The Dreg Trilogy Omnibus

by Bethany Hoeflich

  “What I had to do.” Mara held out the Augeo for him to take, but he looked at it like it would bite him. “Ruby insisted on helping.”

  He covered his mouth and he crossed the room to put distance between them.

  Afraid he would leave without hearing her out, she said, “Please, let me explain.” She followed him, but he jerked away from her touch. Her heart disintegrated.

  “I can’t believe you let this happen. And for what?”

  “For this. We made it for you.”

  He slashed his hand through the air. “I don’t want it!”

  “Ethan, listen to me. We were never going to beat Cadmus with power. The only way we can win is by playing his game.”

  “So you thought it was okay to sacrifice an old woman’s Gift?’

  Mara jerked back like he’d hit her, and her grip tightened on the chain. “Do you think so little of me? Alex and I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t listen to us. She wanted to do this for you.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “My Gift is in here, too.”

  His eyes widened in horror. “It wasn’t worth it. Your Gift . . .”

  “It’s worthless if I’m dead.” She lifted her chin, determined to make him understand. “That’s what will happen unless we stop Cadmus. You said it yourself—he won’t stop until he has total control of the continent and everyone in it. With this Augeo, you’ll have the power to stop it.”

  He wiped a hand down his face and sighed. “I wish you would have talked to me first.”

  “So you could talk me out of it?”

  “Without a doubt.” The tension drained from his shoulders and he took a step toward her. “How does it work?”

  “The idea is that this will imitate Cadmus’s natural born abilities. Ruby’s theory is that by combining her Seer Gift with my energy, you will be able to Read without needing to touch someone. Will you try it on?”

  Ethan took the Augeo reluctantly and slipped it over his head. For a moment, nothing happened. Then his eyes rolled back into his skull. His face transformed into wonder.

  “Is it working?” she whispered, afraid to pull him from whatever vision he might be seeing.

  “This is amazing. It’s like you have dozens of threads, and each lead to a different possible future. I wish I could follow each one. Oh! Er, you might want to step away from the door.”

  “Okay . . .” She took two steps back. The door crashed open with a bang and Wynn stormed inside, teeth bared.

  Startled by the hostility in Wynn’s expression, Mara retreated until her back hit the wall. How did she find out already?

  Wynn hissed, “Is it true?”

  Alex! Mara cursed under her breath. “It’s true.”

  The Warlord crossed her arms. “Well, let’s see it then.” Ethan lifted it off his chest to give her a good look and Wynn huffed. “I have eyes, don’t I? Predict something.”

  Ethan shifted under Wynn’s expectant glare and he scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t think it works like that. Visions aren’t something I can force.”

  “Then what use is it? We’d have been better off if Mara kept her Gift.”

  “Well, it’s too late now.” Mara’s voice warbled.

  “That’s not helpful, Wynn.” Ethan hurried to her side. He wiped a stray tear from her cheek and pulled her close. “How are you feeling?”

  “I don’t know yet.” She’d been too worried about telling him that she hadn’t had a chance to stop and just feel. Now that she could, it was all she could think about. There was a hollowness inside that drowned out everything else. “Empty.”

  “Ye’ll be fine. Ya lived most of yer life as a dreg, this won’t be any different,” Wynn said bluntly. “Pull yerself together and move on.”

  Strangely, it made her feel better. Now that the shock had worn off, she was more certain than ever of her choice. “Ethan, try it again.”

  He went over and sat on the corner of the bed. “What do you want me to look for?”

  “Why not start with something simple, like . . .” She looked around for inspiration. “Who’s going to walk into the room next?”

  His lips twitched in a smile. “You’re operating under the assumption that I have frequent visitors in my room.”

  “Shut your gob and look,” Wynn snapped.

  Ethan let out a long-suffering sigh. He closed his eyes and his face scrunched in concentration.

  Wynn leaned forward until her nose was almost touching his. “Well, can ya see anything?”

