Page 229 of Scorched Earth

“If Marcus is as good as all of you claim, he knows exactly how he can be beaten, and consciously or unconsciously, that knowledge lurks in the back of his mind,” Killian said. “Given how close you two were, there’s no chance he didn’t voice that weakness to you.”

A wild giggle escaped her. “Killian, Marcus told me a million things, but not one of them was ‘If you wish to beat the Empire, this is how to go about doing it.’”

Killian shrugged. “He told you, Teriana. You might not have recognized it for what it was, but he told you. I’d bet every coin to my name on it.”

“You’d bet every coin to your name on the roll of the dice,” she grumbled, clinging to humor because it felt like she’d lost everything else. “The only thing Marcus feels is confidence in his certain victory. He’s got a bigger army. A better trained army. And above all else, he doesn’t need to waste time worrying about civilians he needs to protect. He told me that was the only reason that Kaira lost to himat Emrant—because she needed to protect people. The only thing he needs to protect is supply lines.”

Marcus’s voice abruptly filled her head.If it’s a good path, I’ll be able to use it as a supply line straight back to the Empire. Food. Weapons. Gold. Legions. Every resource I could possibly want, and the only way to cut the line would be at the genesis.

Understanding came to her like a bucket of cold water over her head, realization that Marcushadtold her the solution slapping Teriana across one cheek and then the other. “Oh. I see.”

Killian’s mouth quirked in a small smile that said,I told you so.

The rear door to the ballroom opened, and the good-looking man who’d been standing next to Malahi came inside with her aunt Yedda. “Well, everything’s about to get much worse.” He paused, then inclined his head. “Good to meet you, Teriana; I’ve heard wonderful things about you. I’m Agrippa. I’m sure you’ve heard of me given you’ve been living with my old legion, but I assure you, the stories are a pale shade compared to reality. At any rate, we’re all about to get a big reunion.”

Shock radiated through her. “Agrippa, as in Quintus’s friend?”

He bowed. “Glad to hear they still remember me.”

Yedda stepped forward. “Lysander went to see what the Cel were up to in Revat, only to discover the legions had fresh orders to move out. He sent word to Magnius.”

A flicker of hope that maybe what she’d said to Marcus had made a difference burned in Teriana’s chest. That maybe he was planning to return to Celendor.

Foolish hope, because no sooner had it passed through her thoughts did Yedda say, “Lysander overheard the legionnaires gossiping on the docks. Cassius is set on the gold mines of Rotahn. The Empire isn’t a distant threat. Cassius not only has his eyes on the Northern Continent, he’s sent orders that the legions move in pursuit of its conquest.”

All the blood drained from Teriana’s skin, her pulse roaring in her ears.

Marcus was coming.

“How soon will they depart?” Lydia demanded even as Killian asked, “Where do they intend to land?”

Agrippa said, “There is no way to know where they intend to land, and I’m not sure it much matters. Nearly every soldier we have is with Dareena at the front or hunting down blighters, and using everyone left to try to stop the legions from taking a beach would belike spitting into the eye of a hurricane.” He shook his head. “This doesn’t make sense. The Empire no doubt has ambitions to control all of the West and most certainly to take Rotahn’s gold, but it is always calculated and methodical in its approach. Always ensures what it takes is firmly under its control before it takes another bite. This… this doesn’t feel like an attempt to take control—it feels like an attempt to destroy. It feels personal.”

“It is,” Teriana answered, her voice toneless.

“With respect,” Agrippa said, “I understand that he’s angry with you, but—”

“It’s not about me. At least, not entirely. It’s about Lydia.”

The color drained from her friend’s face.

“You’re a threat. A threat to Cassius’s dictatorship. A threat to the Corrupter’s influence. That’s why Marcus intends to sail north. That’s why Rufina is marching south. The two greatest evils, whom I believe are, in many ways, one and the same, want you destroyed.”

Everyone stared at her.

Finally, Agrippa spoke. “That’s an argument I can accept for Rufina, because her army is dead, but the legions are living, breathing men. They’re not going to follow a commander whose strategies and goals don’t make any sense. They’re trained to obey, but there’s a limit to that.”

“Is there?” Teriana met his stare. “Because I think they’ll follow him into fire itself. He never loses. Always protects them. They know he’s acting strangely and they don’t like it, but I don’t think it’s enough to cause them to turn on him. Especially given that these orders have come directly from Cassius. They have been trained to obey the Senate—or at least to fear the consequences of disobeying them.”

Agrippa’s jaw tightened, and he looked away.

“Marcus often said that Kaira’s greatest weakness was that she had people that she’d sacrifice everything to protect. That she’d make bad decisions to protect. I always thought he meant civilians. But Killian was right when he said that Marcus told me exactly how to defeat him. We go after his family. After the Thirty-Seventh. The Corrupter might have his claws in deep, but the Thirty-Seventh? That’s the hill Marcus will die on.”

“I don’t disagree,” Agrippa said, “but just how do you intend to go after them?”

“Cut off their supplies. They need to eat. Need to drink. And with all the scorched earth he’s left in his wake, if the Empire isn’t supplying him, it will get lean mighty quick.”

A short laugh burst from Agrippa’s lips. “He’ll have contingency after contingency protecting his food and water sources, Teriana. Might as well go face-to-face with the main army than to try to cut through the myriad of supply lines he’ll have running their direction. Supply lines are a speciality for him—you won’t beat him in this.”