

“Is that my knife?” The voice was amused, and someone else laughed. “Get your own knife.”

Cas said a silent thank-you as the sounds began to grow distant. He remained motionless for a long time, probably much longer than he needed to.

He finally lifted his head, slowly, and blinked against the sunlight. Everyone was gone. A warm breeze blew through the grass, making it tickle his face, and he almost felt like laughing for a moment. The urge left as soon as it came.

He got to his hands and knees, then to his feet. If the warriors were staying away from the river, then that was exactly where he needed to be. He could follow it almost all the way to Fort Victorra.

He pushed his hair out of his face and ran through the grass, headed for the cover of the trees.