“This was more satisfying, though.”Altair had been wanting to do that for years.
“He’s going to be so pissed when he wakes up.”
Altair shrugged and stood.“We’ll be gone by then.Come on, we’re leaving Athusia.I’ll explain everything on the way out.”
Chapter 27
Zane
SunsetfoundEmperorZaneHolygazer skulking around his own city.He wished it was something he’d never done before, but with Uther as a father…Zane was no stranger to hiding in some of the more unsavory places found within Athusia.
Scuti had returned to their hiding place at sunset, like he’d promised.They agreed it would be too difficult to conceal everyone, so only Zane and Talon were going with the star.It was better for them to split up as it was, in case this went poorly.At least then Iyana could continue on to Istoria.
The three of them were shrouded in shadows as they made their way to the middle ring of the city.They tried to stick to the alleyways and cut through backyards and gardens when they could, but there were times they had to walk on the open street.During these times, Zane appreciated having Scuti’s ability to hide them.He begrudgingly admitted there was absolutely no way they would have been able to do this undetected without him.
While Scuti had offered to teleport them directly to Talon’s childhood home, they had both adamantly refused.They had only just met this star, who technically worked for Rigil, and there was nothing stopping him from jumping them directly into the dungeons.This way, at least, there was the illusion of safety—that they could fight him off if they needed to.Although, seeing how powerful he was with the shadows made Zane doubt they would have any chance of defeating Scuti.
After the third time they hid from a star patrol in plain sight, something struck Zane.
“Have you been following us?”he asked Scuti in a whisper.
The star didn’t even spare him a glance when he said, “Yes.”
Zane and Talon shared a look.The team had debated the entire day whether they could trust Scuti, and the general consensus had beenno, but what other choice do we have?Altair had never returned, and for that, Zane was silently grateful.During their confrontation earlier, he had been fighting back urges to both remove Altair’s head from his shoulders and to vomit in the corner.Talon had held up better against the man who had killed him than Zane did.
“So Iyana and I weren’t going crazy?”
“No.”
It was readily apparent that Scuti was a star of very few words.Were their situation any different, he might’ve been someone Zane could find quiet companionship in.He believed that Rigil had killed Scuti’s astalle—mate?Wife?Zane still wasn’t completely clear on what anastalleactually was.But he had seen the haunted look in Scuti’s eyes while he’d told them about it.Zane knew that expression; he’d seen it on his own face in the mirror for years after Jax had died.
“You still work for Rigil?”
Now Scuti’s gaze did flicker to Zane.“Yes.But I only bring him limited information and try to use my position within his court to my advantage.”
“And what are your goals, then?”Talon asked.It was the first thing he had said since they’d left the outer ring.He had been silently leading the way towards his parents’ house, his face drawn with tension.Zane worried about what they might find and how that would affect Tal’s mental health.He’d been doing better in recent days.Not great, not back to his old self by any means, but better.If they were to find his parents captured or dead…Zane didn’t want to think about it.
“I would like to see the stars banished back to the sky—permanently.”
“Isn’t that uncomfortable for you?”Zane asked.
The trio paused in a darkened doorway while a patrol walked past.Zane hardly dared to breathe, for fear that they would be discovered.Especially when one star walked so close to him, Zane could smell the soap he’d used in the bath.Gardenias.He plugged his nose to stifle a sneeze caused by the strong floral odor.
“Yes, it is,” Scuti eventually said when they moved again.“However, I have no intention of going back to the sky.”
“From my understanding,” Talon said, “it was an all-or-nothing thing.Like, the magic didn’t pick or choose which stars to banish.”
“You are correct, but I would do everything in my power to ensure the stars are defeated, then take my own life.”
Zane stared at Scuti in shock.He returned the look with a sad, knowing expression.
“I want to rejoin my astalle in the Everlands.”
That small piece of information solidified Zane’s tenuous trust.Because hadn’t he felt exactly the same after he thought he’d lost Talon?Zane had been prepared to shove a dagger through his own heart to reunite with the man he loved.So, while Scuti’s brute honesty surprised him, he could wholeheartedly understand.
“We’re almost there,” Talon whispered.
They were walking through a nicer portion of the middle ring.This was where most of the merchants and those with trades worked.Talon’s parents, as chandlers, made a decent and honest living.It wasn’t enough for them to live in the inner ring with the wealthy and nobles, but it kept them out of the outer ring.It allowed Talon to have an education as a child, as well as a sturdy roof over his head and—from the appearance of the neighborhood—a small yard in which to play.He’d never had to worry about where his next meal was coming from.
