Page 183 of Scorched Earth

The political buildings loomed ahead. With no hesitation, Hostus led her into the Curia. The hallways, with their towering ceilings, were cool after the heat of the sun. She remembered the last time she’d been here, how she’d been relegated to sitting outside while Marcus addressed the Senate. This time, the doors swung open for her, and her ears filled with the chatter of the hundreds of men inside.

She clutched Grypus’s letter tightly, her palms growing clammy as the most powerful men in the East all ceased their discussions, eyes fixing on her. Teriana was struck by how similar they all looked, dressed in the same white tunics and togas, all with golden Cel skin, the vast majority of them possessed of light eyes and hair.

Only a handful showed any sign that they had anything but patrician blood a dozen generations back. One such was an attractive man in his midtwenties with dark brown hair and skin just a shade darker than those around him. He rested an elbow on the railing before him, hazel eyes watching her with both interest and intelligence. Marcus’s father and Lydia’s father sat to either side of him, the latter giving her a tight smile. She was looking forward to telling Valerius that Lydia was still alive.

“Teriana, you are a sight for sore eyes!”

Cassius’s voice snapped her attention to the center of the room, where the consul was rising from what could only be described as a throne. He trotted down the stairs with surprising agility, gripping her shoulders and kissing both her cheeks.

Struggling not to cringe, she said, “Consul.”

He gave a tight smile. “It’sDictatornow, I’m afraid. A necessity given we are at war and in need of stability.”

Oh gods.

That was why he cared more about controlling the population than winning their favor for an election. There wouldn’tbean election.

“War?” she managed to croak out.

“Unfortunately. The Gamdeshians are refusing to play nice, and the legatus requested more men.” He lifted a page filled with Marcus’s neat writing and waved it in the air. “Six legions, to be precise.”

Thirty thousand men.

What had happened in the short period since she’d left Emrant in her wake that necessitatedthirty thousandmore men? Had Kaira attacked? Had the forces of the Southern Continent united to push out the invaders?

“It was fortunate that we’d already preemptively recalled a significant number of men to have at the ready, so they were able to deploy within hours of us receiving his request,” Cassius said. “We thought it prudent to send our finest to ensure Marcus has all the resources he needs. Hard, experienced legions given he wasn’t satisfied with your choice of the Fifty-First and sent them home. It seems he had some conflict with the Fifty-First’s legatus, although that has only been fuel to the fires of young Austornic’s ambition. He is keen to prove himself in other ways.”

Oh gods.

“But never mind that,” Cassius said. “You achieved what many thought impossible, my dear girl! Two impeccable pathways. If you were a path-hunter, you’d now be as wealthy as some of the men in this room, but gold was never your motivation. Let’s make it formal, then? You have a document certifying the paths signed by the late Plotius Grypus?”

Teriana slowly lifted the hand holding the letter, her teeth clenching as Cassius plucked it from her fingers.

“Hardly necessary given the traffic these stems have already seen, but I do love the theater of you delivering the document yourself.” He unfolded the paper, giving it a quick scan. “Makes it all so much more exciting.”

“You’re content, then?” she asked. Her emotions were running amok in her head, rendering her numb.

“Oh, I’m quite content,” Cassius said. “Tiberius, for formality’s sake, can you verify this is Grypus’s writing?”

He handed the page to the young senator with the dark hair, who glanced at the page. “It is.” He handed the page to Senator Domitius, who nodded, and Teriana thought she might vomit as the page slowly circulated to every man in the room before returning to Cassius. “Does anyone contest Grypus’s statement that Teriana of the Maarin has fulfilled her agreement with the Senate, and with Legatus Marcus of the Thirty-Seventh Legion?”

She twitched at Marcus’s name, her hand pressing against the pocket that held the hair ornament he’d given her.

No one spoke, likely because now that Cassius was dictator, their opinion didn’t matter.

“Excellent!” Cassius clapped his hands together sharply. “Then we will see to liberating our guests. Valerius, I trust that you will arrange for Tesya of the Maarin to be returned to her ship?”

Lydia’s father gave a slight nod.

“Wonderful. If you’ll all excuse me, I would like to give this moment my personal attention.” Catching hold of Teriana’s elbow, Cassius escorted her out of the chamber but mercifully let go of her arm once they were out of sight.

They walked in silence through the Curia’s halls, Hostus’s men walking before and behind them, though the legatus himself was nowhere to be seen. That made Teriana uneasy because he wasn’t the sort to accept giving up prisoners.

“I confess, we expected to see you sooner,” Cassius said. “And via xenthier, not ship. Though the gossip courtesy of the Ninth and the Fifty-First is that you left the legions in rather a hurry after some form of altercation with Marcus. Is that true?”

“You know it is.” She swallowed hard. “Why didn’t you tell me it was him who did it?”

Cassius made a soft clucking noise of dismay. “The truth came out, did it? It has a habit of doing so.” He was quiet as they exited the building, then said, “There is the obvious reason, I suppose. I knew you wouldn’t forgive the transgression, and I needed your love affair intact to serve as proper motivation. It was truly a remarkable campaign that he conducted on your behalf—I’ve no doubt that young officers at Lescendor will be studying it a hundred years from now with the same enthusiasm they are now.”