Quintus’s face stared down at him. It pulled away as Cade squinted through the darkness.

“Your watch,” Quintus said, motioning at the spiral staircase above.

Cade groaned, looking enviously at the snoring crew sprawled around him. He nodded and struggled to his feet, still sore from the many trips they had made up and down the stairs to build the fire. To his surprise, Quintus led the way, returning to the tower’s peak with him.

“Not going to sleep?” Cade asked.

Quintus shrugged.

“Only waiting now. I sleep when it is warm.”

He motioned at the sun, peeking over the horizon. The young legionary hopped onto the parapet’s edge, dangling his feet over the side. Cade, against his better judgment, joined him.

They stared out over the purple plains, tinged scarlet by the red white of the twin moons above. For a while, they stared in silence, Cade’s mind slowly awakening as the world grew brighter and brighter.

“Who do you think these others are?” Cade asked.

Quintus shrugged again.

“I think more humans. Many more. Hundreds.”

Cade nodded in agreement, scratching the beginnings of the beard on his chin.

It was new, and he wondered what he looked like these days—especially now he and Amber were … whatever they were. It had been some time since he had gazed at himself in a mirror, having only seen the warped reflection in a bucket of water.

He imagined he might look more man than boy now. He felt like it too. There was something about almost dying that shook the child out of you.

“Romans?” Cade asked.

Quintus inclined his head.

“But not contenders?” Cade asked. “What does that mean?”

“Maybe they are not warriors,” Quintus said. “Maybe they are like Amber. And you.”

Cade gasped in mock offense, and Quintus blushed as red as the grass beneath them.

“Not now,” Quintus said swiftly. “Before. When you arrived.”

Cade laughed.

“I’m just messing with you,” he said. “I have to hope you’re wrong though. We’d have no weapons for them for a start. There’s just rocks, sand, and grass out here.”

Quintus nodded. “That is why I worry. When we defend, we can find things in the caldera. Here, we only have what we bring with us. We did not bring a lot.”

But Cade was not listening.

There was movement on the horizon.

He had not noticed it, but with the sunrise in full swing, he could see a furrow in the fields. One winding slowly toward them like a snake in the long grass.

“They’re coming!” Cade yelled out.

Quintus scrambled down the stairs, and Cade stood on the parapet, as if it would somehow give him a better vantage.

They were moving fast. Marching in formation, or so it seemed. Heading in the direction of their gatehouse.

It was not long before the others came to join him, bleary eyes staring across the plains. By now, Cade could see the glint of weapons and armor in the sun. Bronze as the sun-swept sky.