Page 317 of Scorched Earth

It was the most agonizing thing he’d ever endured, Racker’s scalpel cutting away the legion numbers, the pain echoing even after Lydia used her mark to make his flesh whole.

“You need to take care of them, Felix,” he said when it was done. “Tiberius has his heart in the right place, but that doesn’t mean he won’t lean on the legions when things don’t go his way. You can’t hide from the politics, not anymore.”

It was Servius who answered. His big friend clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll be all right, and anyway, you don’t get to order us about anymore. Go find theQuincense,because there are yet things you have the power to make right.”

He let the memory slip away, knowing it was the last time he’d ever see his friends. Picking up the hair ornament, Marcus wiped away the blood dried on the sails, then reached for one of Teriana’s braids. “I don’t want you to drop me at the nearest port.” Unfastening the end, he unraveled the long length of her hair, then threaded the ornament onto a strand so that it would brush against her cheekbone.

“The farthest one, then?”

“Not the farthest, either.”

Teriana’s breath was rapid against his face as he began rebraiding the strands, and color returned to her eyes. First a pale blue, but the hue darkened and deepened to the richest cobalt, waves gently rolling across their infinite depths.

“You deserve better than this.” He knotted the end of the braid. “Better than me. I am a man with a terrible past and a dubious future. I have no coin, no practical skills, and no name. I would not blame you if you chose to cut your losses and toss me off the back of your ship.”

“Say I choose to keep you,” she whispered. “WhatdoI get?”

“All of me, good and bad. I don’t know if you want me, but I’m yours.” Marcus swallowed hard. “For my part, all I want in my second chance at life is you.”

Teriana was quiet for a long moment, then she reached out to pull down the neck of the borrowed shirt he wore, revealing naked skin where the 37 had once been. Her touch sent a shiver throughhim, the absence of the legion’s mark filling him with grief over what he’d lost even as it filled him with hope for what he might gain.

Then her eyes met his, and she said, “I’ll take you as you are, because you are enough. We are enough.” She pressed her forehead to his. “In this life, and in whatever comes after, I will have you.”

127LYDIA

Lydia linked her fingers with Killian’s, standing in silence together as they watched the sun set over the newly minted republic, but as the shadows grew, Baird approached. “I suspect you have a lengthy story to share,” the giant said. “But I have to ask. Bercola… is she?”

“I’m sorry, Baird,” Lydia said quietly. “She and other warriors from Eoten Isle didn’t come through the xenthier with us. They stayed to hold back the blighters so that we’d have the time we needed.”

Tears rolled down the giant’s big face, but he gave a tight nod. “She died fighting. She’ll be with Gespurn now. With luck, he’ll tell her what I’ve done and when my day comes, she’ll have room for me in her heart again.” He wiped at his tears. “Agrippa?”

“He and Malahi are fine. We left them with the other survivors of Deadground in Mudaire, and their intent was to return south.” Although what would be left, Lydia didn’t know. But what she did know was that neither the Corrupter nor Cassius had destroyed the spirit of Reath. Mudamora, Gamdesh, and all the other nations that had suffered would rebuild.

“Nothing can kill that man,” Baird said, fresh tears pouring down his cheeks. “I’ll find him.”

Polin approached and slung an arm around the giant, leading him away with a promise of drinks to toast the fallen, leaving Lydia once again alone with Killian.

“You haven’t said much,” she murmured. “Do you think I did the wrong thing?”

Killian lifted her hand, kissing her fingers. “I think you did the right thing for Teriana. Gave her the chance to make a choice, whichis what she needed most. Now if she chooses to throw the arrogant bastard off the side for Magnius to eat, I will not shed any tears, but that’s a different conversation.”

Lydia smiled, squeezing his hand. “I don’t think that’s what she’s going to choose to do. You and Marcus are going to have to make peace.”

He muttered a few choice comments about Marcus’s character, but Lydia’s thoughts were all for that word.

Peace.

The peace across Reath wouldn’t last, she knew that. Conflict would always rise between men and women who desired something they did not have, whether it be power or wealth, vengeance or justice. But peace was here now. A brief moment when the world seemed to be drawing a collective breath, coming to terms with what had passed even as it looked toward the future, and for the first time in so long, Lydia’s own future held the liberty of choice.

There was something terrifying about having such an uncertain purpose, no critical goals to drive her every action, but it was thrilling as well. Especially with one certainty at her side. She rested her head against Killian’s shoulder, his solid presence giving her faith that no matter what the future held, she could face it because he’d be with her.

Footsteps sounded on the deck behind her, and Lydia turned to find Teriana standing behind her. Her friend’s eyes were red and puffy from tears, but she had Marcus by the hand, fingers clenched tight. Which told Lydia all she needed to know.

Bait came up the stairs two at a time, a smile on his face. “Who is up for opening a cask of ale and playing a few rounds of cards?” He caught both Killian and Marcus by the arms, and then hauled them away, saying, “Though maybe dice is a better choice. You have the instincts of a god, Killian, and I’d bet my last coin that you count cards, Marcus.”

How either responded, Lydia couldn’t hear over the wind, though as Bait got them ensconced on open space on the deck with full cups and a few other men from the crew to fill out the game, she could see their mouths moving. Jabs flying back and forth, she was sure, and Teriana said, “This is going to be interesting.”

“They’ll figure it out.”