Page 175 of Scorched Earth (Dark Shores #4)

TERIANA

For all her plan had failed to come to fruition in time to stop Marcus from invading Mudamora, it had been effective in liberating the Southern Continent from the Empire.

Communication flowed between Magnius and Lysander across the Endless Seas, and information slowly trickled in that Teriana’s allies had been successful in their united attacks.

Silvara and the Bardenese rebels had taken control of the legion base at Hydrilla, and then detonated the path leading to Arinoquia.

Facing the united force of Ereni’s clans and the inlanders, the legionnaires located in Arinoquia had retreated to the dubious safety of Sibern, xenthier destroyed in their wake.

Likewise after Teriana and her crew had taken out the stem in Padria, Zimo and his Thirty-First had been unable to hold the city or the fortress of Imresh and had retreated, the Gam deshians detonating the stem in their wake.

The Gamdeshians had also regained control of Revat and destroyed the stem used by Marcus to travel to Mudamora.

Along with their victories, Teriana heard stories of the great earthquakes the destruction had set off. And the death it had left in the wake.

No victory without cost.

Yet what was happening in Mudamora remained a mystery, the fate of Teriana’s friends unknown.

There was no information on whether Marcus had attacked.

No information as to whether Lydia and Malahi had made strides against the blight.

It was possible that Teriana wouldn’t be able to reach them in time to make a difference in their fight, but she intended to try.

“Lower the anchor,” she ordered as the Quincense drifted close to the small island where the Maarin had agreed to meet. “Ready the longboats.”

“I’ll wait here,” Baird said. “This is a meeting for the Maarin people.” Then he disappeared below.

On the island, there were signs her people were already celebrating the victory.

Bonfires burned, and familiar smiling faces danced around them with cups in their hands.

Music drifted over the water, musicians moving between the fires to give rhythm to the dancers.

They deserved to celebrate. Deserved to lift their glasses to toast the first victory against the Empire in generations.

Yet as she listened to dozens of voices laughing and cheering that the legions would suffer, starve, and die, cut off as they were, there was another part of Teriana wanting to scream that it was wrong to celebrate victory when it was achieved with violence and death.

So many lives had been lost, dozens upon dozens of her people dead, to say nothing of the Bardenese, Arinoquian, and Gamdeshian people who’d died in the battles.

Lives lost under her command, and Teriana felt the weight of them pulling her down and down, because more would follow.

And not just them, but hundreds of legionnaires. Thousands.

And the dying wasn’t over yet. The war wasn’t over yet.

Urgency bit in her chest, because if there was to be any chance of the Maarin helping Lydia, they needed to be making ready. Needed to be organizing supplies, not dancing and drinking their weight in rum. “This isn’t right,” she snapped, eyes searching for the ships’ captains. “We’re not done yet.”

“Easy,” her aunt murmured. “This is an important moment, and if you go in swinging, you’re not going to achieve the goals you’ve set.”

Teriana gave a tight nod. Catching sight of the captains, she strode in their direction.

Cheers rose at the sight of her, shouts of “Victory!” filling the air.

Her people pressed in, surrounding her, yet she found herself flinching every time someone clapped her on the shoulder or squeezed her hand.

Found herself wondering how many of those here had once called for her death.

“We grieve the loss of your mother,” one of the captains said. “Triumvir Tesya was a force to be reckoned with, a backbone of our people, and we pray that Madoria holds her close.”

“Thank you.” Teriana dug deep in her chest for the strength not to break down into tears at the reminder her mother was dead. The reminder that she’d never turn around to see her mum walking up the beach nor hear her shouted orders across the deck of the Quincense . “She will be missed.”

“She will be proud of what you have accomplished. And on that note, what news do you bring us?” he asked. “We’ve been waiting to hear from Magnius what happened across the Endless Seas. What has Lysander said?”

“Victory in Arinoquia and Gamdesh,” Teriana said. “The legions in Emrant and Aracam were driven to retreat through the xenthier.”

Deafening cheers rose all around, cups lifted into the air in celebration of those great victories. Teriana lifted her hands, motioning for silence, but everyone was too busy hugging and laughing. “The war isn’t over!”

The words tore from her lips in a vicious shout, and everyone fell silent.