  “This isn’t as easy as you’d imagine . . .” Shock crossed his face. He opened his eyes and looked expectantly at the door. “Astrid.”

  Wynn spun to face the door.

  Twenty seconds later, Astrid peeked her head into the room. “Warlord, we’re ready for you.”

  Wynn sighed. “Looks like it’s time to get back to work. Keep practicing and let me know if anything changes. This will change our whole plans. If ya can gain the same kind of control that Cadmus does, it might help.” She looked at Mara. “Thank ya. I still think what ya did was stupid, but I won’t lie. Ya might have saved us all.”

  Robbed of speech, Mara blinked back tears and nodded.

  Wynn paused at the door, suddenly looking decades older. “It’s time to prepare for war.”

  31

  Two months later, as soon as the snows had melted, giving way to the fresh greens of spring, Mara marched her army of one thousand Gifted north. At her back, Wynn led the Myriel clan’s fighters, who numbered three thousand strong. Tomar followed at a distance with two thousand Kerani warriors. Hope bloomed in Mara’s chest as she surveyed the sea of Gifted. All of them had poured their souls into training for this moment and if they ever had a chance against Cadmus, it was now.

  The dark bay gelding she was riding whickered and she patted his neck. She took a deep breath of the crisp air and smiled over at Ethan who rode at her side. The Augeo she’d made hung around his neck. Every now and then he would ask how she was doing and she always said, “Fine.”

  In Stonehollow, she had known a man with one arm. Every now and then she’d slip down to the tavern and buy him a cup of cider in exchange for stories. Maybe he related to her more than the other Gifted did, or maybe he just pitied her, but he never turned her away. He often spoke of having phantom pains where he swore the arm was still there. Not having her Gift was a lot like missing a limb.

  To make up for the loss of her Gift, Mara trained twice as hard in hand-to-hand combat. She grew stronger with both the short sword and bow. Her aim was improving, and she could accurately hit a target eight times out of ten. It wasn’t the same as having a Gift, but she couldn’t bring herself to regret her decision. Ethan had grown more powerful than she imagined, just like Ruby had hoped.

  The Seer had stayed behind in the hive along with the rest of the clan who were unable to fight. Mara was worried that someone would try to stage a coup while they were gone but Wynn assured her that it wasn’t possible. Even if someone were to name themselves Warlord, it wouldn’t count as long as she was breathing.

  Mara twisted in her saddle to look back at Arianna who was surrounded by her rebels. Mara wished they could have left her behind, too, but the princess insisted on riding along. The moment she heard Ethan’s prediction that Steel would be at Order Headquarters, nothing short of locking her in a cell would stop her from coming.

  As they crested a hill that overlooked Order Headquarters, Ethan’s eyes rolled back into his head. Mara raised her arm, commanding the army to halt. After a minute, Ethan blinked and shook his head to banish whatever vision he saw. He turned and called out, “We’ll camp here for the night.”

  No one questioned his order. The army set to work unloading their supplies from the wagons while Mara dismounted and handed her horse off to another Gifted. She walked up the hill and gazed out across the fields. New grasses that had just poked their way through the thawed ground would be crushed underfoot tomorrow when the battle began. She forced herself
to raise her eyes and her knees went weak at the sight of those six white towers.

  Her memories came flooding back and she started to hyperventilate. This was where Ansel was killed. Where the disciples had captured her, and Cadmus had tormented her.

  It’s where she nearly lost everything.

  As if sensing her inner turmoil, Ethan wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace. She burrowed her face into his shoulder. “What if we can’t win?”

  “Then we’ll die knowing we gave it our all.” He tilted her head back and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

  “I’m scared.”

  He rested his forehead against hers. “We all are.”

  “Speak for yerself.” Wynn plopped down on a fallen log while a Lingatian rushed to start a fire. She took a deep swig from her skein and wiped her hand across her mouth. “There’s nothing better than a glorious death in battle! If it’s my time, I’ll be sure to take as many of those disciples with me as I can!”

