Page 37 of Scorched Earth

It was tempting to remind him that he’d done just that when she’d been deep beneath the Corrupter’s hold, but instead Lydia said, “I need to sleep. I can’t sleep if I’m afraid of losing control of myself and killing my friends.”

“If it makes you feel better,” Agrippa said, “we aren’t friends.”

“Agrippa.” Malahi’s voice was cool. “Do not be an ass to her.”

“Can’t help it.” He grinned. “It’s part of my charm.”

“It’s not.”

“And yet…” He gave Malahi a wink, and though it was too dark to see clearly, Lydia sensed Mudamora’s queen was blushing.

Jealousy roared into her, anger rising that they’d flirt and make light of her circumstances right in front of her. Lydia’s lips parted to inform Malahi that Agrippa’s flirtation meant nothing at all because he was a womanizer and whoremonger who would cast her aside as soon another pretty face came along. He was probably only flirting with her because she was Queen of Mudamoraandthe High Lady of House Rowenes, which made her the wealthiest woman on the continent.

Instead, she said, “Did you love this Silvara?”

Agrippa’s smirk fell away, his hazel eyes darkening, and in Cel, he said, “You’re not improving my opinion of you.”

“I’m not trying to,” she answered, using Cel as well. “But I know you, and I don’t care to see you take advantage of her.”

“Given not hours ago you were ready to steal every drop of Malahi’s life, I think your motivations here are much less selfless.” Agrippa held out a hand to Baird. “I need your belt.”

“Use your own.” Baird’s accent was terrible, but it appeared Agrippa had taught him some of the Cel language. “Her wrists are skinny, so it should suffice.”

“Apparently I need my belt around my waist to keep my trousers in place.”

Smoothing out his blankets, Baird said, “A chain and padlock couldn’t accomplish that.”

“Enough.” Malahi climbed to her feet. “You will speak in a language that everyone present understands, or you will not speak at all. In fact, unless you two have kind words for each other, you will keep them to yourselves. We have enough adversity in our lives without arguing over petty issues.”

“How do you know my issues are petty?” Agrippa reached out lightning quick as Baird flopped down on his bedroll, yanking the giant’s belt free.

“Body language is universal.”

Agrippa huffed out an annoyed breath, then approached Lydia. She held out her wrists, and he stared at her bare hands for a minute before tugging gloves from his belt and tossing them to her.

“Thanks,” she muttered, pulling them on. Killian went back to caring for the horses, his jaw tight with displeasure.

“If it comes to it,” she said softly, “kill me. Please.”

Agrippa expertly bound her wrists before her with Baird’s belt. “He’ll stop me. He’ll die before allowing anything to happen to you.” He looped the length around her back and through her own belt, limiting her range of motion. “You’re overestimating me if you think I can stop him.”

“You stopped me.”

“You can’t fight worth shit, and corrupted, in general, tend to leave their backs exposed.” His mouth twisted. “Sorry. I know you’re trying. But I’ve spent years around those with corrupted marks and only the old ones have any control. In my experience, control only makes them more dangerous.”

Moving to retrieve a length of rope from a saddle, he fastened it around the tree with several highly complex-looking knots, then came back to her. “To answer your question, I was sixteen when I met Silvara. As you surmised, it was during the siege where we, along with the Twenty-Ninth, captured the rebel-held fortress of Hydrilla in Bardeen province. She was in the camp of followers who served the needs of the legion. A laundress, but unbeknownst to me, also a rebel. As to whether I loved her…” He trailed off as he fastened theother end of the rope to her belt. “I hated her for a long time after we parted ways. Now I understand why she did what she did, and also why I deserved it.”

“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s in the past.” He checked the knots again. “That should slow you down a bit if your dreams get the better of you.”

“Thank you.” She awkwardly lowered herself to her blanket, sensing Killian’s scrutiny although he said nothing.

Agrippa walked over to Malahi and sat next to her. Though he was slightly shorter than Lydia, Agrippa was broad of shoulder and heavily muscled, and Malahi seemed tiny next to him. Agrippa rooted around in his saddlebags and extracted a packet of jerky. He gave Malahi a large piece, then said, “Was what you said about the Thirty-Seventh true or was it just a ruse to disarm me?”

This was dangerous ground. Telling Agrippa that the Thirty-Seventh was in the Westhadbeen effective in disarming him, but it had also potentially been a mistake on her part. If he chose to return to the legions, he’d bring with him an incredible wealth of knowledge that would aid the Empire in its conquest, and Agrippa had proven that he was willing to switch sides. But… she also remembered what he’d said about desertion. The legion might just kill him without taking time to discover his value, and Agrippa had to know that. She warred with what to answer, but then Killian came up to the group with his own bedroll and said, “It’s true.”

Silence stretched, broken only when Baird said, “Well, shit.”