“The legions moved by xenthier into Mudamora before we struck.” Teriana’s hands balled into fists, nails digging into her palms. “We need to set sail to aid Mudamora however we can.”

Silence.

Faces fell, cups lowered, and heads shook, yet no one spoke in support of action.

“We have been allies to Mudamora for generations. We need to go to their aid.” Teriana tried to meet the eyes of the other captains, but they all looked away.

“At the very least, we can supply the Mudamorian army with food and water from the Southern Continent while they fight. Perhaps entreat the other nations to lend aid.”

“Aye,” one of the captains said. “We can do that. We can bring supplies.”

But another shook his head. “If the legions have invaded, it’s over.

Mudamora was already at the brink of defeat against Rufina, and the legions will have made short work of what resistance remained.

We did what we could, Teriana, but for Mudamora, it will be too late.

Better now to focus on keeping the legions contained.

Let them starve to death or succumb to blight in the nation they so eagerly sought to conquer. ”

Shock rendered her speechless, but then Teriana gave a sharp shake of her head. “No! We don’t know that they are defeated! We need to set sail. There’s a xenthier stem beneath Mudaire that goes back to Celendor. I’ll convince Marcus to retreat.”

The captain closed his hands on hers. “I respect your loyalty to Mudamora, Teriana, but you aren’t thinking this through.

If we can keep the legions trapped in Mudamora, we can kill them all in a matter of weeks, whether it be to starvation or blight poisoning.

The Empire will take generations to recover from such a loss, whereas if we tell them how to escape, they remain as much of a threat as ever. ”

Her chin quivered. “You want them all dead? Tens of thousands of men, never mind the civilians trapped in Serlania.”

“The civilians we can aim to help. We can bring them to Gamdesh. But leave the legions to war against Rufina and the blight. Let them destroy each other, Teriana. It’s the smart thing to do.”

All around her, people were nodding. Agreeing that this was the right choice. A tear slipped down Teriana’s cheek.

Turning away from them, Teriana walked a few paces until she was out of the crowd and her eyes were on the sea. Her aunt came alongside her. “You grieve for those boys, don’t you.”

Teriana’s throat tightened. “I know the legions are in the wrong. I know that they have caused harm that will take generations to undo. I know that attacking them was the right choice. But I can’t feel good about killing them all like this.”

Her eyes burned, and Teriana rubbed at them before meeting her aunt’s gaze. “War is such a horror, Auntie. Why do people endlessly engage in it? Why are we this way? Why can’t we see the harm it inflicts and say, ‘Never again’?”

The seas of her aunt’s eyes darkened. “There are always too many who will step on the backs of others for the sake of power and wealth, and too few who stand against them. It costs nothing to hurt people, but more often than not, it costs everything to protect them.”

“I don’t feel like I won anything.” Teriana stared over the darkening sea. “I feel defeated, because despite everything, what has changed? Even if all those legions starve and die in Mudamora, the Empire is still strong. It will rebuild. How do we stop this from happening again?”

“We can’t,” her aunt answered.

Behind Teriana, conversation had grown heated as to the best way to evacuate civilians while keeping the legions contained until they starved, and it made Teriana feel sick to hear it.

Then her aunt said, “I think a nation is like a person, Teriana. Others can attack it, break it, burn it, silence it, but they cannot change how it thinks. That must come from within, and if the people of the Empire, and of Celendor itself, do not wish for change, then the Empire’s ambitions will remain the same. ”

“Many of them do desire change,” Teriana argued. “But Cassius and his followers are too strong. I saw resistance when I was there, but I also saw the fate of those who stood against him.”

“Doing right often costs far more than doing wrong.” Yedda sighed. “Just like doing something rather than nothing.”

Lydia’s face filled her vision, and Teriana’s heart bled to know that her friends stood so horribly alone. She wouldn’t abandon them. “I have to do something. I have to try, even if I have to go alone.”

Her aunt’s arm went around her shoulder. “I know you do, sweet girl. And our crew will have your back until the end.”

Lysander has sent news . Magnius’s voice abruptly filled her mind. Filled everyone’s minds, judging by how all the Maarin across the island abruptly straightened.

The blight is destroyed, and the undead have had the Corrupter driven from their minds and have risen again as themselves. Mudamora and its allies have been victorious.