Page 9 of Scorched Earth (Dark Shores #4)

“As delightful as this little negotiation has been,” he finally said, “I don’t feel compelled to make any concessions.

You are already bound by your agreement with the Senate to provide this information, and that same agreement states that viable paths to and from the West need to be secured before your people will be released. You have no ground to stand upon.”

Teriana rose. “Let me know if you change your mind. I’ll be staying with Senator Valerius.”

She turned to leave just as the door opened and Cassius’s servant appeared. The sour-faced man walked past her to his master’s arm and whispered something in his ear. She caught “Timia by way of Alsium… Hostus is determining potential… can’t be done in less than ten.”

Teriana reached the door.

“Wait.”

She smiled, then schooled her face to blandness as she slowly turned. “Let me guess. The men Hostus had waiting on the road didn’t catch Marcus. Because he didn’t go that direction.”

Cassius spread his hands wide. “Apparently not.”

“I’ve heard that there are hundreds of xenthier paths crisscrossing the Empire. So many different ways to get anywhere he wants to go.”

“It’s not that simple. Multiple jumps—”

“Are like being cracked over the head, I know.”

“Ten—”

“Was the number Hostus came up with.” The corner of her mouth curled up in a smirk. “But remember who you are hunting. Hostus isn’t going to catch him. You know it. And I know it.”

“Dominus,” the servant whispered, “we can consult the commandant for potential—”

“I don’t think you’re going to find Wex to be particularly helpful,” Teriana interrupted. “Also you may want to discipline Hostus for his failure. Thanks to his botched assassination, you have a wild-card legatus who knows you tried to kill him about to rejoin his very loyal legion.”

Silence.

“What do you think Marcus is going to do?” She stared him down. “What will be his first action when he’s back with the Thirty-Seventh?”

“For your sake, and that of your people, you should hope he does as he’s told.”

Her teeth were chattering, but Teriana managed to say, “Alliances are formed when mutually desired goals need to be achieved, but also when shared obstacles need to be overcome. You know I have influence over Marcus. I know that the Senate dances to your drum. Give me what I want, and I’ll return the favor in kind. ”

Cassius’s face revealed little, but his choice of silence rather than an immediate repartee told her that he, at least, believed Marcus was a threat. A threat that she had the power to mitigate.

“I’m not giving up my leverage over you,” he finally said. “I’ll free fifty of your people, plus you’ll travel through the Bardeen stem with the Fifty-First legion. They are convenient and the least valuable by virtue of their age.”

“One hundred of my people, which must include all the children, loaded onto a Maarin ship before I leave. I want to watch them sail away.”

“One hundred, including all the children, on one of your ships before you depart.” Cassius downed the rest of his expensive wine. “But only if you agree to a timeline. I want viable paths capable of transporting legions with acceptable levels of risk within six months.”

Her heart skipped, then sped. “And if I don’t meet your deadline?”

“Then I execute ten of your people for each month of delay.”

Six months.

Teriana’s eyes moved to the map, latching on to the port city of Emrant along the border of Arinoquia and Gamdesh. It wasn’t so very far from the legion camp in Aracam, but would fifteen thousand legionnaires, a third of which were only thirteen years old , be enough? “He’ll need a fourth legion.”

Cassius shrugged, and it was not lost on her that there was no other ruler in the world who could shrug about five thousand trained soldiers. “Easily done… for a cost. Let’s see… fifty executions for every month of delay?”

They were bartering with lives, but what else could she do?

Teriana stared at the map, calculating what she knew about Gamdesh’s Imperial Army.

The legions had ships. Chests of gold. Alliances with the Arinoquians, and likely one forthcoming with Katamarca.

They had Marcus, who everyone said was the greatest military strategist alive.

“A year. And I choose my hundred. And I want them to set sail today.”

“I’m happy to allow you to choose. All six hundred, including the children, are in Celendrial’s prison; their ships are in the harbor. But I cannot concede on the timeframe. Elections, and all that.”

“You are keeping the children in prison?” Bile burned her throat, but Cassius only shrugged again and said, “I suggested Lescendor for the young ones, but you weren’t amenable. Disappointing given that we prefer to see our ranks representing every province under Celendor’s control.”

“The Maarin people aren’t one of your provinces. ”

He refilled his glass and took a long mouthful. “Soon enough.”

Six months wasn’t enough time, not with the stakes so high. Yet to refuse would mean her people languishing in Celendrial’s prison for who knew how long. The adults could endure, but the children… “I need to see my people. Then I’ll decide.”

Cassius smiled. “I thought you might say that.”