Page 36 of Scorched Earth

Forcing his eyes to the muddy ground, Marcus said under his breath, “Never tell them the truth. They can never know.” It was bad enough for them to believe he’d betrayed them. Worse still for them to discover he was innocent after the rocks and fists had flown.

Felix didn’t answer, only pushed him through the ranks of shouting legionnaires. Men he’d known since they were children at Lescendor. His brothers. The Thirty-Seventh was his family, but hehardly recognized them as they screameddeserterin his face, their hands already clutching rocks they intended to use to shatter his body.

His fear rose, for Marcus had seen deserters executed before. When the Thirty-Seventh were done, he’d be nothing more than bloody pulp mixing with the mud.You will do this,he ordered himself.You will show no weakness.

Because if he did, Felix might crack. If his friend broke, the rocks would turn on him as well.

Breathe. Just breathe.

They had reached an open space the legion used for training. Felix’s hands were like ice against his skin, his arms trembling, but he forced Marcus to his knees.

Stepping in front of Marcus, Felix held up his hand, and a lifetime of training caused the men to fall silent. “Legionnaire One Five One Nine, you have been found guilty of desertion. Do you have any final words?”

He met Felix’s gaze. “We do not fall back.”

The mass of men surrounding them snarled and seethed, their faces barely human. Their desire for blood barely checked.

Marcus allowed them to fade to a blur, keeping his eyes focused on Felix’s face. Seeing the tears pooling in his blue eyes, though his voice was steady as he said, “Then you are sentenced to death at the hands of those you betrayed.”

Bending down, Felix prised a fist-sized rock out of the mud, and relief tempered Marcus’s growing terror. Felix would make it quick, so that all else that was done to him would cause no pain.

The Thirty-Seventh was a mass of barely checked violence waiting for the command. Waiting for the order to enact the justice they believed they were owed. Marcus prayed to this world’s gods that they’d never learn otherwise.

I’m sorry,Felix mouthed to him, tears running down his cheeks. Marcus gave a tight nod, then closed his eyes.

And a familiar horn blew.

14LYDIA

They rode hard until the sun was low in the west, stopping only from time to time so that Malahi could use her mark to erase their trail, which explained in part how the three had evaded capture for so long. When they’d put acceptable distance between themselves and the horde, they finally stopped for rest.

“The deimos will be out in force soon enough, so no light, no fire.” Agrippa loosened his horse’s girth but kept the saddle in place. In case they needed to make a quick departure, was Lydia’s guess, so she did the same with her mount, the animal eyeing her warily.

“They may be already,” Killian muttered. “Given they were in the air midday, there must be a way to make them fly, even when the light hurts their eyes.”

“Thatwayis called asking them, though they are notoriously mulish,” Agrippa replied. “Their humanity isn’t overly intact, but they understand orders just fine.”

“Pardon?” Lydia demanded, even as Killian said, “Humanity?”

“They don’t know.” Malahi was perched on a rock and cloaked by shadows. “Of which you are well aware, so don’t pretend otherwise.”

“You do enjoy ruining my fun, Majesty.” Agrippa removed his saddlebags, carrying them into their camp. “The deimos are corrupted shifters. Men and women with Lern’s mark who spent so much time in animal form that they lost themselves to it. Doesn’t matter what animal they favored, this is what they become, and from what I know, they can never change back.” His gaze flicked to Lydia. “Though I suppose it’s possible. I’m just an Empire soldier, so what do I know about gods and such.”

Lydia bit the insides of her cheeks, hearing the double layer of slight against her. For all she’d reined in the impulse to give in to her darker half, Agrippa quite clearly didn’t trust her and kept himself between her and Malahi at all times. But rather than resenting him for it, Lydia found herself appreciating his caution. Agrippa, at the very least, would do what was required to keep her from harming anyone.

Unlike Killian.

Unrolling her bedroll, Lydia cast a glance at Killian where he wasfeeding the horses, grief threatening to drown her. They were finally free to pursue the love between them, but there wasn’t a chance she’d risk touching him. Even with her focus at its sharpest, she’d be tempted. Not just by her mark but by him, because gods help her, he was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. With lust burning through her veins, there was no chance she’d be able to maintain any level of control.

Killian believed she would master her darker impulses.

But what if she didn’t?

What if their fate was to spend their lives together but out of reach? Unified in purpose and soul but unable to show it? How long until their love turned to bitterness and bitterness into hate?

Her eyes burned, and turning to Agrippa, she asked, “Will you bind my wrists and tie me to a tree?”

“No,” Killian snapped. “We are done trussing you up like a prisoner.”