Fuck.
Pissing off a goddess was probably not the best way to do this.Iyana chastised herself for not thinking things through.Emmeric was always telling her she needed to stop to think before doing rash actions, and she understood that now more clearly than ever.She would have to make a run for the river and hope that she could make it back across.
Iyana took a deep breath and directed her magic to her feet, calling upon the super-sprint that she’d first learned from Altair.It would be her best, and perhaps only, chance to evade Altea.Churning up grass, soil, and flowers underneath her feet, Iyana ran for the river.She focused solely on making it around the goddess and envisioned herself diving into the warm water, following that thread in her chest that connected Iyana to her Kanaliza.
She wasso closeto the riverbank when a vice-like grip wrapped around her arm, jolting her to a stop and threatening to dislocate her shoulder from the sudden change in speed.Iyana cried out at the pain.Looking down, she saw Altea glowering at her, holding her arm in a bruising grip.
“Souls do not leave once they’ve crossed the river.”The goddess’s voice had changed and now sounded like multiple people talking at once.The change was jarring.Iyana cursed herself.Ciri had warned her that Altea was greedy with souls once they entered the Everlands.She should have had more of a plan in place for if this had happened.
Altea dragged her away from the water.No matter how much Iyana dug her heels into the ground, the goddess wasn’t exerting any sort of strength to tow her back.It was as if she weighed nothing.
I’m sorry,she said down the bond, hoping Emmeric would hear it.She didn’t want him to follow her into the Everlands.Iyana wanted him to continue the fight with their friends.Find another way to banish the stars.I tried.
A sudden and intense burning began on her forehead.Another cry left Iyana at the painful sensation, and she slapped her free hand over her brow, shutting her eyes.Orange light diffused through her eyelids, and when she cracked open her eyelids, a bright light was filtering through her fingers.In her shock, Iyana dropped her hand, and light as bright as the sun erupted from her.
Altea shouted in surprise and pain, dropping Iyana’s arm.Even though she was surprised, Iyana understood this was her best chance to escape.She turned and ran towards the sound of the river—the light from her brow was still too bright for her to see.
Iyana leapt into the river and forced the magic into her arms and legs, trying to propel herself towards the opposite shore.The bond in her chest urged her forward, like it knew she was coming back and needed the encouragement.But the current was still swifter than it had been before, thanks to Altea’s anger.
Her head breached the surface, and she heard the goddess raging behind her.Iyana pushed herself harder.Then harder still.
The bank was just out of reach when the current seemed to reverse and pull her back towards the Everlands.She wanted to shout in frustration, but instead doubled her efforts.
The burning on her forehead intensified, and the water before her began to steam and ripple.The river suddenly parted, and Iyana found herself on the riverbed.Hesitating for only a moment, she sprinted to the bank.She leapt for the edge of the river and as soon as her fingers brushed the grass on the entrance to the Everlands, Iyana woke up.
Chapter 52
Zane
Drip…drip…drip.
It didn’t take long for Zane to realize just how quickly one could go insane while being locked in a dungeon.Talon had told him before how much of a mess Iyana had been after only a week, and now he understood why.The cold, damp air, the mind-numbing drip of a leak somewhere, and the inability to follow the passage of time had Zane wanting to claw his way free.Food and water deliveries were scarce and at different intervals, not allowing him to keep track that way either.
He and Talon weren’t alone; there were plenty of other prisoners.Zane wondered how many the stars had placed there and how many were imprisoned by his father.Their moans and cries for help mingled with theplunkof water until he wanted to shout at the world to be quiet for two godsdamned seconds.Tal always seemed to know when he was beginning to spiral because he’d stick his hand out of the cell and they’d intertwine their pinky fingers for a few minutes.
After an amount of time that could not be determined, but to Zane felt like an eternity, two stars appeared out of the air in front of their cells.One was taller than the other and was surrounded by shadows swirling and snapping at his feet.The other had pale gold hair tucked up into a bun, and a sneer that Zane thought was permanently etched onto his face.He knew immediately who had come for them.It wasn’t hard to recognize a leader—a ruthless one, at that—when you had been raised by one.
Affecting his callous and indifferent prince persona, Zane leaned backwards onto his hands and made a show of looking the shadowy star up and down before flashing a lazy smile.He wanted to make sure their attention stayed on him instead of Talon, and hopefully Tal would keep his mouth shut.
“Rigil,” he drawled, “standing here in the flesh in my humble abode.To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“You will show some respect and address him as Alpha Centauri,” snapped the shorter one.
Zane dragged his eyes towards him and raised a brow.“And you are?”He was assuming it was Hadar—the Beta Centauri—but he appeared to be a man who liked to feel important, and the easiest way to knock those types down was to pretend they didn’t matter.It worked, as Hadar frowned and opened his mouth to say something.
Rigil cut him off before he could.“Hadar, my Beta Centauri,” he said, his voice calm.Zane was sure the Alpha understood exactly what his game was and was willing to play.
“I’m Zane Holygazer.I’d say nice to meet you and shake your hand, but—” He shrugged and gestured pointedly at the cell.
The Alpha chuckled darkly.“Yes, no need for introductions.”
Zane brought a hand to his chest.“You’ve heard of me.I’m touched.So you obviously are aware, then, that this is my empire and you are sitting in my chair.”
“You are an emperor ofnothing,” hissed Hadar.Zane didn’t want to let the star know how much those words actually hurt.
“For now,” he said, keeping his gaze glued to Rigil.
“If you think that little girl is going to stop us—” Hadar began.
