With a cry, Iyana came around Emmeric’s fingers.He coaxed out every drop of pleasure possible, and then she collapsed into his arms.Emmeric peppered kisses across her face, mouth, and neck.
Iyana dropped her hands to Emmeric’s pants, feeling how much he wanted her.And then, in a way that she knew would embarrass her in the morning, her body went entirely slack.The emotional and physical exhaustion overtook her, and Iyana’s eyes drifted shut.She felt Emmeric press a small kiss onto her forehead, and then she was being lifted and carried into a soft bed.With a satisfied hum, Iyana curled her body around Emmeric’s and fell into a deep, restful sleep.
Emmeric
Hewassofucked.
How quickly he had folded up his own boundaries and tossed them out the window was honestly impressive.But when Iyana had looked at him with that teary gaze...
Emmeric didn’t regret offering her the distraction.There was no world in which he could regret pleasuring her, or having her warm body nestled next to his.He glanced down at her sleeping face—actually relaxed, for once, and free of nightmares.A smirk crossed his face.He had done that.Primal male satisfaction suffused him.It didn’t matter that his cock was still hard and aching to be touched.He could wait.Hewouldwait, because he knew Iyana still had doubts about them and didn’tactuallywant to be together.Emmeric would try his hardest to hold out until she finally saw what was right in front of her, and how great the two of them could be.
Just how long he’d be able to last before giving in, though, Emmeric didn’t know.
Chapter 31
Altair
WhenAltair,yetagain,appeared next to the crater where he had first fallen, he screamed in anguish up towards the darkened sky.Collapsing to the ground, he hung his head between his knees, but he still noticed the second he had company.
“What do you want, Okab?”he asked, defeated.
“You did something stupid,” his brother said.It wasn’t a question.
Altair scoffed.Of course, he’d done something stupid.He’d fucked up any chance he might have had at winning Iyana back.She might have said she didn’t love Sullane, but Altair could see it.In fact, he would wager Iyana had run right into his arms.
“What happened?”
Sighing, Altair lifted his head and quickly glanced at his brother, and then his eyes turned toward the sky; toward his old home.He never should have volunteered for this position.If he could go back in time, there were so many things he would change.
“She discovered that I killed her grandmother.”Altair’s hand drifted back towards his pocket, where the necklace he’d made for Iyana was a constant, painful companion.
Okab stayed silent for so long that Altair had to check that he was still there.His brother’s eyes were wide.
“You killed her grandmother?”
“She knew too much!She was going to tell Iyana everything, and I—”
“Youkilled her grandmother?”
Altair frowned.“What part of this aren’t you understanding?”
“The part where you murdered hergrandmotherand now are throwing a fit like she owes you something.”Okab sighed.“You fucked up, Altair.Anywhere you could have made a choice, you made the wrong one.You lost her.You need to let her go.”
Every word hit him like a punch to the face.
“But she’s my astalle,” he whispered.He couldn’t fathom going through life without her by his side.How was he supposed to let her go when she was made for him?
“We have both seen astalles who don’t end up together due to irreconcilable differences.The universe doesn’t always get it right.”
Altair groaned and hung his head between his knees again.He couldn’t bear to see the place where he had first met Iyana and laid with her on the ground, looking up at the rest of his brethren still stuck in the sky.It was hard to gaze upon the sky now, too—a stark reminder of all he had done wrong along the way.
“Give her space, Altair,” his twin continued.“There’s nothing you can do about that now.But if you’re truly remorseful, then there might be some things you can do to help right your wrongs.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m sure you’ve wondered what I’ve been doing when I leave the inn.”He had been.He’d just been too involved in his own shit to care.“I’ve been working with Scuti.Before, we both aided with the human resistance and now we’re trying to find a way to save as many humans as we can and banish the stars again.I need to do more than I did last time, but we need help.”
Altair scrutinized his twin.Despite their physical similarities, they couldn’t have ended up more different from each other.Okab was the best of all of them.Altair didn’t deserve his love or understanding.
