“There were prints of a large cat which would come and go, interspersed with a woman’s footprints. I knew they weren’t Iyana’s because she never wears shoes.” Iyana glared harder, most likely upset the prince recognized any personal details about her at all. Zane ignored her, directing his attention to Talon. “You were extremely sloppy, by the way. Anyone could have found you.”
“Emmeric and I knew you’d find us regardless, so we figuredwhy put in the effort.”
“Because what would’ve happened if someone caught up to you before me? Where would you be then?”
“Prison, probably.” Zane frowned at Tal, who shoved him slightly. “Lighten up a bit, Zane. You found us first and we’re all fine.” It was amazing to Emmeric to see the sullen crown prince opening up to someone and allowing Tal to tease him.
“How are you so quick to trust him?” Iyana asked. She was still sitting stiffly, arms crossed, bristling with anger. Emmeric saw Altair’s hand squeeze her hip a little tighter.
“He helped—” Talon began.
“How?” Iyana interrupted, throwing her hands in the air. “He allowed his father to throw me in a dungeon and torture me.” Her voice broke on the wordtorture, and tears threatened to overflow. Zane hung his head.
“I didn’t want to,” he said. Looking at Iyana with fire in his eyes, he continued, “If I could stand up to Uther and win, I would in a heartbeat. But that man has been beating me down every day of my life since my mother died. I’m in a cage. Not a physical one like you were in, but a cage nonetheless.” Iyana scoffed while Talon laid a comforting hand on the prince’s thigh.
“You’re the prince. You could have donesomething,” Iyana continued to protest.
“I did. Who do you think gave the guards the night off for the festival?”
Emmeric saw Iyana didn’t believe him.
“Mouse,” he said, quietly. He hated for her to think they were all ganging up on her, but he believed Zane was telling the truth. And he would be a very powerful ally. “When I was bringing you the numbing draught one night, Zane saw me with it, and he recognized what it was and who it was for. But he gave it back to me. And we were able to get you out so easily because there was nobody there to stop us.”
Emmeric hated the hurt flashing in Iyana’s expression.
“I know what Uther did to you was terrible and unforgiveable,” Emmeric continued, “but Zane is not his father.”
The look she was giving him would kill him, especially since it was the first time she’d really paid him any attention since he walked in the door following their little incident earlier. Suddenly, Emmeric realized he couldfeelher pain; her emotional pain, because she obviously wasn’t injured. Which didn’t make sense, as he’d only mirrored her physical pain until then. But the icy sensation squeezing his heartwasn’t coming from him. At some point during this crazy journey, he’d stopped finding things that ‘didn’t make sense’ as odd, because his life now was one big, convoluted mess of weird.
An idea flashed through his brain. If Emmeric could sense her emotional turmoil, and he was the Kanaliza maybe… He imagined a warm hug from a loved one and the emotions that evoked, then pushed it towards their connection laying ever-present in his chest. Iyana’s posture relaxed ever so slightly, tension leaking out of her shoulders, and he knew it had worked. Joy pulsed through him at this newfound ability. Mouse’s cute little face frowned in confusion, and her gaze flicked over to him.
“Fine,” Iyana said. “Since I’m outnumbered, he can stay. You two—” she gestured between Geoff and Gordon “—can do as you please, I couldn’t care less about what you do.”
“Rude,” Geoff muttered.
Zane breathed a sigh of relief. His green eyes regarded Iyana in earnest. “Thank you, really. I have a lot of questions about the Aztia and the star—”
“And they will remain unanswered.” She looked pointedly at Talon, Emmeric, and Kaz in turn. “At least until I determine you’re trustworthy.”
“Who put you in charge?” Kaz asked. The shifter had posed the question in a joking manner, but with a slight undercurrent of anger. While she seemed like a very go-with-the-flow girl, there was no question she was used to being in charge when she wanted to be.
“The gods.” With that, Iyana stood from Altair’s lap, stomping out of the room, forcing Emmeric and Kaz to step away from the door.
Altair watched her leave, and after a beat said, “I should…” Without finishing the thought, he followed Iyana into the hallway. Her heavy footfalls were audible until she reached her room, where she slammed the door hard enough to rattle the walls.
“Well, that went swimmingly,” Talon said. Zane frowned at him, then scrubbed his face with his hands. Emmeric sat in the chair Altair had vacated, and with most of the floor now open Kaz shifted in a burst of light to her leopard form. The twins about leapt out of their skin, scrambling back towards the wall. Zane hid his shock better, but Emmeric saw him twitch once the massive cat appeared. Kaz circled, then lay down in a ball, closing her eyes and purring.
“Amazing,” Zane muttered. Kaz opened one large brown eye in Zane’s direction, winked, and went to sleep. Emmeric didn’t even know catscouldwink.
“Who is the man Iyana is with?” Zane asked. Emmeric and Talon glanced at each other, having a silent conversation about how much they should share with the prince. While they both trusted his motives, Iyana certainly didn’t. And Emmeric did not want to be on her bad side more than he already was.
“His name is Altair,” Talon eventually said. “Anything more than that should probably come from him or Iyana.”
“So, she is in charge of this ragtag operation, then?” Zane asked.
“Ragtag?” Talon clutched at his chest in mock offense. “And, yes. Sheisthe Aztia, after all.”
“Is that man the Kanaliza then?” Zane mused.
