Page 172 of Scorched Earth

“Nic,” Servius said, “hold your tongue.”

“Don’t.” Marcus went to the sideboard and poured himself another drink, watching the boy seethe. “If you’ve got something to say, then say it.”

Austornic hesitated, then he said, “I know you’re angry that Teriana left, but I’m not going to allow you to use my men in a quest to satisfy your spite over a girl!”

“Allow.” Marcus sipped at his wine. “There is something about that word that I dislike. Particularly from a boy who has been meddling where he shouldn’t be.”

“I haven’t been meddling!”

“It wasn’t you who brought the Maarin boy into the tower and left him to his own devices? Left him to spy on conversations not meant for his ears?”

Austornic’s eyes skipped around the room, looking for support. “You gave the command for theQuincenseto meet us here but no orders about keeping them away. I thought Teriana would want to see them. I thoughtyouwanted her to see them.”

“You need to do less thinking and more obeying.”

Austornic blanched, but then squared his shoulders. “You answer to the Senate, Marcus, and they didn’t give you the order to take Revat.”

Get rid of him,the voice commanded.He’s caused you nothing but trouble. If not for him, Teriana would still be yours.

“You heard the late proconsul’s intentions, Austornic. His desire for us to make ready to take all of Gamdesh. And he was the voice of both Senate and Consul.”

“A goal you could delay if you wanted to,” the boy retorted. “Instead, you are stepping toward war before we’ve even received the order.”

Setting his cup down, Marcus circled the table, lowering his head to look Austornic in the eye. “I find that I’ve reconsidered your value to this campaign. War is no place for children, and it’s time you went back to Celendor where you can learn to obey.”

Austornic’s brown eyes went wide. “You aren’t serious? You’re going to punish my entire legion because I questioned your motivations?”

Marcus didn’t answer, only sat and waited for the understanding that there would be no arguing his way out of this to sink into the boy.

The flush of anger on Austornic’s cheeks slowly blanched. “Sir, please don’t send us back. They’ll put us under Hostus’s command. You know better than anyone what he’s like.”

“I know he doesn’t suffer anyone meddling in his business.”

“Marcus,” Servius protested, but Marcus held up a hand to silence him.

“This isn’t a negotiation. Fall to command and get your ranks through the xenthier stem.”

“Punish me,” Austornic blurted out. “Kill me if you have to, but don’t send my men away. Please!”

Servius caught the boy by the shoulders and steered him toward the door. “Live to pick another battle, Nic,” he murmured, giving Marcus a dark glare. “This isn’t one you’re going to win.”

Felix passed them as they exited, his brow creased with a frown. “TheQuincensehas set sail. You going to tell me what is going on?”

Marcus was already bent over the table, writing a letter directly to Cassius with an update, excluding any mention of the xenthier stem below the baths. The consul would not take it well to learn that his betrothed was alive and location of the xenthier would suggest as much. Besides, for all he’d used the revelation of the path to needle Bait, it was not currently a viable route. Signing the letter, he folded and sealed it, then handed it to Gibzen. “Make sure the Ninth packs Grypus’s corpse on ice and have them deliver this, directly to Cassius.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What’s it say?” Felix asked, his eyes narrowed.

“It’s a request for six legions,” Marcus responded. “Because very soon, the Empire will be declaring war.”

64KILLIAN

Dawn was but a faint glow in the sky when Killian left his room, buckling his sword on as he headed to the blue room to take up guard duty outsideLydia’sdoor. He was halfway down the hallway, Gwen and Lena in sight where they stood at their posts, when his mother’s voice called from behind.

“Killian, you’ve a visitor waiting in the main parlor.” His mother had an armload of gowns, and he didn’t fail to notice the exhaustion written across her face as she caught up to him. “A giant.”

He tensed. “Bercola?”