The Dreg Trilogy Omnibus

by Bethany Hoeflich

  “Medicine to treat anything from fevers to the pox. I wrote out the dosing instructions so they can start using them right away.”

  She couldn’t respond—she was too busy trying not to cry. How had he known? She thought back to the past few days and all the time he’d spent here. The whole time, he’d been brewing medicine for her. To help the dregs.

  “I’m sorry if it’s not enough. I wish I could—"

  “It’s perfect. Ethan, this is the best thing anyone has ever given me. We’ll be able to help so many people… thank you.” She looked up with a smile and found him standing inches away. Mara blinked at his nearness. How had they gotten so close without her noticing? Her breath hitched in her throat. His dark eyes smoldered like coals, darting down to her lips and back up again. She flushed under his intense gaze.

  “Mara . . .” Ethan reached out, cupping her cheek with his hand, tilting her chin up. Her heart thudded in her chest, so loud it was a wonder he didn’t hear it. He leaned down, and her eyes fluttered closed as he pressed his mouth to hers. Their kiss tasted like mint and sweet wine. Her body melted into his.

  This was wrong. She should push him away, but she couldn’t. In that moment, with his lips on hers, everything felt right. He felt like home. Before she realized what she was doing, she was kissing him back. Her lips brushed against his, velvety soft. Tentative. His arms wrapped around her, fingers threading through her hair, pulling her closer with an urgency she didn’t understand.

  He kissed her as if it would be the last time.

  The thought broke through their spell. What was she doing? She was engaged to the prince! Mara reached up, placing a hand on his chest, and pushed him away.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice sounding pained. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Her fingers splayed over his robes, and she whispered, “The last man who kissed me got a sword through his chest.”

  Before he could say anything, she turned and ran from the room.

  Every fiber of her being screamed at her to go back. To throw herself back in his arms.

  But she couldn’t.

  In a few months, she’d be married to Isaac, and it was too painful to pretend otherwise.

  28

  Two weeks later, Mara stared out across an empty field, five miles from Merrowhaven. With the forest at her back, she felt strangely exposed as nothing but rocky ground stretched out before them. Bootsteps crunched the gravel and frozen dirt as the soldiers filed out into the open. “Why are we here again?”

  Mikkal stopped next to her and smirked. “I’d imagine it has something to do with you wrecking the west wing of the castle.”

  “It was only the tower, and I accept no responsibility for that.” Mara shot Wynn a pointed look.

  Wynn held up her hands and shook her head. “Don’t ya blame me for that one. Not my fault ye’re easy to spook.”

  Mikkal snorted.

  Oona, Alex, and Ethan stepped up beside her. Mara’s gaze lingered on Ethan a moment too long. He caught her staring and looked away, his cheeks flushing. For a week after their kiss, Ethan had avoided her completely, taking his meals in his room so they wouldn’t see each other. Eventually, he started speaking to her, but he kept things formal, never allowing them to be alone together.

  A part of her was grateful for the space, but an even bigger part felt the distance like a festering wound. She knew she’d hurt him deeply by running away, but what else could she have done? It wasn’t like they could be together.

  Isaac sauntered up beside her and tilted his head with a wry grin. “Not to mention the priceless treasures that were destroyed in the blast. My father turned a particularly glorious shade of purple that I haven’t before seen on anything but eggplants.”

  “Sorry.” Mara lowered her gaze. She wished obliterating part of the palace was the sole reason why the emperor was upset. Two days ago, her feature in the Gazette made its way into the hands of thousands of citizens. Not only did it contain a biography of her life, but it also included a call to action, asking every citizen in the inner ring to donate money and supplies to her humanitarian project. The emperor was not pleased, to say the least, but it was too late for him to publish a retraction.

  Ella had stayed behind to organize the donations and send volunteers to the dreg encampment and outer ring. Mara hoped that it would make a difference.

  “Don’t be! This is the most fun I’ve had in years,” Isaac said. He stretched his arms before him and over his head. “You have no idea how tedious it is to live in that castle, being groomed to rule after Father. When I take the throne, I might borrow a page from your book and knock it all to the ground.”

