TheystayedwithinNyr’sborders and the confines of the wards for as long as they could, but eventually they reached the tree line and had to venture back into Athusa.
Iyana sat on a horse in front of Emmeric, because even though she had argued for her own horse, the others won the argument, saying it’d be safer to be in a smaller group.Kaz rode with Talon, and lucky Zane had Ryunn all to himself.
It was mostly silent, simply traversing the terrain listening to the chirping of birds and clip-clopping of the horses’ hooves.But occasionally, Kaz would chatter away, seemingly uncaring that nobody was interested in a conversation with her.She would chat about her childhood or her past relationships—with sordid details—or sometimes it would simply be why she preferred red meat over chicken.
These were the types of conversations Talon used to join in on.The two of them could talk about absolutely nothing for hours while the rest of them half-listened, but he was still stoic and quiet.Iyana couldn’t tell if he was paying attention to anything around him or if he was allowing his horse to follow the others.
Once they left Nyr, the full force of winter assaulted them.It was such a strange phenomenon to be in sweltering hot weather and looking at a drift of snow on the other side of an invisible line.Despite having fire running through her veins, Iyana desperately did not want to step over that border.They all piled on their layers of winter clothing, then crossed into Athusa.
Emmeric wrapped his cloak around both of them, and Iyana carefully warmed their space.It actually made for a cozy environment, and she found herself leaning back into Em, her eyelids heavy.It had been an awkward few days since she’d propositioned him and he had turned her down.At the time, she’d been angry and embarrassed, but Emmeric had been correct—she only wanted him right then because he was there.It wouldn’t have been fair for her to use his feelings to manipulate him into sex.
At least, that’s what she kept telling herself.
But Iyana couldn’t deny her relief when he continued to sleep in the same bed as her, because he was the only thing that kept the nightmares away.Nor could she forget the way his lips felt on hers.For the first time in a while, she’d had a dream of something other than Uther, Azazel, or Altair.The things Emmeric had done to her in that dream…heat began to pool in her stomach at the thought of it, and she hastily tried to shove it away.
Emmeric’s voice murmured in her ear.“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” she said quickly.Too quickly.
“Mm-hm,” he said, and Iyana could practically hear the smirk in his voice.“It wouldn’t happen to be about a particular dream you had the other night?”
“No,” she said, breathless.Iyana shivered as his lips caressed the shell of her ear.
“Did you forget that I can see your dreams now, Mouse?”
Fuck.Yes, she had forgotten.Iyana felt her face heat with the implication, and the dream came back to her unbidden.Emmeric’s lips, tongue, and hands were everywhere and—
Emmeric chuckled, interrupting her thought process.
“Shut up,” she mumbled.“It was only a dream.”
“One that I wouldn’t mind recreating.”
“I tried, remember?”Iyana snapped.“But you shot me down.”
Emmeric sat up straight, putting some distance between their bodies.An icy breeze ran up her spine, and Iyana immediately regretted her words when she sensed Emmeric’s frustration.
“You know why I did.”
“I know,” Iyana whispered.She wished she could take it back because she enjoyed this playful side of Emmeric.It helped her get out of her own head and kept her from dwelling on what was to come.Iyana was about to open her mouth to apologize when Zane held up a fist and stopped Ryunn.The emperor turned around, telling them all to be quiet with a finger against his lips.
He dismounted his horse silently and motioned for the others to do the same.Emmeric swung down behind her, then lifted his arms to help her down.Iyana rolled her eyes, but took the help, knowing she was nowhere near coordinated enough to dismount without making noise.They walked the horses further into the trees, and Iyana used her magic to clear their tracks.Zane frowned at the now spotless snow, then raised an eyebrow at Iyana.She was fairly sure that meant he was impressed.
They stood there hidden within the trees for several minutes.Iyana was about to ask if Zane was absolutely sure he’d heard something when a group of people rounded the corner.They were obviously human, wearing rags of clothes, and they had deep circles underneath their eyes.There were around a dozen—the oldest appeared to be in her seventies while the youngest had to have been a teenager.Iyana stepped forward to aid them.They were obviously in need of healing, and they were walkingawayfrom Nyr and safety, but Emmeric grabbed her upper arm to hold her back.She glanced up at him, a question in her gaze, and he simply shook his head.
It was getting to a point where Iyana was about to say,this is ridiculouswhen four stars appeared out of thin air.There was one on each side of the humans, effectively blocking them in.The humans all stopped in their tracks at the sudden appearance, their eyes wide.Just like Altair, all of these stars were inhumanly beautiful, and it was impossible to tell how old they were.There were three men and one woman with various shades of blonde hair and golden irises.
The old woman stepped forward, palms raised.“We have no business with the stars.We only wish to be on our way.”
“Well, then it simply is not your lucky day,” the star in front of her said, sneering.He nodded to the other three, who immediately conjured vines, wrapping them around the humans’ hands and pulling them tight.Then, in a blink of an eye, they had all disappeared, taking the humans with them.There had been no fight.The humans never stood a chance, even if they’d had a second to pick up a weapon of any kind.
Iyana saw now why she was so important.Why the gods had created the Aztia and Kanaliza to counteract the might of the stars.The humans of a thousand years before had been rounded up and used as slaves, and they had possessed magic.Now, with magic slowly leaving Arinem, the powerless humans were as weak as lambs in the face of a pride of lions.
“Oh shit,” Talon whispered somewhere behind her.
Solely judging by their experience with Altair, they’d already known that the rest of the stars would possess magic beyond their comprehension.But it was one thing to think it, and another to see it happen before their eyes.
The five of them stood frozen in place for several minutes while they waited to see if the stars would return.When they didn’t, Iyana’s chest loosened slightly.Now that she fully understood what they were capable of, though, she didn’t think the anxiety would ever abate completely.
