Page 302 of Scorched Earth

“Victory in Arinoquia and Gamdesh,” Teriana said. “The legions in Emrant and Aracam were driven to retreat through the xenthier.”

Deafening cheers rose all around, cups lifted into the air in celebration of those great victories. Teriana lifted her hands, motioning for silence, but everyone was too busy hugging and laughing. “The war isn’t over!”

The words tore from her lips in a vicious shout, and everyone fell silent.

“The legions moved by xenthier into Mudamora before we struck.” Teriana’s hands balled into fists, nails digging into her palms. “We need to set sail to aid Mudamora however we can.”

Silence.

Faces fell, cups lowered, and heads shook, yet no one spoke in support of action.

“We have been allies to Mudamora for generations. We need to go to their aid.” Teriana tried to meet the eyes of the other captains, but they all looked away. “At the very least, we can supply the Mudamorian army with food and water from the Southern Continent while they fight. Perhaps entreat the other nations to lend aid.”

“Aye,” one of the captains said. “We can do that. We can bring supplies.”

But another shook his head. “If the legions have invaded, it’s over. Mudamora was already at the brink of defeat against Rufina, andthe legions will have made short work of what resistance remained. We did what we could, Teriana, but for Mudamora, it will be too late. Better now to focus on keeping the legions contained. Let them starve to death or succumb to blight in the nation they so eagerly sought to conquer.”

Shock rendered her speechless, but then Teriana gave a sharp shake of her head. “No! We don’t know that they are defeated! We need to set sail. There’s a xenthier stem beneath Mudaire that goes back to Celendor. I’ll convince Marcus to retreat.”

The captain closed his hands on hers. “I respect your loyalty to Mudamora, Teriana, but you aren’t thinking this through. If we can keep the legions trapped in Mudamora, we can kill them all in a matter of weeks, whether it be to starvation or blight poisoning. The Empire will take generations to recover from such a loss, whereas if we tell them how to escape, they remain as much of a threat as ever.”

Her chin quivered. “You want them all dead? Tens of thousands of men, never mind the civilians trapped in Serlania.”

“The civilians we can aim to help. We can bring them to Gamdesh. But leave the legions to war against Rufina and the blight. Let them destroy each other, Teriana. It’s the smart thing to do.”

All around her, people were nodding. Agreeing that this was the right choice. A tear slipped down Teriana’s cheek.

Turning away from them, Teriana walked a few paces until she was out of the crowd and her eyes were on the sea. Her aunt came alongside her. “You grieve for those boys, don’t you.”

Teriana’s throat tightened. “I know the legions are in the wrong. I know that they have caused harm that will take generations to undo. I know that attacking them was the right choice. But I can’t feel good about killing them all like this.”

Her eyes burned, and Teriana rubbed at them before meeting her aunt’s gaze. “War is such a horror, Auntie. Why do people endlessly engage in it? Why are we this way? Why can’t we see the harm it inflicts and say, ‘Never again’?”

The seas of her aunt’s eyes darkened. “There are always too many who will step on the backs of others for the sake of power and wealth, and too few who stand against them. It costs nothing to hurt people, but more often than not, it costseverythingto protect them.”

“I don’t feel like I won anything.” Teriana stared over the darkening sea. “I feel defeated, because despite everything, what has changed? Even if all those legions starve and die in Mudamora, theEmpire is still strong. It will rebuild. How do we stop this from happening again?”

“We can’t,” her aunt answered.

Behind Teriana, conversation had grown heated as to the best way to evacuate civilians while keeping the legions contained until they starved, and it made Teriana feel sick to hear it. Then her aunt said, “I think a nation is like a person, Teriana. Others can attack it, break it, burn it, silence it, but they cannot change how it thinks. That must come from within, and if the people of the Empire, and of Celendor itself, do not wish for change, then the Empire’s ambitions will remain the same.”

“Many of them do desire change,” Teriana argued. “But Cassius and his followers are too strong. I saw resistance when I was there, but I also saw the fate of those who stood against him.”

“Doing right often costs far more than doing wrong.” Yedda sighed. “Just like doingsomethingrather than nothing.”

Lydia’s face filled her vision, and Teriana’s heart bled to know that her friends stood so horribly alone. She wouldn’t abandon them. “I have to do something. I have to try, even if I have to go alone.”

Her aunt’s arm went around her shoulder. “I know you do, sweet girl. And our crew will have your back until the end.”

Lysander has sent news. Magnius’s voice abruptly filled her mind. Filled everyone’s minds, judging by how all the Maarin across the island abruptly straightened.

The blight is destroyed, and the undead have had the Corrupter driven from their minds and have risen again as themselves. Mudamora and its allies have been victorious.

The whole island erupted with cheers. Teriana flung her arms around her aunt’s shoulders, dancing in circles with tears running down her face. “She did it! Lydia did it!”

A cup of rum was pushed into her hand and she downed it, allowing herself to be drawn into the dancing crowd praising the names of the Six and victory over the Seventh. Yet as she was spun round and round, Teriana silently whispered to Magnius,What about the legions?

Under Legatus Marcus’s command they aided Mudamora in the battle and then left,Magnius answered.Lysander knows not where, only that they have seemingly disappeared.