The Dreg Trilogy Omnibus

by Bethany Hoeflich

  “What is it?” Alex peered over his shoulder, his grip tightening as he pulled her closer.

  Mara threw a nervous glance to the right and thudded into something warm, but not necessarily soft. The ground swayed beneath her, and only Alex’s arm saved her from falling. Mara glanced up to see a familiar, terrifying face.

  “Wynn!” She shoved the Guardian out of the way and threw her arms around the scarred woman in a smothering embrace. “I never thought I’d see you again!”

  Wynn tolerated her affection a few seconds before extracting herself from the hug. “Yeah, yeah. Enough mushy stuff, girly.”

  “What are you doing here? And where’s Steel?” She resisted the urge to launch herself at Wynn again. Why was she in Merrowhaven?

  “He’s off choking his pa with an octopus or something,” she said with a smile that tugged on her scars, stretching them to horrifying proportions.

  “Wait, what?”

  “Come on, there’s people who’ll want to see ya!” Wynn grabbed her arm and started dragging her down the street. Apparently seeing Alex for the first time, she stopped and looked him up and down. She hummed appreciatively. “Who’s this?”

  “This is Alex. He’s . . .” Mara paused. If she revealed that he was a Guardian of the Order, nothing would stop Wynn from attacking. In Lingate, Wynn had revealed that the Order was responsible for the death of Wynn’s entire family, including her lover and unborn baby. No, it was best to keep quiet about Alex’s origins. “. . . my friend.”

  “Hm . . .” Wynn pursed her lips. “Do ya trust him?”

  “With my life.”

  “Well, ya sure know how to pick ‘em. Don’t know why ya keep collecting strays like kittens. Come on, then. Foods getting cold!”

  At Alex’s baffled look, Mara rolled her eyes and said, “Don’t ask.”

  They followed Wynn deeper into the middle ring. Brownstone houses lined the street, surrounded by shrubs, trees, and hanging lanterns, giving it a homey feel. Wynn gestured to a small house with a sign out front that read ‘Pete’s Homestyle Cooking.’

  “You found Pete?” Mara asked, her lips pulling back in a wide smile. They hadn’t known the Pistor long, but she remembered his grandfatherly nature and the way he had aided them in Lingate. When they’d left him, he was planning on moving to Merrowhaven.

  “Course I did! That old codger couldn’t hide from me if he tried.”

  “I’m glad he made it. How did he get past the gates? For that matter, how did you get in? I thought they were sending everyone from Lingate to the refugee camp outside the city?”

  “Oh, they tried. Bugger that! All it took was a taste of his cooking and ten percent of his profits to set him up in the middle ring. He’s been doing a bang-up job, too. And as for me, they can’t catch someone who doesn’t need to use the gate.” Wynn tapped the side of her nose and winked before pushing open the doors.

  The smell of pot roast and fresh-baked bread smacked her in the face, making her stomach growl. Patrons crowded around the checkered tables, exchanging pleasant banter as they shoveled food into their hungry mouths. A fire blazed in the stone fireplace, adding warmth to the already cozy room.

  Mara’s jaw dropped. “How does he find so many customers when he’s not even on the main street?”

  “Word of mouth, mostly. Though some of the regulars aren’t keen on sharing the best Pistor this side of the mountains. If the food critics find out about him—”

  “Wait . . . food critics?”

  “Fancy people who get paid to eat food and write about it in the Merrowhaven Gazette.”

  “Seriously? They get paid? To eat!” Mara gestured wildly. Life was so unfair. “I was born in the wrong city.”

  “Tell me about it. I’d love to have that job, except I can’t write. I figured I could dictate at least, but it wasn’t good enough. Anyway, once one of these food critics start sniffing around Pete, they’ll snatch him away to the inner ring, and ya don’t want to know what happens there. They’ll have him gussied up in tights and puffy shirts. Next thing ya know, he’ll be cooking fish eggs and salad.” Her face pinched as if it caused physical pain to say the word.

  “Greetings, folks!” The door to the kitchen opened and Pete poked his balding head into the dining room. “Place is a bit busy at the moment, but we’ll be with you . . . oh, it’s just you, Winnie.”

  “Nice to see ya too, Pete,” Wynn said, sarcasm dripping from her tongue.

