Page 230 of Scorched Earth

“Which is why we’re not going to cut Marcus’s lines,” Teriana said with a smile. “We’re going to destroy the source.”

85KILLIAN

Killian silently listened as Teriana explained her plan. At first, Agrippa argued but as Teriana explained details she’d learned during her time with the legions, he swiftly began offering suggestions as to how to see the plan to fruition. But conversation ceased as Sonia entered the room, her hand protectively on Finn’s shoulder. “Finn has something to tell you.”

Lydia murmured a swift explanation of what had happened to Teriana, whose eyes widened with shock. “You can bring them back?”

“It’s possible,” Lydia answered. “But extremely difficult. I’d have to fight the Corrupter’s control out of each person. My hope is that if we destroy the blight that it will accomplish the same result. Or at least, that it will make it easier for me to do.” Her jaw tightened. “I found no answers to that in Revat.”

A twinge of guilt bit at Killian’s guts at the reminder that Lydia had been fighting to save the blighters while he’d been destroying any chance of their salvation. The tension of that truth still sat between them, but now was not the time to bring it up, because Finn clearly had something important to say.

It had been a matter of hours since Lydia had driven the Corrupter from the boy, then brought him back from the dead, and the haunted expression in Finn’s eyes remained. Where he normally would never stop talking, he’d been silent. Given everything that had happened, Killian was reluctant to press him about his ordeal.

But judging from Finn’s determined posture, he was ready to take that step on his own.

“I could see everything that was happening when I was a blighter.” Finn wiped his palms on his trousers. “Could hear everything. But it was as though I were stuck in the back of my head while this presence controlled everything that my body did and said. It’s one presence that is in all the blighters, one mind. One will, to which every one of us was bound.”

It made Killian ill to know that all those blighters he’d set aflame had been conscious for it. That they had suffered a moment of knowing that their own countryman had set the fire. But he shoved away the guilt. He could drown in it later. “You said it was Rufina. That in being twice touched by the Corrupter, she gained more of his power. Joined with him, in some capacity.”

Finn nodded. “Mostly, the presence just made my body go through the motions. But sometimes, like when I was speaking with you, it wouldfocus. The weight of it would push me so far to the back of my own mind that it was like looking down a long tunnel. But when the presence was focused like that, I knew its thoughts as well as it knew mine. Which means that I know that Rufina goes to Deadground to draw upon the life that the blight has stolen. She has some of the life of every blighter in her. I think that’s how she… connects with us.”

It was a horrifying description that Killian wouldn’t have wished on his worst enemy. “This is helpful, Finn. It’s horrible, and—” He broke off. “Daily? How is that possible? Not even a deimos can fly the distance to Deadground and back to her camp in a day.”

“Xenthier,” Agrippa hissed. “Shit.”

Finn gave a tight nod. “There are stems behind her lines that go back and forth between her main camp and Deadground. She had to abandon the position when the fire roared through, which infuriated her because she couldn’t travel to Deadground.”

“Explosives aside, fire doesn’t hurt xenthier stems,” Agrippa said. “The crystal doesn’t burn, so now that the fire is out, she’ll have access to it again.”

“So will we.” Killian stared at the map on the table. “If we can get to the stem, it’s a direct path to Deadground.”

“She’ll have it heavily guarded, Killian,” Agrippa said. “Especially given she knows that Deadground is our goal.”

“It gets worse.” Finn lifted his chin and stepped closer to the table. “Killian, after you burned part of her army, Rufina sent an offer of alliance to the Cel commander.”

Teriana lifted a hand to her mouth, her distress palpable. “What did he say?”

“I don’t know,” Finn admitted. “She admires him, but he also makes her nervous. When she was in my head, she was fretting about what such an alliance might cost her.”

“She may only have taken the step because Killian destroyed so much of her blighter army and put her on the defensive,” Agrippa muttered. “She needs the legions for manpower to destroy us because we’re a threat. But Finn, what did she offer to entice Marcus to risk his men to the blight? Do you know?”

Finn shook his head, but Killian knew the answer. “The age-old bribe—gold. Malahi’s lands and mines are overrun by blight, and Rotahn itself is abandoned entirely. Rufina has all that gold for the taking, and if we know that’s his goal, then we have to assume she does as well.”

Teriana gave a soft hiss between her teeth.

“It makes sense from Rufina’s logic,” Agrippa said. “Better to hold her position and allow Marcus to do her dirty work, which he will do swiftly and efficiently.”

“They could be readying to set sail.” Teriana slammed her fists down on the table. “It’s too late, and we don’t have the forces to hold both him and Rufina back. By the time I cut off the supply lines, everyone will be dead or infected. We don’t have enough time!”

“You will move out of my way!” A familiar voice echoed into the room. “Don’t you know who I am?”

“Who is that?” Finn asked, the noise of a scuffle reaching Killian’s ears, and a heartbeat later, Xadrian strode through the ballroom door.

Killian smiled at the sight of the prince of Anukastre and said, “Reinforcements.”

86LYDIA

“He’s Crown Prince Xadrian of Anukastre,” Lydia murmured to Teriana. “He’s also marked by Tremon.”