Page 95 of Scorched Earth

“Wasn’t there,” Quintus said with another yawn. “I was getting stitched back together.”

She opened her mouth to mumble an apology for her poor choice of example, but then a voice said from behind, “If they kept their nerve.”

Nic, his bodyguard shadowing him, moved to stand next to her at the wall.

“Any updates?” she asked, squeezing the ornament again.

Nic shook his head. “He met with Rastag and Felix in private. What I know is only what everyone else knows. That his new plan is to build a bridge over the Orinok. When it is complete, we’ll invade by land. That this entire camp, including the engineers, knows that building a bridge there is impossible doesn’t seem to matter to him.”

“He’s got a plan,” Quintus said. “He’s not stupid, you know.”

“Or it’s busy work because he doesn’t have a plan. Or doesn’t have the nerve needed to invade Gamdesh and this is his way of delaying.”

“Sir!” Pullo hissed, and Teriana turned around to find Marcus standing behind Nic’s bodyguards, his arms crossed over his breastplate and his expression unamused. She squeezed the ornament in her pocket, wincing as the mast cut her palm. This was the first time she’d seen Marcus since last night, and it felt hard to breathe in his presence.

I need you to stop. Please stop, Teriana.She flinched as his voice filled her thoughts, then shoved her hands in her pockets to cover the reaction.

“Thank you for your defense of my intelligence, Quintus,” Marcus said. “Though I understand your sentiment is not shared.”

Quintus shrugged even as Nic stammered, “Sir… I wasn’t… I didn’t…”

Anger flooded her veins, and Teriana stepped between Nic and Marcus. “Don’t you dare punish him just for talking to me. He didn’t say anything that everyone else isn’t saying.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them, but Marcus only glanced over his shoulder at the camp. “Yes, I’ve heard the gossip.”

No one spoke. No one even seemed to breathe.

“That’s the reason I’m here,” Marcus finally said. “We’re just going to do an exercise. One I think you could stand to participate in, Teriana.”

He exuded an almost frenetic energy, blue-grey eyes slightly bloodshot. Yet he was steady on his feet.

“Fine,” she muttered. “I have nothing better to do.”

“Let’s go.” Marcus motioned them to follow him down the steps. Gibzen and his men pressed around them as they exited the gate, the primus eyeing her coldly. An expression she returned, for while Marcus seemed content to forgive the man for nearly bashing his head in with a rock, she was not.

As they entered the muddy plain, the men training all ceased what they were doing and saluted.

“Austornic,” Marcus said. “Three hundred of your finest, if you would. Four lines.”

Then he called to Servius, who was watching over the training. “Five hundred.”

“That’s not fair,” Teriana snapped. “Whatever you’re planning, don’t. You can make whatever point you need to make another way.”

Marcus ignored her, and Nic, looking like he was ready to be sick, motioned for his men to approach.

Marcus gave a slight nod to Nic, who called out an order, and boys moved into tight ranks, shields interlocked and spears bristling outwards. It was all done within moments, with the coordination of a well-trained dance troupe, every boy knowing exactly where he was supposed to be. Nothing Teriana hadn’t watched a dozen times or more from atop the wall, but it felt different down here on the ground. Despite knowing she was in no danger from them, her pulse escalated.

Marcus motioned for her to walk in front of them, and a bead of sweat rolled down Teriana’s spine as she stared into a mass of razor-tipped spears, steel shields, and gleaming armor. Gone were thefaces of the boys of Nic’s legion, only hard eyes visible beneath their helmets as they stared her down.

“Would you attack them?”

“Obviously not,” she grumbled, glancing sideways at Quintus, who stood a dozen paces away, watching with his arms crossed. “I’m alone.”

“How many soldiers would you need surrounding you to charge that line?” Marcus asked. “Fifty?”

She snorted. “Not unless I’m at the back.”

“Let’s assume you’re at the front.”