Secrets and Stardust

Chapter 54

Zane

Icy blue eyes stared back at him, glazed over with the film of death. Red faded to black as his father’s life blood seeped onto the dry, cracked ground.

Not your father,Zane told himself. Uther had spun intricate lies to achieve his preferred outcomes, and so Zane couldn’t trust anything that had ever come out of that man’s mouth. Now he feared he’d never have the answers.

Nobody had removed the dagger from Uther’s chest. Zane wondered if he should close his unseeing eyes, if only to cut off the deathly stare sending shivers up his spine. He started when gentle fingers alighted on his back.

“Sorry,” Talon said softly. Zane’s heart rate immediately slowed. “Are you okay?”

Zane shrugged. “I don’t really know. I’m relieved he’s gone, but then that makes me feel guilty. The man was terrible to me. I should be happy, but…I’m not. I’m still sad about the loss of my father.” A memory flashed through his mind, unbidden—Zane was a small child and Uther was teaching him how to use a wooden dagger. The emperor laughed as he ran from his young son and collapsed in an overdramatic heap when Zane first attacked him. He was congratulated for the hit, and his father gave him a piece of chocolate, quietly instructing him not to tell his mother, like they shared a secret. It was the only positive memory he had of Uther.

“That’s normal. Grief is unpredictable. There’s no black and white to it, so fuck anyone who tells you differently.” Talon dropped into a squat and gently closed Uther’s eyes. Zane thought he saw a shudder run through him.

“Thank you,” Zane whispered.

Talon swiped the astmina off the ground from where it had landed. Turning it over in his hands a few times, he placed it in his pocket.

“Come on.” Talon wrapped his arm around Zane’s shoulders and turned him from the gruesome sight in front of him. “I’ll get Altair and Iyana to cremate all the remains before we leave. Right now, though, we need to discuss what to do with the rest of Uther’s men, Your Majesty.”

Zane’s steps faltered. “Oh shit, I’m really the emperor.”

“You are.” Talon grinned widely down at him. Zane raised his chin to gaze into Tal’s warm blue eyes. So different from his father’s. Interesting how he could feel anxious or safe from a simple difference of shade in color.

“I have no clue what I’m doing. Gods, what if I start a war? Or I can’t help everyone and my empire hates me?”

“Hey,” Talon soothed, drawing Zane into a tight hug. Zane wound his arms around Talon’s waist, leaning against his shoulder and breathing in his scent that reminded him of cinnamon and rum. “You’ll do great. And I’ll be here for you, in whatever capacity you want.”

“General?” Zane’s voice was muffled as he burrowed further into Talon’s body. A deep chuckle reverberated through Tal’s chest.

“Anything but that. I don’t think it’s where my skills are best suited. Emmeric may be a better choice, but I don’t think he would want the job either.”

“Where would your skills lie, then?”

Talon’s voice was husky when he replied. “I can think of quite a few places, but they all require less clothing.” Heat coursed through Zane’s body before landing in his cheeks and his cock. The latter twitched as Talon ran his nose up the side of his face.

Not the time or place.

Zane pulled back just far enough to see Talon’s face but was still molded to his body. He was sure Tal felt the beginnings of his attraction, because he already noticed Tal’s. Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth, then closed it. He was so unused to being vulnerable; he was hesitant to ask his next question. But there was no time like the present, so he braced himself for potential rejection.

“Will you stay by my side? Aiding me and—” He paused. Talon didn’t press though, and allowed him to collect his thoughts. “And loving me?” he finally asked quietly. Zane couldn’t look Talon in the eye, just in case. So he focused on a small fleck of blood still on the man’s cheek. Fingers threaded through his hair, and Zane sighed at the feeling. Talon tilted his head back until he was forced to stare into those blue eyes, which were currently serious, not dancing with mirth as they usually did.

“Zane…” He steeled his heart. “When Uther had you and I didn’t know if you were alive or dead, or the horrors you may be put through, it gave me a lot of clarity for what I want in my life. Who I want. Of course I would do anything you asked of me. Forever. I love you.”

He had a millisecond to process the whispered words before Talon’s lips were on his, fingers tightening in his hair. Zane clung to him, swearing he’d never let him go, and pouring all his love for the man into this kiss. Letting him understand it with his lips and his tongue. He’d say the words as soon as he was able, but this moment was perfection. If it never ended, he would die a happy man.

Happy. When was the last time Zane had been truly happy? His heart soared, and he tugged Talon closer, moaning as his head was directed further back. Talon kissed the corner of his mouth, nipped at his earlobe, and kissed his way down Zane’s neck before resting his forehead on his shoulder.

