Zane
TalonandZanesatnext to each other in the library, silently reading through books and holding hands underneath the table.They had been through an untold number of textbooks and tomes to try to find information on how to banish the stars, and they’d come up with exactly zero leads.Zane was about to suggest taking a break for lunch when the doors to the library burst open.
The two men snapped their heads up towards the entrance, and Zane cursed that he’d become so comfortable and complacent in Istoria that he’d stopped bringing a weapon with him everywhere.His first thought was that the stars had finally arrived, and the palace was under attack.
But it was Camilia who walked through the doors.The elderly queen strode toward them at a brisk pace belying her age, a fierce look of anger on her face.
“What did you do?”Talon whispered.
“Why do you thinkIdid something?”
Before Tal could answer, the queen was standing before their table, absolutely seething.
“Your Majesty?”Zane ventured cautiously.“What can we do for you?”
Her chest heaved with each breath.“You can prepare for war, Emperor Zane.”
Zane and Talon glanced at each other before he braced his hands on the table and stood.“You’ve decided to join us, then?”
“Thosebastardscompletely destroyed the village of Imothia.They’ve brought their fight to my nation, and now I have no choice but to retaliate.I see, now, that you and my husband were always correct on these matters, and I will bear that in mind for the future.”
Oh gods.Imothia?
Talon stood as well.“You said Imothia, Your Majesty?”he asked.She nodded.“Were there any survivors?”
“We don’t know yet,” Camilia said through clenched teeth.“The entire village has been reduced to cinders, and no bodies have been recovered.So either they were able to leave before the destruction was wrought, or the stars have done something with their corpses.”
“Emmeric and the others were going to go through there,” Talon said, his eyes wide.“You don’t think…”
Zane shook his head, refusing to believe that all of their friends had been erased from this earth.But there was no way to know for certain unless they went to search for themselves.
“Queen Camilia,” Zane said.“Prepare your army for war.We will send word to Nyr about your agreement, but Talon and I need to go find our friends.”
“I will do everything that needs doing here,” she said.“Bring my great-niece back alive, young emperor.”
“If anyone can do that, Your Majesty, it’s Zane,” said Talon.
Even though worry had penetrated his entire body, Zane’s heart still warmed at the words.He appreciated somebody having confidence in his abilities.
“We’ll leave at once,” Zane said with a bow.Camilia nodded and then stormed out of the library, calling out orders to anyone she came across.
Talon and Zane rushed back to their rooms and packed their belongings in a whirlwind of nervous activity.It would still take them several days to travel to Imothia from the capital, and they both would be worrying the entire time.They questioned if they should stop to bid farewell to Halim, but decided speed was of the essence.
However, they didn’t need to worry—the prince consort met them at the stables as they readied their horses.Zane was tightening the saddle on Ryunn when Halim entered the space.Talon nodded to him, respect from one soldier to another.
“Boys,” Halim said.“I understand my wife was a little intense this morning.I apologize.”
“Nothing to apologize for,” Tal said.“I think it’s a monarch thing.Zane gets that way sometimes, too.”
Zane frowned at him.He did not.He was extremely reserved and soft-spoken.
Talon raised his brows.“Did you or did you not threaten to throw a bunch of your father’s men overboard, then completely destroy his bedroom?”Oh, he had done that.Zane had been trying to repress those early memories from right after Talon was revived.
Halim’s eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled at them.“I wanted to see you off, and also let you know not to worry about getting word to Nyr.I have more than enough people at my disposal to see to that myself.You two focus on finding your friends.”
“Thank you, Halim,” Zane said.He clasped arms with the old man, then Talon did the same.They mounted their horses and left the palace grounds.
It was market day in Istoria, so weaving through the city took much longer than either of them were comfortable with.Once they made it to the open desert, they could push their horses harder to hopefully arrive at Imothia faster.Zane would track the missing villagers, sending them to the capital for temporary housing.They hoped their friends were with the Imothians, but if they weren’t, then Zane would track them as well.He always found his man, and this time would be no different.He swore it to himself and to Talon as they made it to the edge of the city.