  Pete nodded at Mara and wiped his hands on his apron. “Mara, always a pleasure. Winnie, get your backside over here and give me a hand.”

  “Aww Pete, ya know better than to let me touch yer kitchen. Took ya a week to get the burnt smell out.”

  “If you touch my stove again, I’ll hogtie you out back and don’t think I won’t! You won’t get into too much trouble just carrying the food to the tables. Come on, then.”

  Wynn grumbled under her breath and followed Pete into the kitchen.

  Not knowing what to do, Mara went into the kitchen as well with Alex on her heels. The heat from the ovens blasted her skin, and the delicious smells of spices made her mouth water. Pete pulled plates from the cupboard and proceeded to pile them with mashed potatoes, slices of beef, and glazed carrots. He stacked them on a tray and thrust it into Wynn’s arms.

  “Now, don’t you drop it! And if you throw water on another fussy customer, I won’t make your favorite cherry tarts ever again!”

  “Aww Pete, don’t be like that. That was just one time, and she had it coming after picking on my scars. Won’t happen again.”

  “It better not. Well, what are you waiting for?” Pete made a shooing motion with his hands, chasing Wynn out of the kitchen. “There’s hungry customers waiting!”

  Mara laughed.

  Pete rounded on her. “And what are you waiting for, hmm? If you’re going to be in my kitchen, you best pick up some slack. And the big fellow, too. He looks strong enough to carry a tray of drinks.”

  Alex jerked and whipped his head around to look at Pete. “Me?”

  “Do you see anyone else back here? Come on, grab the tray with the pitchers and start filling drinks, boy.”

  Mara elbowed Alex in the side and grabbed baskets of bread and fresh-churned butter, then took them out into the dining room. They spent the next several hours delivering food and beverages to the people of Merrowhaven. Mara had never seen Alex look as happy as he was now. He laughed and joked with the customers who didn’t realize they were standing feet away from a Guardian. When he brushed against them, they didn’t flinch away in fear. Some of the female customers flirted shamelessly, which caused his cheeks to darken. Mara teased him endlessly.

  Finally, the dining room was empty of the lunchtime rush and Mara, Alex, and Wynn congregated in the kitchen while Pete cleaned the stove. A generous spread of leftovers waited on the table.

  “Your help is much appreciated. I think I should consider hiring a few people to help with the restaurant now that I’m getting up there in age. It’s just too much to handle by myself.”

  Mara tilted her head. “Have you thought about hiring some of the people from the outer ring? I hear they are pretty desperate for work. Think of how many families you could help.”

  Pete tapped a finger on his chin. “I haven’t, but that’s a good idea. I’ll think on it. Why don’t you tuck into some food—gods know you’ve earned it.”

  Mara filled her plate with a generous portion of chicken, sweet potatoes and peas. She closed her eyes as the savory flavors burst on her tongue. “Forget the fancy people, Wynn. If the emperor tasted Pete’s food, he’d hire him for the palace kitchens.”

  Wynn stared at her in horror. “Don’t even think about it! Stay away from Pete, or I’ll have to kill ya!”

  Alex dropped his fork and spun around to face Wynn. Mara rolled her eyes. “Ignore her, Alex. Daily death threats are normal, and in this case, completely unnecessary. Why don’t you come to the palace with me, Wynn? There are plenty of e
mpty rooms in our wing, and I would feel so much better knowing you were close by.”

  Rather than jump at the opportunity like Mara expected, Wynn shifted in her seat and stirred her potatoes with her fork. “I don’t know . . . fancy folk have a hard time looking at me long. And I have a job. A real job!”

  “Oh? What are you doing?”

  “Well . . . it’s hard to explain.”

  “She’s a spy,” Pete added helpfully.

  “That’s an exaggeration and ya know it, ya grumpy old coot. I just help people who need to find things . . . that they’re not supposed to see . . . behind locked doors.”

  “A spy.”

  “I’d like to see ya try finding a better job as a Caligo, Pete, then we’ll talk!” she snapped.

  “I bet the emperor would have a job for you. Or you could keep working here for your . . . clients . . . and just come to the palace at night?” Mara said hopefully. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

  Wynn’s face softened. “I wish I could say the same, but I knew ya’d turn up sooner or later. That kooky old Seer told me to go to Merrowhaven and wait for ya.”