  “Speaking of fun, are ya ready to have some?” Wynn asked, bouncing on her toes.

  Mara peeked at her from the corners of her eyes, wondering if her friend had finally lost it. “Fun?”

  “We get to kick some arse, girly!”

  The soldiers lined up across the field and stood at attention, awaiting their instructions. Mara couldn’t help the fear that simmered beneath the surface whenever she had to use her Gift, but this time, it was paired with a thrill of excitement. Out here, miles from civilization, she didn’t need to worry about control. She could finally let loose.

  Ethan stepped forward, his voice rising above the chatter. “Okay, split up into teams of five. This game—”

  “Intensive group training exercise,” Isaac interrupted. When everyone turned to look at him, he shrugged. “Father wouldn’t permit this if it were just a game.”

  “Semantics aside,” Ethan said, shooting Isaac a venomous look, “this intensive group training exercise will test your ability to work as a team. The rules are simple. Each team is given a flag to hide. If another team finds and retrieves your flag, your team is disqualified. Whichever team collects the most flags while protecting their own will win.”

  “Oh, and the team that can bring down the Impriga will be rewarded with a bottle of the emperor’s finest wine and the rest of the week off from their duties,” Isaac added, much to the enjoyment of the soldiers, who responded with a deafening cheer.

  Mara exchanged a grin with Wynn. “And when we win?”

  Isaac tapped his chin. “Twenty gold pieces?”

  “Fifty gold pieces donated to my humanitarian project, and you have to wear a gown to dinner while we can wear pants.”

  “Deal,” Isaac said. “But don’t get your hopes up. Some of our tactical units have been training together for years. It’s unlikely that a new team will win today.”

  Mara couldn’t wait to wipe that smug look off his face. She turned and motioned for Wynn, Mikkal, Oona, and Alex to come closer. “Oona, you and Zeke are our best chance for finding the other flags. Send Zeke to scout, and let Wynn know where to find them. She’ll be in and out before the other teams know what hit them. Alex, Mikkal. You two cover Oona’s back.”

  “Who’s going to protect our flag?” Alex asked.

  A slow smile formed on her face. “You will.”

  “Me?”

  “Who better to guard a flag than a Guardian?”

  Mikkal chuckled. “You’re diabolical. The other teams will be too scared to get near him.”

  Alex nodded and tucked the flag into his belt.

  “And what’s your role?” Oona crossed her arms, one eyebrow raised.

  Mara’s lips pulled back from her teeth in what she hoped was a fearsome smile. “I’m the muscle.”

  Ethan called for everyone’s attention. “You may begin in three . . . two . . . one!”

  Energy flared to life in Mara’s hands, swirling out behind her as she stalked across the field. Wynn was right—this was going to be fun.

  ***

  Oona held all but one of the flags in her hand, waving them above her head as though she were a general returning from a successful battle, rather than a war game. “That was so much fun! You were unstoppable. I swear at least ten of those babies wet their trousers when you hit them with
that energy whip.

  Mara punched her on the shoulder. “Me? You were amazing! If it weren’t for you and Zeke, we’d never have gotten the flags.” The hawk let out a screech as though he’d understood her.

  “Did you see the looks on their faces when they realized Alex had the flag?” Oona laughed. “I swear they were too scared to get close to him.”

  “It was genius. But now, we have to make a huge decision.” She looked over her shoulder to where Isaac and Ethan were walking side-by-side, their faces turned down to the cobbled path. With an evil look at Oona, she asked, “What will Isaac wear to dinner? None of our gowns will fit him properly.”

  Isaac blanched. “It’s because I’m so bulky and manly!”

  Oona returned her smirk, her eyes flashing with mischief. “I don’t think our maids will have too much trouble pulling something together. I’m thinking lace. Lots of lace.”

  “And don’t forget the corset!”

