Page 155 of Scorched Earth

“So where is she?” Finn asked. “And why aren’t you with her?”

“Because no one would believe this ruse if I left.” Killian stared at his glass, unease rising. “She’s on a ship to Revat. Sonia’s with her.”

“Why Revat?”

“Because she and Malahi hope to find answers as to how to defeat the blight,” he replied. “If we can’t do that, the war is lost.”

Finn was silent, and when Killian lifted his gaze, it was to find the boy staring at him intently. Almost… angrily. “What’s wrong?”

“It can’t be defeated,” Finn snapped, then shook his head. “Everyone says so. She should be here. With you.”

“I should be there. With her.” Draining his glass, Killian waited for the servants to abandon the kitchen, then said, “We learned in Anukastre that the blight has come before and been defeated by tenders. It can be done, we just don’t know how.”

“And you think the Gamdeshians do?”

“Revat has the oldest and largest collection of information. If there are answers, the answers are there.”

“Makes sense.” Finn took another small sip of his drink, then pushed it aside. “So there’s hope? What about the blighters? Did the Anuk know anything about stopping them?”

The most tenuous strands of hope, but Killian nodded. “The Anuk didn’t have any knowledge about the blight infecting the living. But Lydia is twice touched by Hegeria, Finn. She can… do things that other healers can’t. If there is a way to help them, she’ll find it.”

Finn gave a slow nod. “I believe you. Kitaryia has always been special. I knew from the first moment I met her.”

Killian rubbed at his arms, abruptly tired of the endless tension. Of always sensing the threat but unable to do anything about it. “Don’t call her that.”

“But it’s her name. Kitaryia Falorn.”

“Once, but no longer.” Sighing, Killian said, “She has been Lydia most of her life, and to call her something against her will strips away her identity.”

Finn shifted restlessly, then said, “Makes no difference to me, especially since it’s going to be my lady this and Your Grace that. Though she ought to do me the same favor, king of the sewers that I am.”

Killian laughed. “You’ve claimed Serlania, then?”

“Of course. Your mum shipped my old crew down here and they’ve been running wild. They needed me to put things to right, so it’s well and good that I didn’t go with you.”

There was a trace of bitterness to Finn’s voice, and Killian said, “It was miserable. Like journeying into the underworld itself.”

“No place for a child.”

Irritation filled Killian, impatience that Finn was attempting to make him feel badly for not bringing him despite it being almost certain he wouldn’t have survived the journey. “No place for anyone.”

Finn didn’t answer.

Rising to his feet, Killian pushed in his stool. “I need to get some sleep. If you’d like, we can find some time to work on your swordsmanship.”

The boy nodded sullenly, but as Killian moved away from the table, he said, “How did you get your sword back? Sonia was sick with worry when it went missing. Thought it had been stolen.”

“Tremon.”

Finn’s head snapped up, eyes filled with shock. “How?”

“Handed it to me himself,” Killian answered. “Good night.”

Walking through the kitchen to the main door, Killian paused, knowing that he needed to do better by him, especially with Sonia already gone. “Finn,” he started to say, but when he turned, it was to find the boy already gone.

All that remained was the tray on the table, the food on it entirely untouched.

57MARCUS