  “Opal said I’d come here?”

  “Course she did. Do ya think I’d waste my time in this rat-infested city otherwise? I’ll tell ya, it was the craziest thing. Halder got me and Steel back to Tregydar safely after that two-faced traitor, Tova, decided to betray us. Maybe a week went by, and out of nowhere, Opal’s waking us up because she had some sort of vision. Said the Order was coming, and we had to scatter quick. She sent Steel back to Crystalmoor with some mission or another. Then me? Well, she wrote a scroll to the emperor and asked an Avem named Crystal to send the message. She sent me with her, telling me to wait here until allies showed up. I was going to tell her to stick it where the sun don’t shine, but there was something about her eyes. It was like she was drowning, and that scroll was her air.”

  “Wait, so Opal sent the scroll?” Mara frowned, recalling Cadmus’s reaction to receiving the scroll from the emperor. It would explain why the emperor knew of her existence in the first place. “No wonder Cadmus was so upset.”

  Wynn reached across the table and took her hand. Mara jumped at the uncharacteristic contact. “Were you okay? In the Order, I mean. I wanted Opal to rally an army of Gifted to storm the Order, but she kept saying that ya were where ya were meant to be and we had to be patient.”

  Mara pulled away, rolling her eyes. “That sounds exactly like what she would say. Did you know that she knew it was a trap? That Ansel would die as a result?”

  “No, I didn’t know that. I’m sorry, Mara. He was a good man.”

  “Yes,” Mara said, her throat constricting. She wiped at her eyes before he tears spilled over. “He was.”

  Alex pushed back from the table and gathered their plates, carrying them to the sink. He rolled up his sleeves and dunked his hands in the sudsy water.

  Wynn sprang from her chair and drew her dirks from gods only knew where, her eyes locked onto his tattoos.

  Mara leapt from her seat, placing herself between the two. “It’s not what it looks like.”

  “Ya brought a Guardian here?” Wynn hissed.

  “Well . . . okay. Maybe it is what it looks like. But Alex isn’t like the other Guardians.”

  “Did the Order brainwash ya? How could ya trust a Guardian?”

  The back door banged open, and Mara jumped at the sound.

  “Pete! I couldn’t find the persimmons you wanted, but I was able to purchase some apples. They cost more than a sword! I don’t know how any of you Pistors can stay in business with those prices.”

  Mara tore her gaze from Wynn and her heart almost stopped. “Mikkal?”

  Mikkal froze, taking in the scene. His eyes traveled to Wynn’s blades, to Mara standing with her jaw agape, and to Alex with his tattoos on display. Then he rolled his eyes and sighed. “Wynn, if you’re going to murder someone, could you at least do it outside where it’s easier to clean up?”

  Mara launched herself at the Shield and wrapped her arms around him. “What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask the same thing.”

  She blinked. “You’re talking now?” As a Shield, Mikkal had taken an oath of silence when he made his vows to Steel, the crown prince of Crystalmoor, to become his bodyguard. Part of the oath was a vow of silence, and for most of the time she’d known him, he hadn’t spoken a word. In Tregydar, it was revealed that Mikkal had broken his vow by agreeing to kill Steel in exchange for twelve gold coins—enough to pay Healers to save his sick niece. As a result, Steel banished him. With his vows broken and no patron to serve, there was no need to keep silent, but it was still weird hearing his voice.

  “The trick is trying to get him to shut up,” Wynn said, her form flickering. Keeping her eyes locked onto Alex, she edged around the table. “Now that he’s found his voice, he won’t stop using it.”

  “And in this case, I’d love to know why there’s a Guardian in the kitchen,” Mikkal said, setting his basket on the counter.

  “Not why Wynn has him at knife-point?” Mara asked.

  Mikkal snorted. “Are you surprised?”

  “Okay, that’s fair.” Mara looked back at Alex, who hadn’t budged an inch since they discovered he was a Guardian. The devastated look on his face broke her heart. “Wynn, could you please put your dirks away? You’re scaring my friend.”

  “I’m scaring him?” she spluttered.

