But would that be enough to stop the invasion? Never mind that the Senate had no ability to contact the legions on the Southern Continent, there were many others like-minded to Lucius in their desire for conquest. Others who might pick up his torch and carry it onward, especially if they discovered Marcus had been successful in his venture. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that the only sure thing going back would accomplish was seeing Lucius dangling from a noose.
Was vengeance worth sacrificing Killian’s life? The lives of all those in his army? All those who couldn’t be evacuated in time? Never mind that Lydia possessed information the West might use against the Cel.
“Lydia?”
Bait’s voice tore her from her thoughts. He was staring at her broken wrist, the swelling and bruising fading as the fracture knit. He gaped at her. “Did Hegeria mark you?”
Denying it seemed like a waste of time. “Almost as soon as I arrived.”
“Teriana always believed you were from the West. That you were from Mudamora.” A faint smile rose to his lips. “Looks like she was right.”
His words sank into her soul, the truth of them ringing like a bell. This was where she was from. This was where she belonged. This was where she needed to stand her ground and fight, no matter what she had to do. No matter what it cost her.
“I can’t leave,” she said. “I can do more good by remaining than by going back.”
“That’s insane, Lydia. You don’t want to be in this city during a siege, and you certainly don’t want to be here when it falls.” He caught hold of her wrist and pulled. “I can get you out of here.”
She shook her head. “You need to go. Convince the Sultan of Gamdesh that the Cel are as great a threat as the Seventh’s army. Convince him that maybe…”
“There’s a link between the two.”
Lydia nodded. “And you need to get back to Teriana. If she can find out what the Domitius family has done that would allow Lucius to blackmail Marcus, maybe we can use it.”
“It will take me some time to get to Gamdesh. There’s no underwater xenthier paths on this coast that run south, so Magnius and I will have to swim.”
Swim? Then she understood. “You’re marked by Madoria.” Which meant he could breathe underwater. And turn the tides.
He winked and grinned, his teeth white against his ebony skin. “A pirate of the seafloor, Domina. You didn’t think the Quincense got so rich selling to cheap Cel scum, now did you?”
An idea rolled into her thoughts, something she’d barely been willing to consider. “Bait, does your mark work when you’re in the East?”
He nodded. “I don’t play much with the currents and the tides while we’re there, though. Too much chance of being caught.”
Clenching her teeth, Lydia dug deep for the courage to ask her next question, dreading the answer but needing to know. “Was my father still alive when you left Celendor?”
Bait blinked. “Yes. Why?”
“Thank the gods.” The words rushed from her mouth, relief filling her core. “His nephew, Vibius, is in league with Lucius. He’s been poisoning my father with the aim of taking control of the Valerius seat in the Senate.”
“And you’re wondering if your mark will work if you go back.”
Lydia gave a tight nod.
“If it did, they’d know about us,” Bait said slowly. “And that’s a secret Teriana’s fighting to keep. She’s got the odds stacked against her enough without the Cel discovering the truth about god marks.”
“He’d keep it a secret. I know he would.”
Exhaling slowly, Bait said, “I believe you. But the truth is, I’m not sure it would work. Hegeria’s not going to help someone who doesn’t believe.”
And her father was Cel to the core. There was no chance of that.
“I’m sorry. But if it’s any consolation, your father is the one keeping Captain Tesya. Teriana was none too happy about that, but given what you’ve told me, I think he’s protecting her from Cassius. Which means he knows Cassius is up to no good.”
If Teriana was upset about Lydia’s father keeping Tesya, then … “Does Teriana believe that I betrayed her?”
Bait nodded, and Lydia’s chest tightened. If her friend believed that, then she believed all that had happened, and all that would happen, was her fault. “If you can get to her, make sure she knows the truth—that I love her, and that I’d never betray her.”