Page 127 of Scorched Earth (Dark Shores #4)

“Except in lives.” Malahi picked at the fabric of her dress.

“Lydia, now that you are here, we need to start thinking of a way to get to Deadground. It won’t be easy with Mudamora overrun with blight.

Horses will be almost immediately infected, so we’ll need to go on foot.

In truth, no one who isn’t marked should go. ”

“We already argued about this, love,” Agrippa said. “I’m going. But I also think we should have Astara, once Lydia fixes her up, scout Deadground to ensure the corrupted tenders are still there. That’s a long walk to discover Rufina’s moved them somewhere else.”

“I’m not sure that moving them is possible,” Lydia said.

“When I went into their mounds looking for Malahi, I tried to free one of them, but cutting her loose from her… roots? Vines?” She gave her head a sharp shake.

“Whatever you want to call them, being cut away from the blight flow caused her to wither and die. According to our research, she likely regenerated or is in the process of doing so, but I don’t think it’s possible to move them. ”

All eyes went to Agrippa, but he lifted his hands in a shrug.

“My command was over the living, and those parasites gave me the creeps. They were Rufina’s domain, not mine, but she never tried to move them while I was there.

Only sat with them, like they were some sort of sick garden she was tending. ”

Malahi reached up a hand to touch the livid scar on her face. “I remember when she learned from a deimos rider that one of her tenders had been destroyed. She didn’t seem to know that it would… regrow. She wanted me to replace the loss, and when I refused, she flew into a rage and cut my face.”

Guilt soured Lydia’s stomach, for she’d caused Rufina’s reaction. Reaching out, she took Malahi’s free hand. “I’m sorry. That was my doing.”

Malahi lifted her head. “Don’t be sorry.

It’s good information, because I’m remembering what she said in her rage.

She kept screaming at me that she needed me to pick up the threads or the fruits would be lost to her.

I was in too much pain to consider what she meant, but now I’m wondering what that might mean. ”

“I’m sure we’ll find out,” Agrippa muttered. “After we cut across a dead kingdom infested with walking corpses controlled by the Seventh God and destroy a parasitic garden protected by corrupted.”

Everyone fell silent, and Lydia looked out the carriage window to see they were passing through the heavily armed gates of a large manor.

The carriages came to a halt, a servant running up to open the door.

Killian was sitting on top, eyes roving their surroundings, then he reached up to help Lydia exit. “You see anyone we should worry about?”

Lydia slowly rotated, taking in all the soldiers and servants, as well as Seldrid and Adra, who had appeared at the entrance, both dressed in black. “No. No blighters.”

“Good. I’ll arrange restrictions on the coming and going of the staff, but I think it best if you and I take a look around to make sure everyone on the property is of the living. I’ll also arrange for dogs to join the patrols.”

She nodded as Seldrid came down the steps, bowing low. Adra followed, dropping into a curtsey, but Lydia didn’t fail to notice the woman’s eyes were bloodshot from crying. “I’m sorry for the loss of Kaira,” she said softly. “She sacrificed herself for the sake of Reath.”

“A sacrifice that netted her nothing,” Adra retorted. “For she is dead and the Cel army holds Revat. Better that she’d escaped to fight another day, but it was never her way to run.”

“We’re out of places to run to ,” Lydia said. “At some point, we need to stand our ground even if it means some of us falling. But I have good news for you. Your uncle, Sultan Kalin, is in the other carriage with Sonia.”

Adra gasped, then hurried to the carriage. “Uncle!”

Sonia climbed out, her expression grim as she watched Adra help the Sultan out of the carriage, then she turned and approached.

“He’ll barely speak to me, but hopefully Adra will have luck.

Lord Calorian, do you know where I might find Finn?

He’s my responsibility and I’ve left him unattended for too long. ”

Lydia perked up at the mention of the boy, for she’d not seen him at Teradale and her young friend’s humor would be welcome right now.

“I saw him in the kitchen earlier,” Seldrid answered. “Though he’s not one to sit still, that boy.”

“He’ll be here somewhere,” Killian said. “I forbade him to leave.”

Sonia sighed. “That will have the opposite effect you intended. I’ll find him.”

Lydia watched her friend, who’d not recovered any of her spirit since Kaira’s death, disappear inside.

“We’re glad to have you back alive and well, Your Grace,” Seldrid said, and she noted the exhaustion that hadn’t been there when she’d departed marring his face. “We feared the worst when Malahi and Agrippa returned without you. Did you discover more information to aid our cause?”

“Wasted time, I’m afraid.” How many times would she have to admit that she had no solution?

How many times would she have to admit that even if they were victorious, she’d spend every day thereafter still feeling as though she’d failed?

A failure made worse by the cost of Aspasiana’s life, which was a catastrophic loss to the Maarin that wouldn’t have happened if she’d left earlier.

Seldrid made a noncommittal noise, then gestured to the door. “I assume you’ve been updated. We need to move swiftly on many things. I’ll have food and drink served while we set our course.”

Lydia started to follow Seldrid, but Killian caught hold of her hand and pulled her back while the others entered.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t know that you hoped to save them. It seemed like the only way to buy us time, and even knowing what I do now, I’m not sure I’d do differently.”

“We’re at war.” Lydia’s tongue felt thick, her throat choked. “You did what you thought you had to.”

“As did you.” Killian’s hand pressed against the small of her back. “Every instinct in me screams that the Corrupter didn’t want you in that library for a reason.”

“Because the answers for Malahi were there.”

“And yet Malahi has never been his target.”

“Because he knows she won’t ever turn to darkness.” Her eyes tracked Malahi’s blond hair as she walked inside, now a neatly trimmed cap, the bald spots grown in.

“Or because you’re the threat.”

She sighed. “This is speculation, Killian. Whereas there are facts demanding our attention. Let’s go inside.”

Leaving him to follow, Lydia rose the steps into the blissful coolness of the manor, the scent of flowers filling her nose, her boot heels clicking over the tiles.

It was quiet after the noise of the city, but the serenity was destroyed by a familiar voice echoing down a corridor. “Let me go, Sonia!”

“I will not,” the Gamdeshian woman retorted. “Not until you explain to Killian why you were trying to sneak out past the guards.”

“I have business in the city!” Finn shouted. “My subjects need to be fed, and the Calorian larders are always full. They won’t miss a few sacks of food.”

“You don’t steal from your hosts!”

Lydia stopped in her tracks as Sonia appeared, dragging a struggling Finn behind her.

And at the sight of him, all the air disappeared from Lydia’s lungs.

Sonia glowered at Killian. “He’s already back to his old tricks!”

The boy stared Lydia in the eye, and she stared back, a tremble running through her, as Killian said, “It’s fine, Sonia.

Seldrid can handle having his larders pilfered for the good of a few children.

Finn’s doing the right thing, because there are many…

” He trailed off, his eyes moving to Lydia. “What’s wrong?”

She sucked in a shaking breath, still staring the creature in the eye. “That is not Finn.”