  “It’s complicated. Just understand that he’s not a threat to you, or me, or anyone else, all right?”

  “I understand that ya lost your mind. Are ya sure the Order didn’t mess with yer head?”

  “Oh, for gods’ sake.” Mara stormed over to Alex and grabbed his hand. Wynn shouted a cry of alarm. She vanished and reappeared behind Mara, yanking her away.

  “Have ya gone crazy?”

  “No, and you need to stop offending my friend.”

  “I swear I would never hurt her,” Alex said, holding his hands in front of him.

  Wynn shot him a distrustful stare. “Now that I think about it, I’d better go with ya to the palace after all. Someone’s got to look after ya.”

  Mara pursed her lips, looking between her three friends. Inviting Wynn to the castle had seemed like such a good idea at the time but now Mara wasn’t so sure. She could only hope that Wynn would be on her best behavior.

  23

  Mara walked onto the training yard on the far side of the castle. The sun beat down on the dirt grounds, warming her skin despite the winter chill. A short, wooden fence encircled the grounds, and the soldiers’ barracks provided ample privacy from curious passersby. Her hands trembled, and her knees threatened to give out as the soldiers stopped training and turned, as one, to stare. She took a deep breath and pulled her shoulders back. This was just training. That’s all. Ethan wouldn’t have sent her out here if he thought she would hurt someone, regardless of the emperor’s ridiculous demands. At least, she hoped that was the case.

  Right after she and Alex returned to the palace, they had run into the Magi on his way to the library to research some ingredients he’d found in the alchemy room. When they told him about reuniting with Wynn and Mikkal, he agreed to make the necessary arrangements so they would be admitted into the palace. Mara giggled at the image of Wynn threatening to kill the emperor’s guards unless they let her in.

  Her eyes found Oona where she sat on the fence, Zeke perched on her arm. Did she send the message to Stonehollow? Mara tilted her head and raised her brows. Oona gave a sharp nod in return. Good. No matter what the emperor did, at least her family would be warned. It was all she could do for now.

  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, imagining she was back home at the training field in Stonehollow. Ansel would come along and tease her about how she couldn’t throw a punch, let alone wield a sword. Then she’d do her best to beat an apology out of him. How had things changed so much, so fast?

  Someone tapped her on the sho
ulder, and she turned to see a young man grinning down at her. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place where she’d seen him before. He had flaxen hair, golden brown eyes, and a smile that would make most maidens melt. She distrusted him immediately.

  Mara stepped back until he was a comfortable distance away. “Forgive me. Do I know you?”

  “You should,” the man said, reaching for her hand and pressing a light kiss to her knuckles, “considering I’m your betrothed.”

  She snatched her hand away. “Is that a joke? I’m not betrothed to anyone.”

  “Perhaps I’m mistaken. You are Mara, the Impriga, yes?”

  “Yes . . .”

  “Then it is true. My name is Isaac, prince of Esterwyn.” He gave her a shallow bow, eyes twinkling. “My father will be announcing our engagement tomorrow.”

  No, it couldn’t be true. She opened her mouth to reply, but no words would come out. Suddenly, the emperor’s interest in her made sense. With his army of Gifted, a single Impriga wouldn’t make much difference, not even to give an illusion of strength to the masses. But married to the prince? Anything to improve the emperor’s bloodline . . . That’s why he wanted her. And they hadn’t even given her a choice.

  Isaac nodded his head to her. “I see it’s a lot to take in, but I’m sure we’ll have more of an opportunity to get to know one another soon. If you’ll excuse me, I must greet my subjects.”

  She gaped as he brushed by her and sauntered toward Oona who was watching the soldiers train. The prince lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Oona blushed and looked away.

  Mara shook her head. This had to be a cruel joke. They couldn’t force her, could they?

  Training would have to wait. A sob caught in her throat and she ran back into the palace.

  ***

  Mara wedged herself into the darkest corner of the alcove and tried not to fall apart. Engaged to a prince? In only a few short months she had gone from an outcast dreg from Stonehollow to being betrothed to the future emperor of Esterwyn, and it was all because of her stupid Gift. The emperor didn’t even like her. He only wanted to increase the power of his bloodline, but what would happen when her children didn’t inherit her Gift?