Page 136 of Scorched Earth

“Seldrid.” Malahi stepped forward to kiss both his brother’s cheeks. “It is good to be welcomed by a friendly face. How fare Adra and your children?”

“Both are well, though Adra will be furious that she wasn’t here to greet you properly, for of a surety, this would not pass muster. But she’s at Teradale with the children, assisting my mother.”

Killian’s skin abruptly prickled, his mark warning that trouble was coming, and he frowned at his brother.

“I’m sure I’ll see her soon enough.” Malahi gestured to Lydia. “This is Lydia, Marked of Hegeria and…” Her throat moved as she swallowed. “My husband, Agrippa Egnatius.”

Killian felt his brother’s shock only because of how well he knew him, for Seldrid betrayed nothing on his face as he inclined his head. “It is my honor to make your acquaintance, Agrippa. Correct me if I’m mistaken, but is that not a Cel name?”

Agrippa blinked. “Likewise. And yes, though I’m surprised you know it.”

“I’m in the business of making money,” Seldrid replied, “and though I question Celendor’s methods of achieving the trade it seems to desire, that does not mean I haven’t investigated its business potential. Any chance you are of relation to the senator of the same name? Tiberius Egnatius is quite the rising star, I’ve heard, though it’s all hearsay and gossip at this point.”

Agrippa’s jaw dropped, his eyes snapping to Killian’s, the question in them quite clearly:How does he know?Killian only shrugged, because Seldrid never disclosed his informants,Bad for businessalways being the excuse he gave.

“My brother,” Agrippa finally answered. “Though he’d be quite shocked to learn I’m on this side of the world.”

“And rising high within the Mudamorian aristocracy, no less,” Seldrid said with enthusiasm, clapping a hand on Agrippa’s shoulder. “I hope you won’t mind if I pick your brain? I would like to know more about what the Empire has to offer, since it is looking less and less like we’ll be easily rid of them.”

“Of course.” For once, Agrippa seemed lost for words. “Whatever you want to know.”

“Wonderful!” Seldrid gestured to the carriage. “Shall we? It’s something of a journey to Teradale, and it’s always best to get it over with before the heat of the day. We’ll be a bit pressed for space, but Killian can ride his horse while you catch me up on your adventure, Your Grace.”

Killian caught his brother’s arm. “Lydia and I aren’t going to Teradale. We need to travel to Revat to consult with the librarians. We hope they might have information to supplement what we learned in Anukastre about the blight.”

“Whatever you need, write it down and I’ll send it to the Sultan himself,” Seldrid said. “But you need to come to Teradale.”

“What is happening there that is more important than the blight?” Killian asked the question even as his instincts told him Seldrid’s urgency wasn’t misplaced. “Has something changed?”

“Yes.” Seldrid pulled Killian toward the carriage. “Ria Rowenes has a document signed by Serrick before his death declaring Malahi dead and Ria his heir. She claims the title of High Lady Rowenes now.”

Fury washed over Killian, because this was exactly the sort of thing that Ria would do. “Well she only has a few hours to enjoy it, because Malahi is very much alive.”

“Alive or not matters little,” Seldrid said quietly. “He clearly named Ria as his heir. As of this moment, Malahi is not High Lady, and if she is not High Lady—”

“She’s not queen.”

Seldrid gave a tight nod. “But it gets worse.”

“Of course it does,” Killian growled, watching Malahi climb into the carriage. “What has Hacken done?”

“Betrothed himself to Ria, for starters,” Seldrid said. “And with her support, he’s gathered the high lords and ladies at Teradale. You’ve arrived just in time to watch them vote for Hacken as Mudamora’s next king.”

47LYDIA

The carriage bounced over the heavily rutted road, everyone inside bracing hands against the interior to keep from being tossed onto the floor.

“Does no one on this continent know how to build a proper road?” Agrippa muttered. “My ass is never going to be the same after this.”

“If you don’t quit complaining, I’m going to make you ride outside with the driver.” Malahi wore a silk dress gifted to her by Vane, and it had a matching fan, which she snapped open and used to fan herself vigorously. It was hot and humid, there was no denying that, but the sweat beading on Malahi’s brow had everything to do with the fact that the crown had been removed from it.

Seldrid had relayed everything that had happened in their absence, including the gathering of the Twelve Great Houses at the Calorian estates of Teradale. Even if they reached them in time to prove Malahi was alive, it would not change the fact that she was no longer High Lady. Her cousin Ria now held that honor, and had used her newfound power to cement a union with Hacken Calorian.

It was no shock that Hacken desired to rule Mudamora, and while there’d been a time when the high lords would have refused to bend the knee to him, much had changed in the intervening period. House Calorian was the wealthiest of the houses, after House Rowenes, allied to Gamdesh by way of Seldrid’s marriage to one of the Sultan’s nieces, Lady Adra, and Calorian lands some of the few untouched by blight. All of which placed the house as the most powerful in all of Mudamora.

“Tell me, what is the name of the Cel Emperor?” Seldrid asked,clearly making chatter to ease the tension. “I’ve heard much of this Senate but little of the man who rules it all.”

“Celendor has no emperor,” Agrippa replied, his eyes full of concern as he watched Malahi.