  Up ahead, Mara spotted a man slipping through the bustling street. For a brief moment, he turned south, and she caught a glimpse of his face before he hurried around the corner and out of sight. She froze.

  What was he doing in Merrowhaven?

  Wynn placed a hand on her shoulder. “Everything okay, girly? Looks like someone dipped ya in a bucket of powder.”

  “I’m fine. I just thought I saw . . . excuse me,” she said, sprinting down the street. Mara called over her shoulder, “I’ll meet you at the palace!”

  Alex or Mikkal would follow her, no doubt, but she couldn’t slow down to wait. She weaved her way through the crowded market, nearly barreling into an older woman holding a basket of eggs. Where did he go?

  Up ahead, she spotted the man ducking inside one of the numerous taverns that dotted this stretch of the city. Was it really him? His hair color was right, and his shoulders were broad enough . . . She raced after him, pushing open the door as she stepped inside.

  Unlike many of the seedier taverns, this one was bright and cheery. A vase of winter flowers decorated each table. A Musicae sat at a piano, his fingers dancing across the keys. The light music filled the room without overpowering the soft conversations at each table.

  Mara spotted the man leaning across the counter at the back, speaking in hushed whispers to the woman behind the bar. The woman nodded and reached for a bottle before pouring a glass to the brim. The second the last drop hit the surface, the man snatched the glass and tipped it back before slamming it down on the counter with a resounding clank. He wiped a hand across his mouth and motioned for another. No, it couldn’t be him. He never drank. She swallowed her disappointment.

  Before she could leave, the man stiffened, as if he could feel that he was being watched. He twisted around, and his eyes widened when he spotted her. When her father spotted her. A cloud of emotions passed across his face as she walked toward the back of the room. Mara’s eyes burned, but she couldn’t blink. If she blinked, he might disappear.

  She thought she’d never see him again.

  Eli wrapped his arms around his daughter, pulling her close. “Mara . . . you’re alive.”

  “What are you doing in Merrowhaven? Shouldn’t you be home?”

  He kissed the top of her head and took a shuddering breath. “I’m so glad to see you. I knew you were alive. I knew they hadn’t taken you from me, too,” he said, voice thick with emotion.

  Mara pulled back slightly so she could look him in the face. Tears spilled over his lashes and tracked down his cheeks. Something was wrong here. He never cried. The only time she’d seen him cry was when her mother had miscarried. The Healer had stopped the bleeding, but he had warned her that she’d never be able to have another baby.

  Mara reached up, cupping his jaw with her hand. “Father, where’s Mother? Why aren’t you home in Stonehollow?”

  Eli squeezed his eyes shut. “There is no Stonehollow. It’s gone.”

  29

  Mara stared numbly into the fire. Her friends had gathered together to mourn with her, offering comforts she wasn’t ready to hear. She stared into the flames as they danced in the fireplace in her room. If she reached out and touched them, would they burn her? Or would they tickle her skin in a soft caress? Her eyes closed. She couldn’t feel anything. She didn’t want to feel anything.

  Her home was gone.

  Her mother was dead, along with almost everyone in Stonehollow.

  The Order had come, just like Cadmus had warned. They surrounded the town while everyone was sleeping. Caeli and Saxums knocked down the homes and buildings. Armises cut down everyone who tried to escape, and Ignises burned the rest. In total, fewer than ten survived.

  She leaned forward, her head heavy in her hands, thinking of the note the disciple had slipped her after visiting the Sacred Mile. Was this what Cadmus meant by a wedding gift? Did the news of her engagement set him off? If the disciples had succeeded in capturing her, she would have been there in person to watch him destroy her home.

  Someone pushed a cup into her hands, but she didn’t have the energy to drink it. She would never see Sarai again. Never cuddle on the couch and do puzzles together. Never cook dinner or laugh with each other. The smell of mint wafted from the cup—just like the mint tea her mother always made when it rained.

  She screamed and threw the cup at the wall. It shattered, raining porcelain shards—the tea soaking like tears into the rich carpet. The same tears she couldn’t shed, even as a sob tore its way from her throat.