  The nearby Lingatians cheered.

  Mara shook her head and wandered around the camp until she spotted Tomar, dressed in a white suvali. Tomar barked something in Kerani as servants struggled to set up his tent. She spotted the Kerani boy with the scorpion tattoo on his forehead and her eyes went to his now collar-free neck with more than a little satisfaction. Now that Tamil was safe, the Rei had abolished the practice of slavery. All the former slaves had been freed, and the ones who’d chosen to stay were paid a fair wage for their service.

  The boy dropped a metal pole and Tomar went off on a tirade. Mara hid a smile behind her hand. Why Tomar had insisted on bringing his tent palace to a war, she would never understand. Alex must have spotted the trouble because he hurried over and helped the boy drive the poles into the ground.

  Mara approached Tomar and asked, “How’s Tamil doing?”

  “Madder than a snake on a cactus because I refused to bring him along. He did say to give you his greetings and tell you to visit soon.”

  “As much as I miss him, I’m glad you didn’t bring him.”

  “War is no place for children,” Tomar said firmly. “He should be at home, plotting my death.”

  She would never understand the Kerani.

  Alex wiped his forehead with a cloth and said, “You should know that if I had to bring a child to war, I would be honored to fight by Tamil’s side. He has the heart of a warrior.”

  The Rei puffed up with pride.

  Just then, Arianna sauntered by with her team of rebels, no doubt looking to stir up some trouble.

  Tomar watched her go. He tilted his head and ran his thumb over his lower lip. “What do you think she’d look like with a shaved head?”

  “Trust me, you don’t want any part of that.” Mara said.

  That night, they sat around the fire and passed around bowls of stew. Mara stirred hers around in her bowl, but the smell made her stomach churn.

  “You should eat. You’ll need your strength for tomorrow.”

  “What for? It’s not like I’ll be able to do any real fighting.” When strategizing for the fight, Wynn and Mara agreed that Ethan should be kept far away from the fight with a small team of guards for protection. This hill gave him the perfect vantage point to watch the battle. He could make adjustments as needed and coordinate the assault by using Avems to send messages. Mara was going to guard him.

  They assured her that it had nothing to do with the fact that she was a dreg now, but Mara knew better. She knew they saw her as a potential weakness. To be honest, she was surprised they hadn’t told her to just go home and let the Gifted fight it out. Not that she would have listened. She was determined to see it through to the end.

  Ethan’s eyes rolled back into his head. “We’re about to have company.”

  Wynn reached for her blades. “Good company or bad company?”

  “You’ll see.”

  Halder stepped through the forest and approached their fire. A small force of Tregydarians followed.

  Mara sprang to her feet and ran to him, crushing him in a hug. She held him at a distance to get a better look. He’d cut his hair short, and his face had a tightness that wasn’t there before. “I didn’t think you’d come!”

  “Are you kidding? I was ready to leave the moment I got Wynn’s message.” His eyes crinkled at the corners. “You were right—living in a cave is boring.”

  “I’m so glad you did. We can use all the help we can get.”

  “Well, with two Imprigas at the front, we won’t even need the army.”

  Mara’s face fell. “Oh, there are two Imprigas all right, but one works for Cadmus.”

  “I don’t understand.” He glanced over her head at the others.

  Ethan cleared his throat. “Mara is no longer Gifted.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Sadness crossed Halder’s face and she fought to keep her emotions in check.

  “You should know that Cadmus found another Impriga—a boy, couldn’t be older than nine or ten. I’ve never seen anyone as powerful as him. I haven’t seen him in months, but I guarantee that Cadmus will use him in the fight. He fought through my power and wrenched it away from me. Don’t let your guard down.”

  He regarded her gravely. “That changes things.”

  “Enough sad talk. Halder, pull up a seat and grab some food,” Wynn said. “Alex! Toss me some more bread.”

