Gilded Serpent by Danielle Jensen (top 10 novels txt) 📕

“I don’t need protection! Especially not the protection of children!”

Unfazed, he shook his head. “You need to return to Valerius’s villa, and I’d prefer you did it of your own volition.”

Marcus was in danger. She knew it in her core, but she also knew that these young soldiers were more than capable of subduing her. Better to go with them and then try to sneak back out. “Fine.”

Under their watchful eye, she returned to Lydia’s home only to find Senator Valerius pacing back and forth across the tiles. “Have you lost your mind, Teriana?” he barked at the sight of her. “With the number of people who want to see you dead, one would think you’d show more care.”

“There’s something happening at the Domitius house!” she snarled back. “I heard screams.”

“And you thought to interfere yourself rather than to enlist the service of those trained for such matters?” He threw his arms up. “Your mother is right about you, girl. Act first and think later. It’s amazing you are still breathing.”

Heat rose to her cheeks at the reprimand, the words sounding precisely like something her mother would say. “At least I try.” Her throat tightened. “All the rest of you do is sit on your laurels and allow those like Cassius to carry on as they would. The world will not be saved by the likes of you and my mother.”

“Teriana!”

Marcus’s voice cut through the air, and then hooves clattered against tile. Marcus, mounted the commandant’s horse, rode straight into the room. His face was splattered with blood, one eye swelling shut and his bottom lip split open.

“What is going on?” Senator Valerius demanded. “Have you lost your head, Legatus?”

“Not yet.” Marcus swung off the animal, tossing the reins at Austornic. “Cassius sent assassins after me. Twenty-Ninth men disguised to look like disgruntled peregrini.”

“You’re hurt.” She reached for him, but he stepped back.

“I need to leave tonight.”

“I’ll grab my things.” She started toward the stairs, but Marcus caught hold of her wrist.

“You’re staying here, Teriana.”

Her skin turned icy cold, and slowly, she met his gaze. “What?”

“You’ve done enough.” His expression was unreadable, but his fingers squeezed tighter around her arm. “Valerius can keep you safe. I’ll return to Arinoquia and find another xenthier path—one whose viability the Senate will be unable to deny. Just as they’ll be unable to deny the freedom of you and your people.”

“But you need me.”

“I don’t.” He dropped her arm. “Not for this. It’s over, Teriana.”

Pain sliced through her chest, her knees wobbling beneath her. “Marcus…”

But he’d already turned his attention to Valerius. “Can you keep her safe?”

“As safe as anyone can,” Lydia’s father answered. “This is the right choice, Legatus. She’s just a girl—you should never have used her like this.”

“Quit talking about me as though I’m not here!” she shouted, fighting to keep her composure. “It was my choice to make the bargain. My choice to take them across the Endless Seas.”

All of it had been her choice. Maybe her options hadn’t been good, but that didn’t absolve her from her decision to walk this path. “You can’t keep me here. You have no right to make that call.”

There was a commotion outside, and Marcus grimaced. Catching hold of her arm, he pulled her into a side room, slamming the door shut.

“What happened tonight?” she demanded. “What’s changed? Why are you doing this? Why—”

“Because I love you, that’s why.”

All the rest of her questions died on her lips. For so long, she’d wanted Marcus to say those words. And now he’d said them but was leaving. She stepped toward him, but he retreated, holding out a hand to stop her. His knuckles were bleeding.

“I love you,” he repeated. “More than you could ever possibly know. But allowing myself to be with you was selfish. And allowing it to continue would be—” His eyes glittered with unshed tears, and he scrubbed at them fiercely. “You need to be away from me.”

“Why?” She reached for him, but Marcus jerked away, stumbling over his own feet.

“Because we are enemies, Teriana. And while you might think you love me today, one day soon you are going to come to hate me.” He sucked in a ragged breath. “And I’m too much of a coward to watch it happen.”

Maybe he was right, but if he was selfish, she was equally so, because she refused to let him go. Not like this. “You don’t know that. You aren’t a god—you can’t see the future.”

“Some things are inevitable.” He went still for a heartbeat, then squared his shoulders. “Good-bye, Teriana.”

And without another word, he opened the door and strode from the room.

Teriana dropped to her knees, great heaving sobs tearing from her chest, her face slick with tears as grief poured from her.

It had been less than a day since she’d slept in his arms. Had dreamed about walking away from everything for a chance at a life with him. Since she’d told him that she’d loved him.

And now it was over.

Screaming, she slammed her fists against the floor, anguish and fury twisting through her veins, her insides feeling carved out by a sense of powerlessness.

And then the tears stopped.

She remained with her forehead pressed against the cool tiles, just breathing as she allowed reason back into her thoughts.

And steel into her heart.

It was her ship imprisoned on the far side of Reath. Her crew. Her people locked in Celendrial’s prisons.

And she’d be damned if she left their fate in the hands of a Cel legatus.

Rising to her feet, she wiped her face with her sleeve, then took a deep breath and left the room.

Senator Valerius, as well as Austornic and the rest of the Fifty-First boys waited outside, all appearing more than a little discomfited. Not that she could blame them.

“So,” she said to the young legatus. “Now that you’ve seen that it’s not all grand battles and strategy and victory, you still of a mind to cross the