“I’m riding out to find more feed for the horses,” Em said, holding her sister’s gaze. Em always had been a good liar. “First thing in the morning.”
“By yourself.” Olivia didn’t say it as a question.
“I’ll be wearing a cloak; no one will be able to tell who I am. And I don’t need help.”
“A bit risky just for feed, wouldn’t you say?”
“We need the horses, Liv. I’m not going to let them starve.”
Olivia blew out a frustrated breath. “Fine. Go.” Part of her wanted to believe Em. Maybe they really did need feed for the horses.
Or maybe—probably—she was going to see Casimir.
“I shouldn’t be gone long. A day, maybe.”
“No problem,” Olivia said with a flippancy she didn’t feel. “Why don’t you take Aren with you?” The words came out as a challenge. She couldn’t take Aren with her, and Olivia knew it. Who would keep Olivia in check?
Em had the decency to look ashamed. She lowered her gaze to the soup. “I’ll be fine on my own.”
Olivia could send a Ruined to follow Em. If she told Jacobo right now, he’d stay up all night just to make sure he caught Em as soon as she left.
But Em wasn’t stupid. She would be checking to see if she was followed, because she didn’t trust Olivia anymore.
The feeling was mutual.
Besides, Olivia didn’t need to confirm what she already knew. Her sister was a traitor. Olivia hadn’t figured out how deep Em’s betrayal went, but it would reveal itself in time. And Olivia wasn’t worried about her useless sister.
Aren, on the other hand . . .
Olivia pushed back a swell of anger at the thought of Aren. He’d dared to use his powers on her, but that wasn’t what really enraged her.
He could pull power from humans. He could use them to make himself stronger. Stronger than her.
And she couldn’t do it. She’d captured a few humans to practice on, but so far, nothing but failure. It was infuriating.
She marched out the door, shoulders squared. No. She hadn’t failed. If she simply kept trying, she would figure it out eventually.
“This is almost done, if you want dinner,” Em called as Olivia stomped away.
“I’m not hungry.” She let the door slam shut behind her.
She squinted in the late-afternoon sun as she walked the two blocks to the Westhaven courthouse. It was a tiny building, nestled beneath tall trees in the middle of Oak Street.
Inside, it was quiet, nearly deserted. Jacobo sat at the desk in the middle of the room, his feet propped up in front of him. He sprang up when Olivia walked inside.
“Olivia.”
She liked how he said her name. His voice had a hint of reverence in it. Everyone should say her name the way Jacobo did.
“Hello, Jacobo.” He was several years older than her, with dark hair and eyes like daggers. He was good-looking, in an angry sort of way. She hadn’t known him well before she was taken. She hadn’t paid much attention to him after coming back either, thanks to her preoccupation with the traitor, Aren.
But Jacobo was proving to be almost as powerful as Aren. He could rip trees from the ground and command wind so powerful a small home couldn’t withstand it. It was a useful power, occasionally.
“How are the prisoners?” she asked.
“Fine. I fed them about an hour ago. Ester is in with them now.”
“You don’t need to stay, you know. They’re not going anywhere.” Olivia had the only keys, after all.
“I know,” he said, then met her gaze. He’d been waiting to see her.
She smiled, pleased. “You can go now. I’ll see you at dinner.” She knew that he was disappointed. She’d seen the expression on his face several times lately, as he’d worked to prove himself to her.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like him, it was just that she didn’t trust him—or anyone—anymore. The two people she’d trusted most in the world, Em and Aren, had betrayed her. She couldn’t rely on anyone but herself.
That was just fine with her. There was no need to rely on someone else. She was the most powerful Ruined alive.
Jacobo’s footsteps faded as he walked out of the building. She walked down the hallway and slipped through the door. The town only had six cells, three on either side of her, and from the pristine look of them, they weren’t used often. Each had a small bed, a sink, and toilet, and bars perfect for keeping humans right where she wanted them.
The man to her left shrank back against the wall when she walked in. His arm was in a sling. A Ruined woman named Ester sat on the floor in front of the last cell, her gaze fixed on the man inside.
“What are you doing?” Olivia asked.
Ester didn’t turn. “Practicing. I’m trying to make him see the ocean.” She shook her head, her short dark hair swinging. “No, not just see it. Feel it. Smell it.”
Olivia walked to the cell to see the man on the floor, eyes turned to the ceiling. He blinked very slowly, then shivered.
“I think you’ve about worn that one out,” Olivia said. “His mind won’t bounce back if you keep it up.”
Ester sighed and got to her feet. “You’re right.”
“I don’t mind, I just know you’d prefer to keep practicing. Can’t practice if you drive him insane.”
Ester smiled, briefly touching Olivia’s arm as she walked past her. She didn’t display the same devotion as Jacobo, but Olivia appreciated her disdain for humans.
Ester disappeared through the door, and Olivia sat down in front of the middle cell. A woman was curled up on the ground, staring at Olivia, but she didn’t move.
“Come here,” Olivia said.
The woman hesitated, but only for a moment. She sat up and trudged to the cell door, plopping down on the ground. Dark circles marred the skin beneath her eyes.
“Arm,” Olivia ordered.
The woman stuck it through the bars. Olivia grabbed it and jerked it closer to her. The woman yelped.
Olivia put both her hands on the woman’s arm and held tightly. Nothing. She squeezed a little tighter. Nothing. She could feel the woman’s heart beating, could pinpoint every bone in her body, could feel the blood coursing through her veins. She could kill her with a quick look. But she couldn’t figure out how to use the humans to fuel her own power.
She dropped the arm. “Are you all broken? What is wrong with you?”
There was certainly nothing wrong with her. If Aren could do it, she could do it. And she had to be able to do it.
She would never admit it to Em, but her sister was right when she’d called Olivia’s plan risky. That was a kind way to put it, actually. Insane might have been more appropriate. It was nearly impossible to conquer ten Lera cities with only a handful of Ruined.
But not completely impossible. Not if she could learn to draw strength from humans, the way Aren did. Then she’d be unstoppable.
She jumped to her feet and stomped out of the room and down the hallway. There was a trick to it. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t even speak to Aren, much less ask for his help, but she had to know how he did it.
She strode down Market Street, where some of the Ruined were gathered at the tables in front of the bakery. Jacobo sat with Carmen, and they stopped talking when she approached.