  Alex reached into the basket, grabbed a roll, and chucked it at Wynn. It flew over her head. She vanished and reappeared ten feet back, the roll in her hand. The Gifted around her whistled and cheered. She gave a mocking bow before sitting back down.

  After sending the Tregydarians to set up their camp, Halder sat by the fire.

  “Mara?” Ethan asked when she didn’t join them.

  “I’m going to go for a walk.” Mara turned and walked away before they could talk her into staying. Maybe she should have stayed and spent as much time with her friends as possible, but she couldn’t help but wonder how many empty places would be left around the fire tomorrow night. She couldn’t look in their faces and joke with them while the dread ate her up inside. She wandered to the top of the hill and sank to the ground, crossing her arms over her knees and resting her chin on her knees. Stars twinkled in the black expanse and as she watched, they began to fall from the sky like rain.

  “Seems like a good omen, doesn’t it?” Ethan asked, his voice tinged with awe.

  “I hope so.” She rubbed her arms, her palms sliding over the rough fabric. “To think all this started with a prophecy. You don’t think these are the stars, do you?”

  “Given what I know about prophecies and visions, it wouldn’t surprise me, though it would raise some disturbing questions—namely how you and the others are defying the laws of astronomy to create a meteor shower.”

  She tried to smile, but it was impossible to hold onto. “You should go join the others, I won’t mind.”

  “I could say the same about you. Being surrounded by friends might lift your spirits.”

  “I can’t.”

  Her voice was the softest whisper, but he heard it all the same. Instead of pressing her to return to camp, he sank into the grass beside her and said, “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than by your side.”

  “You might change your mind about that tomorrow.” Mara peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. “I’m surprised you haven’t asked me to stay behind.”

  Ethan’s lips quirked up at the corner in the barest hint of a smile. “I would have if I thought it would work.”

  “You know me too well.”

  “I doubt that very much.”

  Mara laid her head on his shoulder. “Do you remember the day we met?”

  “How could I forget it? As I recall, I was talking to two very charming people when suddenly a feral creature attacked my back. It was quite rude.”

  She elbowed him in the side. “I think your memory is mixed up. What actually happened was that I was trying to get away from the fearsome Magi
and Oona decided to throw me at you.”

  “You were throwing yourself into my arms from the very first day. How romantic.” He pressed a hand to his chest and laughed.

  The rich, joyful sound raised her spirits. Mara snuggled closer. “I can’t believe I ever thought such horrible things about you. It all seems so clear in hindsight. You were trying to do your best, even if I didn’t understand it at the time.”

  Ethan grew quiet. He wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her shoulder. “We all made mistakes, but we can’t move forward if we’re living in the past.”

  Mara sighed. “Don’t you ever wish we could skip all this and go straight to the future?”

  “No.” He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “Even if it means having to face certain death, I’d do it every day if it means I get to spend those final moments with you.”

  The way he phrased it didn’t sit well with her. Mara tilted her head back and searched his face. “Have you Seen something in a vision?”

  “What did I tell you about visions?” His eyes danced in the moonlight. “They’re fickle things.”

  32

  After what seemed like the longest night of Mara’s life, dawn broke over Order Headquarters. The sun rose, illuminating the Order’s towers in brilliant waves of orange and red that looked more like a painting than reality. Light danced along the field’s dew-soaked grasses.

  In other circumstances, the sight would have been beautiful.

  Around her, the camp came alive as Gifted crawled from their bedrolls and stumbled to the nearest cookpot. Mara watched with her heart in her throat as her army prepared for battle.

  For how many would this be their last sunrise?

  Would it be her last?

  Her hands trembled as she buckled on her arm guards and laced up her boots. It would be worth it. Even if she fell today, others would survive to fight. She strung her bow and fastened her quiver on her belt.

  Once she was dressed and armed, she made her way to the top of the hill where a pavilion had been set up for Ethan. Wearing his black Magi robes, he stood with his hands clasped behind his back. She wasn’t sure if the choice was symbolic, or simply because his travel tunic smelled like it have been dragged through a dung pit.