Page 82 of Scorched Earth

He did not want this war.

Did not want to slaughter his way northward.

It’s who you are,a voice whispered up from his thoughts, and a sudden waft of cold flowed over him.It’s what you do.

A knock sounded at the door. “Yes.”

One of his men entered carrying a tiny box. “A delivery from a Katamarcan goldsmith in Aracam.”

He set it on the table, eyes flicking to the wine bottle, then he departed.

Marcus studied the box for a long moment, then took a mouthful of wine. And another. The horse on the bottle appeared to move, mane and tail rippling in the wind, head tossing.

Like it was taunting him.

With a sudden fit of rage, Marcus hurled the bottle against the wall.

31TERIANA

Teriana collected the crate from Pullo after she’d met Elyanna on the beach, but the sight of the contents had only filled her with red-hot fury, and she’d shoved it into the corner of Quintus’s tent.

“We can sell this stuff,” he’d suggested, rooting through it. “It’s worth a fortune.”

“That would only invite questions as to why I have it,” she’d retorted, knowing in her heart that the real reason was because with every passing day that the legions did nothing but train while Marcusavoided her at every turn, that she might grow desperate enough to use it.

“Has he said anything more?” she’d asked Nic when she’d managed to get him alone near the latrines.

“No.” The glare on the boy’s face had been something to behold. “All he gives the men is busy work. All he gives the officers is admonitions of patience. If he has other schemes, I don’t know of them.”

It was desperation that had driven her to write a message to Killian explaining the situation, begging for whatever aid he might be able to give her. It had cost her a golden hair bead to get it past Servius to a merchant ship heading north, and in truth, with the mutters of dire circumstances in Mudamora, even her old friend likely wouldn’t be able to help her imprisoned people.

And every day that passed was one day closer to Cassius’s deadline. One day closer to a hundred of her people being executed because she’d failed in her promise to them.

She had only one avenue left.

One.

Which was why she was staring at the crate in the corner when Quintus pulled aside the tent flap and crawled inside.

“Two updates. First is that a letter from the Empire came by way of the Bardeen stem. Second is that the giant hawk just dropped a sealed letter in the middle of camp,” Quintus said. “Nic’s bringing it to Marcus, so we may have answers soon enough.”

Teriana didn’t allow herself to pray for deliverance at Kaira’s hands, because there was no chance that the princess would concede so much.

Kaira would not help her.

Ereni would not help her.

Her own people would not help her.

Which meant the only allies she had left were the army surrounding her and the man who commanded it.

Stepping out of the tent, Teriana watched the fortress. She didn’t have to wait long. Nic shoved open the flap of her tent, skinny form quivering with anger. “The Gamdeshians declined to concede the city to us,” he said as he reached her. “I can’t begin to imagine what madness drove Marcus to even try, but he can no longer hide behind that travesty of a plan.”

“Did he say anything about next steps?”

“He said he doesn’t know what he’s going to do.” Nic’s hands werefisted, every part of him seething frustration. “Then he told me to go find a ball and some playmates. I fucking hate him. Everything they ever said about him is a lie.”

“I’ll do it.” The words jerked out of Teriana’s mouth, surprising her as much as they surprised Nic, whose mouth dropped open.