Kaz would come visit every once in a while, but even she found it difficult to rouse Iyana from her apathetic state.Talon and Zane, for the most part, kept to themselves.
It wasn’t until the day before they would arrive on the continent that they decided to reconvene Team Save Arinem and decide what their next move would be.
“We really need to think of a better name,” Kaz groused.
“Hardly the most important issue at hand,Zoara,” Emmeric drawled, then laughed when the shifter princess raised her middle finger at him.They were all huddled within Uther’s bedroom again.Iyana curled in upon herself on the couch, out of his reach.Tal and Zane were cuddled together on the loveseat opposite of them, but their posture was stiff.Their sides were pressed together, but other than that, there were no intentional touches.
“Is it still our plan to go to Nyr?”Talon asked.
“I think that would be our best course of action,” Zane said.“Kaz mentioned there are protections in place around the kingdom.”
“We would have to cross most of Arinem to get there,” said Emmeric.“And we don’t exactly know what’s waiting for us after all the stars have fallen.Plus, Kaz, are you sure they would let you back in?”
Kaz waved away his concern.“They wouldn’t really have a choice.I’m still the crown princess and I have important information to pass along to my parents.”
“Are you sure you’re still the crown princess?After you ran off without telling anyone?”Zane asked.She glared at him, her eyes shifting from brown to a golden-yellow.Zane raised his hands towards her.“I’m just trying to be pragmatic.You said yourself that deserters are rarely let back in,andthat your brother wants the job more than you do.And with twelve other siblings, I’m sure your parents could easily name someone else as heir.”
The shifter narrowed her gaze at the Athusan emperor.“You weren’t there when I said anything about my brother wanting the job more than me.”
“I have my sources,” Zane replied.Kaz threw a glare at Talon, who shrugged.
“In my defense,” Tal said, “I didn’t realize you were the heir to Nyr at the time.You had said you wanted away from the ‘family business.’”
“WhileHis Majestyis correct that my parents could have named another heir, they wouldn’t have.”
Zane opened his mouth to argue Kaz’s point, but she held up a finger.His lips pressed tightly together in annoyance at being shushed.After all, he did now outrank everyone within this room.
“My parents were always more lenient towards my wild tendencies,” Kaz said.“Partially because they realize it is a part of my nature, and I think also because they were hoping that if I were to get it out of my system then I would eventually calm down and do as they asked.So, I’m confident that once they learned I had run off, they were simply waiting for me to return and claim my rightful place.I’m sure my brother would have tried to talk them into naming him as heir”—Kaz rolled her eyes—“but because I am still technically the most powerful, they would not strip me of my title so easily.”
During the conversation, Iyana had been sitting quietly, biting at her thumbnail.Emmeric wasn’t entirely sure that she was paying attention until she looked at the group, a resolved determination on her face.
“I agree that we go to Nyr,” she said.“Regardless of what the stars have been doing these past few days, we do still hold an advantage.”They all stared at her in silence, seemingly shocked by her sudden contribution to the conversation.Emmeric’s lips lifted in a smile.
That’s my girl, he thought.Iyana glanced at him before continuing.
“Altair believes Talon to be dead.”Emmeric noticed Zane still at her words, his eyes going blank before Talon wrapped an arm around his shoulders.Iyana threw them both an apologetic glance.“And he most likely believes I am as well.If that is the case, then if the two of us remain disguised under cloaks, whoever we run into will hopefully think that Kaz is fleeing for home after a harsh defeat.”
The shifter frowned.“And what of the uncrowned emperor of Athusa?”
“Zane could stay hidden as well,” Iyana said.“If we needed to, the three of us could travel slightly separated from you and Emmeric.Altair knows you two were involved, and he wouldn’t have cause to be concerned about a Kanaliza without his Aztia, so you would be more likely to be left alone.”
Emmeric’s entire body stiffened at the idea, his mind rejecting it entirely.“There is no way in the nine hells that you will travel separately from me,” he said to her, practically growling at how much he hated the notion.Iyana placed her small hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“It may be for the best, Em,” she said gently.“This way we can try to lessen the risk for all of us.”
He was shaking his head, staring into her caramel-brown eyes, pleading with her to see this from his perspective.“Iyana…I—I can’t bear to let you out of my sight right now.Please, let’s try to find another way.”She only stared up at him, wide-eyed.Emmeric covered her hand with his own.“Please, Mouse.”
“Okay,” Iyana whispered.“We can think of other options.”The terror that had briefly clutched his heart lessened.
“Old man,” Talon hedged, “we can’t give up an advantage just because you don’t want to be parted from Iyana.”
Emmeric glared at his oldest friend.
“I get it, Em, I do,” he continued, glancing down at Zane next to him.“But we need to play this smart.Altair already outmaneuvered us once, and now there are gods only know how many stars on the continent.There’s no way for us to go against them all and win.”
Emmeric would tear them all apart with his bare hands if he had to.If it meant it kept Iyana safe.But he could acknowledge that they both had a point.Altair had already tried to kill the Aztia once.If he realized she still lived, would the stars try to finish the job?He took a deep breath in an attempt to center himself.
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t be hidden; I just don’t want us to travel apart.Iyana is safer if I’m with her, and all of you will be more safe also if she is nearby.”A flood of Iyana’s doubt hit him in the center of his chest.He placed a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him.“They will be, Mouse.Altair took advantage of you.You’re stronger than you realize.”