  Her friends’ gazes bored into her back. Mara stood, her fists clenched at her sides. She would walk all the way to Order Headquarters and finish what she started, tearing it down brick by brick. Her friends couldn’t stop her . . . she had to do this herself. She couldn’t risk losing any of them, too. “I have to fulfill the prophecy and stop Cadmus. I should have done it a long time ago.”

  Ethan approached her slowly like someone might approach a wounded animal. “You’re in pain, and you’re lashing out. I agree that Cadmus must be stopped, but why does it have to be you?”

  “He just destroyed my home and killed my mother! I can’t let him get away with it.”

  “I’m not suggesting that you turn a blind eye to the suffering that he’s caused. You have every right to be angry, and I understand how you’re feeling—Cadmus killed my mother, too—but you’re not responsible for bringing him down by yourself.”

  “The prophecy said—”

  Ethan cut her off. “People put too much faith in vague prophecies, sitting back and expecting someone else to fix a problem. The truth is that the everyday choices we make have a far greater impact. If someone chooses to do the right thing with purpose and conviction, even when those choices are painful, the consequences can be revolutionary. So, are you a simple vessel with no free will for the prophecy to use like a tool, or are you claiming it as your own and choosing to bring about radical change through your actions?”

  “I don’t see how it makes a difference.”

  “Look at what you’re doing here in Merrowhaven. No prophecy told you to help the dregs or the Gifted living in the outer ring. You did it anyway.”

  “So? A few baskets of food and medicine won’t topple the Order.”

  “No, it won’t, but that was never the point. What do you want to do?”

  “But it doesn’t matter, does it? The prophecy chose me, and no matter what choice I make, it was always going to force me into the role.” Her voice broke, and Ethan pulled her into his arms. She burrowed her face into his chest and whispered, “What if these bad things keep happening because I ran away from the responsibility? What if it keeps getting worse?”

  “Mara, what happened to Stonehollow is not your fault. The blame lies solely at Cadmus’s feet. I know you are hurting right now, but you can’t tear yourself up over this. And you can’t sacrifice yourself to a monster because some Seer foretold it four hundred years ago.”

  “If not me, then who? Tell me who, Ethan, or get out of my way. You talk about having a choice and
making small decisions, but sometimes big problems need big decisions. Maybe this is truly my destiny. Out of the thousands of dregs, the prophecy chose me.”

  Ethan froze like someone had hit him upside the head with a frying pan. “Thousands of dregs . . .” He gasped and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Mara, you’re a genius! I’ll be right back.”

  “What?” she asked, reeling from his sudden shift in mood. “Where are you going?”

  “The library,” he called over his shoulder as he raced from the room, letting the door slam behind him.

  Mara sank back into her chair. Nothing he found in a book could change her mind. She would face Cadmus and make him pay, one way or another.

  Oona slipped a hand around Mara’s shoulder and rested her cheek against her head. Mara reached up and grabbed her hand, holding it tight. Neither of Oona’s parents had survived the attack. “I’m so sorry, Oona.”

  “This is all my fault.” Oona wept openly, her tears dripping into Mara’s hair. “I should have used Zeke to send the message instead of that raven.”

  Mara’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Why would it matter if you sent a different bird?”

  “Since Zeke is my familiar, he can’t be controlled by another Avem,” Oona said, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her dress. “The raven could have obeyed any Avem.”

  “You’re saying that Stonehollow never received your warning?”

  “It’s the only thing that made sense. I sent that message two weeks ago. It was more than enough time to warn them about the Order.”

  “But not if Cadmus was able to stop it from arriving in the first place.” Mara groaned, slumping back in her chair. She squeezed Oona’s hand and said, “This wasn’t your fault, no more than mine or anyone else’s. Ethan was right about that much. Cadmus has been one step ahead of us this whole time. He has my Augeo, remember? He probably saw this happening weeks ago.”

  “How do you fight against someone who can predict every move you make?” Oona asked, sounding horrified by the thought.