“I’m going to make a fantastic empress,” Talon muttered.

Zane chuckled. “I love you,” he whispered.

“You are my heart, Zane. I thought I had lost the ability to love a long time ago, but now I know it was because my heart was residing outside of my chest.”

His own heart stuttered at Talon”s words. “If I am your heart, then you are my soul, because I thought Uther had cleaved it out of me years ago, but you found it and kept it safe.”

They held each other tightly, happy to luxuriate in each other’s presence, knowing they’d soon need to get back to work. Zane as an emperor, and Talon as his advisor. The red head might object to the title, but at least he wouldn’t need to go to battle any longer.

“You didn’t throw up this time,” Zane said.

“Huh, I didn’t. Guess I had other things to worry about. Between you and Smalls over there, I’m busy enough to not think about the blood.” Talon made a noise in his throat. “We need to stop talking about it though.”

Instead of talking, they kissed again, more languidly this time. Content to be sharing the same space, the same breath. Talon’s tongue ran across his lips and Zane parted for him with a low moan. Talon drew him closer, the kiss intensifying, when someone cleared their throat nearby.

“Hey boys, room for one more?” Kaz sidled up to them, causing them to break apart reluctantly, but Talon kept a hand on Zane’s low back. It grounded him, having Tal around.

“What did you say to Em for him to look so shocked?” Talon asked the shifter, nodding towards the man who sat on the ground, shaking his head in wonder.

“Oh, nothing,” Kaz said, flipping her braids over her shoulder. “Just that I’m the crown princess of Nyr.” Zane felt his jaw go slack. Kaz pouted, looking between the two men. “What? Why is everyone so shocked to find I’m a princess?”

Talon was the first to recover. “Maybe because we found you in the middle of the forest naked?”

“You found her naked?”

“I haven’t told you that story? Yeah, she pounced on top of Iyana in her leopard form.”

Kaz smiled wistfully. “That was fun.” She clapped her hands together, the sound absorbed by the Dead Lands air. “Anyway, Your Majesty, I’ll need to head home to inform my parents of the change in regime. They’ll want to know we can trust you. I’d love to open a relationship between Nyr and Athusa again.”

“I’d like that too,” Zane said, smiling. He bowed his head to her. “Your Highness.”

Kaz groaned. “See, this is why I don’t tell anyone. Also why I ran away from home. You know what? Forget it. I’ll go back to Athusia with you, and Talon and I can share the title of empress.”

Talon laughed, but snaked his hand around Zane’s waist, tucking him in to his side. “Find your own emperor, princess. I don’t share.” Butterflies erupted in Zane’s stomach.

“Fine, you’re no fun. What are you going to do first as emperor, Zane? I’ve been dreaming of my first act as queen since I was a cub.” Her brown eyes sparkled.

“What would yours…” Talon began. “Wait, let me guess—”

“Orgy,” Kaz said, immediately.

Tal frowned. “That was gonna be my guess.”

Kaz smiled widely. “It’d actually be to reestablish connections with the rest of our continent. I think Nyr has been reclusive for long enough.”

Zane raised an eyebrow. “I would love to accomplish that with you. We should draft a message to the Queen of Istora as well, before we part ways. But, first things first, I’m getting rid of all the green uniforms, and I want to fix the palace so it looks like it did when my mother was alive.”

“Em will be happy about the uniforms,” said Talon.

“Why?” Kaz and Zane asked in unison.

Talon shrugged. “He hates the color green. No idea why. It’s actually the one thing he’s never confided in me. And believe me, I’ve gotten him drunk many times to pry, but he’s extremely tight-lipped about it.”

Kaz’s eyes sparkled with a challenge. They all glanced over towards where Emmeric still sat on the ground, leaning back on his elbows. He was watching Altair and Iyana, in a not subtle manner. Zane felt bad for him. He obviously carried a torch for Iyana, and she wasn’t giving him the time of day. Not with Altair hovering around. There were some hints she may feel similarly, but the poor man didn’t stand a chance against a star.

Zane heaved a sigh, knowing he needed the remaining of Uther’s regimen to swear fealty to him. He wasn’t looking forward to it though, because if they refused… He would abandon them in the Dead Lands. Allowances couldn’t be afforded this early into his rule, especially not with men who would still be loyal to Uther—even following his demise.

But the men were well in hand and not leaving until he did, so he could afford a few more minutes in Talon’s calming presence. Tal tucked him in further and kissed the top of his head. This wonderful, amazing man was his forever.