Page 205 of Scorched Earth

Yet for all the horror, Marcus’s instincts screamed that the threat was behind him. As everyone moved away from the towering dam of stone and wood that held back a lake full of water, his eyes tracked to Gibzen.

He was walking toward the fuse line, burning torching in hand.

Gibzen was going to flood the city.

Marcus had to stop him.

This wasn’t the plan, had never been the plan. Only a threat that he’d never intended to follow through on.

He had to stop his primus, but Marcus couldn’t get in the breath to speak the order.

“Marcus!” Felix tore at the buckles on his armor even as Marcus tried to push him away. He reached out a hand toward Gibzen, who was staring in fascination at the dam.

“Stop!” Marcus gasped. “Stop him!”

But the words were just wheezes of air.

“The rest of the towers are collapsing!” someone shouted. “Look!”

Like the death of one had been the death of all, one tower hit the next and the next, laying waste to Revat until only a singular black spike reared in the air.

The Seventh God’s tower trembled. Not with instability, but with laughter. It turned, flaming eyes staring into Marcus’s soul.

This is who you are,the voice whispered.

A part of Marcus, deep down, wanted to rail against the voice’s condemnation. Wanted to cling to the dream that there was another path forward for him. Another life. But every time he reached for that path, it hurt in every possible way.

Accept that this is what you are.

Do not resist this destiny.

Marcus tasted blood as he warred against that certainty.

Warred… and lost.

As he conceded to the voice, Marcus found that he could breathe again, each inhalation clearing away grief and terror and pain until only clarity of purpose remained.

He turned his head away from the towers to where Gibzen stood holding the burning torch. His Primus’s eyes locked with his.

Then Gibzen lit the fuse.

76LYDIA

Lydia shoved as many of the books as she could in her bag, abandoning clothes and necessities in favor of trying to save as much knowledge as possible, but as they started toward the door, the whole building shook.

They both staggered, catching their balance against the wall, the thunder of falling stone deafening Lydia’s ears.

“Catapult,” Sonia whispered. “They hit the library. We need to run.”

Lydia shoved against the door, but it was jammed. “It’s stuck!”

A desperate sob of fear tore from her friend’s lips. “The Six have mercy, we’re trapped!”

Lydia felt the blood drain from her face. Dropping her bag, she slammed her shoulder into the heavy door. The frame rattled and strained against the force of the blow, but the door held.

Sonia picked up a chair and smashed the window. “Help!” she screamed. “We’re trapped!”

But as Lydia joined her at the window, she knew to call for help was hopeless. From this height, it was easy to see that the walls were thick with Gamdeshian soldiers. And beyond…