“All I’m saying is, I’m good at this game. I’ve won, and I keep winning. We are one round from freedom. One round from returning to Earth. Let me keep doing what I’m good at. You keep doing what you’re good at. It worked against the Gra—Tritons, didn’t it?”

Marius sighed and rubbed his eyes. It seemed Cade wasn’t the only one who was exhausted.

“What do you want to know?” Cade asked. “You want to see the remnants? A map of the area? That’s about all it’s good for.”

Marius nodded slowly, clearly considering Cade’s words. “You’ll let me ask it any question?”

Cade smiled. “Why wouldn’t I?” he said. “We’re all on the same team. Codex, show me the map.”

The drone turned toward Cade, and the map appeared, semitranslucent in the air. Marius hissed a breath between his teeth.

“Such … power,” he said.

The commander reached out, rubbing his fingers together as they passed through the holographic screen.

“This is … from above?” he asked.

Cade nodded.

“Almost half of our men died in the attack,” Marius said. “Only a few of the Romans who once lived here, before my legion was summoned, are alive.”

He gestured at the walls. “They are all common legionaries, so they knew little of the area, or the game. I have been fighting blind ever since I arrived on this planet. But I know I cannot win alone. It is your knowledge of the future that has won the rounds.”

“Your future.” Cade inclined his head in mild disagreement. “My past. If we had the weapons of my time, or even my recent history … those Tritons wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

Marius smiled for the first time. “If you will allow me access to the Codex whenever I need it, there is no need for further disagreement. We work together, yes?”

Cade grinned in return, and extended a hand.

“Together.”

CHAPTER

33

Cade sat in silent contemplation, watching the jungle’s trees sway in the wind. Amber sat beside him, just as silent. Only the soft squeezing of her hand gave him comfort, even as she allowed him his time. She seemed to know Cade needed to think. And time to heal, both inside and out.

The afternoon had passed in a blur, though he had hardly left the storeroom. His friends had talked his ear off, and then some. So much seemed to have happened while he had been away, yet at the same time, nothing of true consequence.

They were alive, healthy, and content, at least for the moment. That was all Cade truly cared about.

Quintus had been made tesserarius, a sort of squad leader or sergeant in the legion. It came with a small squad of ten soldiers, who followed his every command. They seemed in awe of their young leader, and Quintus had come into his own, leading hunts in the jungles for prey and keeping a careful watch over the jungles in case of slaver attacks.