“I wanted to discuss the use of our armies,” the queen continued.“After learning that a star was responsible for the death of my sister, I am more inclined to lend you my forces.”Zane sat up straighter.“However, the loss of life that would be involved in a war with beings vastly superior to humans cannot be discounted.”
He deflated again.She had invited them to this lunch—in which there was no food yet, and Zane found himself starving—to refuse Istora’s aid.
“I do not take the loss of life lightly,” Zane said, trying to keep his annoyance out of his tone.“But you must understand, Your Majesty, that even though the stars have yet to infiltrate Istora, they will, and sooner rather than later.Nyr has wards that will keep them out, so once they are comfortable with their foothold in Athusa, this will be their next stop.”
“I am well aware, young emperor, and am taking the necessary precautions.”
“What kind of precautions?”Iyana asked.“There isn’t enough magic left in Arinem to create wards like Nyr has, and the stars will find their way through those eventually as well.How will you protect our people if the stars go on the offensive?”
Zane had to tamp down his smirk.He knew that Iyana didn’t realize it yet, but she would actually make a fantastic queen.She was already fighting for her people, taking on the sitting monarch and questioning her decision making.
Camilia smiled at her.“I meant what I said last night, my dear.You are already acting like a queen.”Iyana frowned and crossed her arms.“To answer your question, a perimeter is being set up along the borders, so that, should any of the stars appear, we will be ready.We have extensive underground chambers stockpiled with supplies so that we can evacuate should we need to.”
Zane and Iyana shared a glance.“You don’t know, then,” he said.
“Know what?”Halim asked.
“The stars,” said Iyana, “can transport themselves through the air.Not flying.They just disappear, then reappear wherever they want to be.They wouldn’t have to go past your borders.An entire battalion could show up right here in the dining room if they wanted to.”
The color drained from the monarchs’ faces, and the only sound in the room was a curtain blowing in the breeze from an open window.
“This changes nothing,” Camilia eventually muttered.
“My love—” Halim began.
“This changes nothing,” snapped the queen.She took a shuddering breath to compose herself.“Ifyou find a way to banish the stars, we will come to your aid.However, should you not find an answer, then we cannot take the risk.It would be suicide to take on the stars without a plan to be rid of them for good.”
“I wouldn’t even know where to start,” Iyana said.“We went to the ancient library in Athusa and couldn’t find any answers.”
“We have a very extensive library here.You could start your search there.”
Servers finally poured into the dining room, carrying steaming dishes and glasses of wine for their lunch.It all smelled delicious, but Zane found he had lost his appetite.They were back where they had started—five humans facing insurmountable odds.Out of sheer politeness, he choked down all of his food.Nobody uttered a single word for the rest of the meal.
Chapter 37
Emmeric
WhenEmmerichadfinishedall of his schooling, he was only too happy to never have to read another book.And now here he was again in a library.Researching.Reading.He hated it.
And it wasn’t like he was focused, anyway.
Snippets of the morning with Iyana continued to replay in his head.Emmeric knew that some of those images were slipping through to Iyana, because she kept peeking over at him and blushing.Gods, he loved that rosy color on her cheeks.
Stop it, she said, throwing him a glare.
Emmeric smirked.Stop what?
You know exactly what.It’s very distracting, and I need to focus.
It’s not my fault that all I can think of is the taste of your sweet—
“If you guys,” Kaz said dryly from the end of the table, “could stop talking to each other in your heads, that would be fantastic.It’s gross.”
Iyana’s blush deepened, and she buried her nose in her book to hide her face.
“At least you aren’t sitting next to him,” Talon said from Emmeric’s right.“I can see the outline of his dick in his pants.”
Now Iyana popped back out of the book, her eyes wide.Emmeric frowned at his friend and self-consciously covered his lap.True, he was halfway to hard, but nobody else needed to know that.
