Page 67 of Scorched Earth

Marcus frowned. “Don’t get too close to Kaira. Her instincts are…acute.”

“That’s well known, sir. And to be frank, no concerns there. Kaira’s one for the ladies, and besides, Astara might tolerate my absences, but she doesn’t tolerate me looking sideways at other girls. Given she can turn into a giant hawk, I do my best to remain on her good side.”

Marcus blinked. “Pardon?”

“Sorry, sir. I’m used to you knowing more than I know myself. Everyone is, which is likely why no one has mentioned her.”

Marcus’s teeth clenched, because he was also used to being the best informed. “Perhaps you’ll do me the service of rectifying my ignorance.”

“Of course, sir. There are people in the West with special powers gifted them by the gods, and—”

“I’m aware of the god marks.”

“Right.” Atrio rocked on his heels. “At any rate, Astara is marked by the god Lern, so she can turn into an animal. A hawk, specifically. She works for Kaira as a spy.”

A shifter spy.

Atrio patted the helmet under his arm. “Astara is why I keep this on. She spies on our camp regularly, and her eyesight is keen. She comes and goes, but I heard her wings overhead earlier.”

There was so much information Marcus didn’t know, days and days of reports to read, but he didn’t have time.

“Do you know how quickly she can make the journey between Aracam and Kaira’s fortress?”

“She’s fast,” Atrio answered. “Anything that can be seen, you bestbe sure Kaira knows about, and then some. Felix keeps men on the walls whose sole duty is to try to shoot her down, but Astara knows their range.”

“She a talker?”

Atrio blew out a breath of frustration. “No, unfortunately. I had a room in the village outside of the fortress and she always came to me. Everything I know about Astara’s duties I discovered through looser lips, and that isn’t much. Though she’s often in Emrant, Kaira returns every night to Imresh. Must be worried about assassination attempts, because the garrison in that fortress has twice the number of men they need.”

“If there is opportunity to learn more, do so. But I’ve a bigger priority for you.” Marcus swiftly explained about the walled-in terminus in Emrant. “I want certainty that it’s good before we take steps to secure it.”

“How do you want me to do that?” Atrio asked. “If it’s walled in, as you say, then my guess is the city guard will have something to say about me taking out a piece of said wall to determine whether it’s a tomb for ill-fated path-hunters.”

“I want you to listen.”

Atrio’s eyes widened. “Listen for… for screams? With respect, sir, that’s grim given it’s unlikely we could rescue them in time.”

“Not screams.” Marcus explained his plan, the corner of Atrio’s mouth turning up in a half smile.

“Clever.”

“It’s only clever if it works, you know that.”

“Yes, sir.”

Marcus shoved his draft letter in front of the spy. “Can you translate this?”

The spy read the letter, then swiftly scribbled a translation on another scrap of paper. “You know the Gamdeshians won’t agree to this after what Titus did to the god towers in Aracam and Galinha, right?”

“That’s my problem, not yours.”

Atrio shoved his helmet down on his head, then saluted. “I’ll get underway quick like, but it might be a day before I sail out of Aracam. There are spies from every nation in the West in the city now, and this will all be for naught if I’m discovered.”

“Be safe.” Marcus watched the spy depart before taking both letters and holding them to the lamp flame, knowing that Atrio would reveal at least some of what he’d written over drinks aroundthe fire tonight. He tossed them in the bowl on the table, watching the paper burn before drawing another page in front of him.

Writing swiftly in Gamdeshian, he explained Teriana’s situation, the threat to the imprisoned Maarin, and the requirements for setting them free.The Senate requires pathways that are safe and secure for trade, but with your cooperation, we can fabricate a pretense that I hold the stems under legion control. Once the Maarin are freed, I will withdraw from Gamdesh’s territories. It is no permanent solution, for the Senate will soon discover my duplicity and remove me from command, but it will buy you time while also saving the lives of your Maarin allies. Lest there be any confusion, if you refuse to work with me now to save the lives of Teriana’s people, you will war with me later.

He signed the page and sealed it with wax stamped with Celendor’s dragon, the creature staring up at him with mocking eyes.