Page 13 of Scorched Earth
“Yes,” Teriana replied. “I think you had her killed once she’d served her purpose. Tell me how and where she met her end so that she can be put to rest in peace.”
“Yet what you offer will bring the exact opposite of peace.” He set his glass down on the table. “Are you sure this is a bargain you wish to make? Because you will not like what I’m about to tell you.”
“Yes.” She clenched her hands at her side, dread making her gusts twist. “Spit it out.”
Cassius shrugged. “As you like. I was not present, but her murderer informed me that she was drowned in the baths and put down the drain into the underground river. I’m afraid her body is quite unrecoverable. Of course, if you try to use this information against me, I’ll deny it. There is no proof of my involvement.”
I hate you I hate you I hate you.Tears flowed down Teriana’s cheeks, but she forced herself to deliver on her half of the bargain. “All three entombed xenthier stems are in Gamdesh.”
Cassius’s eyes flickered shut, his tongue passing over his lips as though savoring the moment. “Interesting how all three are in the biggest military power of the West.”
Steady,she told herself.You won’t get what you want if you mess this up.“I’m sure there are others, but Gamdesh is the center of trade. It’s where theQuincensedid most of its business, so I know it best.” Her lip quivered. “Next deal. In exchange for you releasing my people, I’ll travel through the Bardeen stem back to Arinoquia and share the precise locations with Marcus.”
Cassius shook his head. “No deal. Firstly, he might already be dead. Secondly, there is nothing to stop you from running the moment you’re through that stem.”
“The Thirty-Seventh holds my ship and crew prisoner.”
“So you say.”
Teriana allowed consternation to rise to her face. “Fine. I’ll give the information to whoever is currently in command, Marcus or otherwise. Also, I’ll travel with the legion you send to reinforce them, so I won’t be able to run.”
He eyed her, his suspicion palpable. “A legion is a costly asset. Sending one now is an unnecessary risk given that a handful of men are enough to secureyou.”
It was her turn to shrug. “Your choice, Cassius. The deal is my people’s freedom in exchange for me giving the exact locations of the stems. But for free, I’ll throw in a warning. Two legions won’t be enough to take any of the locations, especially not under Titus’s command. As you say, Gamdesh is a force to be reckoned with, and the longer you take, the more time they have to prepare. Because I assure you, by now they know all about the Empire.”
Wheels turned in the depths of his cunning eyes. But there was power in using the truth in one’s schemes, and it was no lie that it would take more than two legions to prevail against the might of Gamdesh. No lie that the jewel of the West knew about the Cel threat and was preparing for the incursion. And Cassius knew it.
“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 numberHostuscame 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 hisveryloyal 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?”
