“Please see that Altair has everything he needs.I want to see results by tomorrow.”
“Of course, my lord.”
“You are both dismissed.”Rigil turned away from them and said something to Antares that was too low for Altair to hear.
Hadar stepped off the dais, his long white hair tied up in a bun on top of his head.He was significantly shorter than Altair, but more than made up for it with his bulk.His nose was crooked from being broken, which he deliberately decided not to fix.According to him, it made him appear more ‘menacing.’By rule, stars were attractive beings, but Hadar’s ugly fucking face was only made worse when he sneered at Altair.They made their way out of the throne room, the council members still murmuring to each other.
Once they were out in the hallway, Hadar opened his mouth.“Don’t fuck this up like you did with the Aztia, Altair.”He snickered.“That’s twice now an Aztia has eluded you.You think you’d learn after the first one.”
Altair had reached his limit.He could only be talked down to and hear Iyana’s name being smeared for so long before he would break.He grabbed Hadar’s arm and jerked him to a halt.
“Listen here, you little cretin,” he growled.“I don’t know how long you spent on your knees in front of Rigil to earn the spot of Beta Centauri, but frankly, I don’t give a single fuck.If you continue to disrespect me, I will punch your fucking face in.Maybe it’ll fix your nose and make you actually presentable, like the rest of us.”
Hadar’s gaze narrowed.“Stay out of my fucking way, Altair, or I will suggest to Rigil that we replace you as general.”
Altair rolled his eyes.“As if he takes anything you say seriously.”
“Watch it,” Hadar snapped.“You have no idea how much sway I actually have.Just for this, you don’t get any help with rounding up the humans.You can do it all yourself.Good luck gathering as many as they want by tomorrow.Nobody will cry at your funeral.”
“Fuck you, and fuck your help, Hadar.I don’t need it.”Altair walked away from the shorter star, flipping him off over his shoulder.He could almost feel Hadar seething behind him.It brought him the most joy he’d felt since the last time he was buried deep within Iyana.
Now he needed to round up enough humans to keep the council from becoming suspicious.Altair almost halted in his tracks.A thousand years ago, he wouldn’t have thought twice about orders from his superiors.But since Iyana came into his life, he’d started to feeldifferentlyabout, well—everything.
Before, being good at his job was always his top priority.Gaining praise from Rigil was its own special high.
But now, maybe the stars were wrong.Maybe they could try to live with the humans in peace, like how it was before the gods went to sleep.Instead of acting as gods themselves, the stars should be aiding the much weaker species—not using them as playthings; not seeing them as little more than oxen pulling a plow, or a hole to be filled.
Altair cursed Iyana for changing the way he saw the world.His only wish now was for her to be safe, and he greatly regretted his actions that had led them to this point.He should have followed his instincts—grabbed her and ran off somewhere remote while they’d had the chance.It was too late to change the past.So he’d have to do what he could to help her.Altair wished again for the millionth time that he could know whether she lived.
Maybe it was time to put his trust in someone else.Hopefully his cousin Scuti could find the information he was seeking—and hopefully, he wouldn’t betray Altair to the council.
Chapter 10
Iyana
Iyanafloatedslowlyfromher slumber, creeping back towards consciousness.She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept so soundly.For the first time since before they had landed in the Dead Lands, she actually felt well-rested.No nightmares had plagued her.
And warm.Iyana snuggled deeper within the blankets, desperate to cling to the heat of the bed for only a moment longer before she started her day.
Then she remembered that the heat was emanating from the man at her back.She had been so focused on luxuriating in her rested state that Iyana had forgotten she had asked Emmeric to join her in bed.It was then that she realized his arm was draped over her waist, and she was effectively trapped in the bed.
Ever so slowly, Iyana inched away from Emmeric and gently lifted his arm so that she could make her escape.Only for Emmeric’s arm to clamp tighter around her, dragging her back into his hard body.
“Where are you going, beautiful?”he asked drowsily.He was definitely still half asleep.Then his nose was running up the side of her neck as he tucked her in closer.Iyana shivered at the contact.She desperately wanted to lose herself in anything other than her own thoughts.But then Altair forcefully invaded her mind, and Iyana remembered why she could let no one close again.It was a mistake inviting Em to stay with her.
Iyana knew his feelings for her, and she would hate to give him false hope that there was something between them.Although she couldn’t deny how energized she was after having an actually decent night of sleep.And she had an inkling that the reason for being so well-rested was because of the proximity to the man whose hands were currently starting to wander.
“Emmeric,” Iyana hissed, slapping his hand, which was mere inches away from stroking her breast.“It’s me, let me go.”
“Mmm,” he hummed, obviously not fully awake.“Stay, beautiful.”
She jabbed her elbow into his stomach, and Emmeric finally came fully awake with a wheeze.“What the fuck?”He rolled away from Iyana, finally freeing her from his tight embrace.
Iyana took the opportunity to flee the bed.She immediately searched the room for something to warm herself, but her cloak was nowhere to be found.So she directed some magic into the hearth and a fire ignited, soon warming the room.But that still left her in only her nightclothes, and she suddenly felt much more exposed.Iyana crossed her arms in front of her breasts, then remembered the pants she was wearing were sheer almost to the point of see-through.
Once Emmeric recovered, he rose until he was seated on the bed, still clutching his abdomen and glaring at Iyana.Then his gaze roamed down her body, his piercing blue eyes darkening as he took in her outfit.Iyana couldn’t handle the heat that came over her from Emmeric looking at her like that.
“When I asked you to stay last night, it didn’t mean you could fondle me,” she said.
