Chapter 3
Zane
Everything happened too fast—Zane couldn’t even register what was happening until it was too late.
The moment he saw Talon’s body on the ground, his neck at that angle, and his chest unmoving, Zane had let out a guttural cry.
He couldn’t hold it back as he cradled the body of another man he loved.
Suddenly, he was seventeen again, in his bedroom instead of the Dead Lands, and the man in his lap was Jax.
Ignoring any remaining danger, he’d pleaded for Talon to come back; shouted how he’d promised to never leave him. For all Zane cared, Altair could end his life, too.
They’d only just barely found each other.
His father was dead. They were supposed to have time…
Time to love each other out in the sun, instead of hiding from his father in the shadows.
Zane had an hour of happiness, thinking everything in his life was finally falling into place.
And now? Now Zane wished he could follow Talon into the Everlands.
What else could the gods possibly put him through? Hadn’t he been dealt enough tragedy in his brief life?
Zane wondered what the point of loving someone was when it could only end in pain. What was the point of giving someone your heart just to have it ripped from your chest?
His mother.
Jax.
Talon.
He’d even loved his father, despite the atrocities Uther had committed against him. They were all gone. He was alone.
What was the godsdamn point?
Zane was seriously contemplating grabbing a dagger and removing the organ that had caused him so much grief when Iyana lurched towards them.
Instinctively, Zane held Talon closer to his chest, unwilling to let anyone else touch him.
They should’ve just gone back to Arinem and left him there.
He didn’t care about the wailers or the curse laid on this land.
Zane would stay there with Talon until he could be with him again.
But Iyana’s hand landed on Talon anyway, silver light emanating from the point of contact, so bright Zane had to shut his eyes.
As it dimmed, he peeked to see Iyana slumped forward with her pupils rolled back into her head.
But her hand remained on Talon’s body, still emitting light.
Emmeric scrambled over towards them, reaching for the Aztia.
“Stop,” Zane said with a rasp.
Emmeric stopped, his hand hovering over her, looking up at Zane with a question in his gaze.
“I don’t know what she’s doing,” Zane said, “but let her try.”
“Zane…” Emmeric’s face was tear-streaked, his eyes rimmed with red.
Zane had to remind himself that the man in front of him was Talon’s lifelong best friend.
Em shook his head. “There’s no coming back from this.
Not with—” He paused. “He can’t, Zane. It doesn’t matter what Iyana does, there’s no way to reverse this. ”
“Let her try,” he pleaded.
“I am, I promise. I’m feeding her as much magic as I can, but there isn’t much here and now with Altair and the amulet gone…”
Zane heard what he wasn’t saying. There was no magic to siphon from, and after whatever Altair had done to Iyana, she may not be strong enough to heal him. Zane sent a prayer to Altea anyway, asking for a miracle. He lost track of how long they sat there waiting.
Then it happened—Talon’s neck began to realign itself against Zane’s chest. He would never forget the sound of bones creaking and scraping over each other to return to their normal position. But Talon continued to lie still, his heart refusing to beat.
Iyana reared up with an exaggerated inhale, like she was the one who hadn’t been breathing, and the silver light winked out. Emmeric caught her before she fell over, keeping a stabilizing hand on her back. The three watched Tal intently. Iyana quietly encouraged him, but he still wouldn’t rouse.
They waited a minute.
Two.
“I think we should—” Emmeric started, but he was interrupted by Talon, who lurched off of Zane’s lap with a gasp.
He landed on his hands and knees, heaving deep breaths, his entire body shaking.
His red hair was everywhere, and his blue eyes were wide, darting around in a panic.
Zane finally moved to his side, pulling this man he loved—this impossible man—off the ground so they were both kneeling, and he wrapped him in his arms.
Tal continued to shiver against him, not moving or speaking. Zane pushed him back slightly, smoothing his hair away from his face. He was desperate to feel his warm skin, his breath on his cheek, his heart pounding against his own.
“Talon?” he asked, tentatively. Those eyes that were typically warm and laughing stared right through him, unseeing.
“Talon?” Zane tried again, shaking his shoulders lightly, but there was no change.
So he tugged him in close again, tucking his head into his chest. At least his shivering had eased some.
Zane turned his attention to Iyana, who didn’t seem to be fairing much better. Emmeric was the only thing keeping her on her feet. There were black circles under her eyes, and her normally golden-tan skin was wan.
“What’s wrong with him?” he asked her.
“Hmm?” she hummed, turning her attention away from the dark night sky back towards him.
“Talon. What is wrong with him?” Zane couldn’t bear the look of pity when she glanced at Tal slumped listlessly in his arms.
“He was in the Everlands.”
“What?” Emmeric asked, readjusting her underneath his arm so she could continue to stand, but the Aztia was faltering quickly, so instead he lowered her to the ground.
Iyana leaned back against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder and sighing with exhaustion.
Zane rearranged himself so that Talon could be more comfortable and was off of his knees.
His vacant gaze turned towards the sky. The moon cast shadows over his face, making him look almost skeletal. Zane shuddered.
“Well, not exactly in the Everlands, but he was on the bank of the river. That’s where I found him.”
“You were in the Everlands?” Emmeric asked her, looking at her in a panic. She waved her hand in dismissal without opening her eyes.
“I don’t know what happened—and isn’t that just the story of my life these days…
” Iyana paused, her voice lower and tinged with pain when she spoke again.
“Altea was waiting for him on the other side of the river. I spoke to him. Tried to convince him to come back to us. To you.” Now she did open her eyes, and she stared pointedly at Zane. “He told me…some things.”
“What did he tell you?” Zane asked, tears causing his sinuses to burn.
“That he was tired. I think he should tell you the rest of it himself, as it isn’t my story to share.
But, your voices called to him, and Zane—” Teardrops fell freely down her face, breaking the dam on Zane’s own sobs.
He clutched Talon closer. He refused to let him go ever again.
“Zane, when he heard your voice, he fell to his knees and sobbed. Altea said there would be a cost if he chose to come back, and I told her I would pay it.”
“You what?” Emmeric said sharply. He gripped her chin, tilting her head back so that she was staring into his face. “What is the cost, Iyana?” The words were gritted out through his teeth, and Zane couldn’t remember the last time Emmeric had called her anything other than Mouse.
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
“Why would you promise such a thing? I’ve known Talon my entire life, and that is not something he would ask of you.”
Iyana placed a hand on his chest. “He did not need to ask. I offered it freely to help my friend.” Iyana and Talon were too precious for their world.
Zane fully believed he was not worthy of Tal’s love, and he was certain Emmeric felt similarly.
“I held him as he cried, and then Altea cast me out. That was when I awoke here. I didn’t know what he would choose.
But the things he told me…I would not have been surprised if he had instead chosen the comfort of the Everlands. ”
“Will he come out of this fugue state?” Zane asked.
“I do not know,” she said. “I sensed the serenity and peace that the river offered, and I almost stepped into it myself.” Emmeric inhaled sharply, and Iyana absentmindedly ran her hand down his chest. “While I may have been close to death, Tal had actually died, so the call was probably stronger for him. Ripping himself away from that is going to affect him. In what ways and for how long, I don’t know. ”
Before Zane could ask more questions, a black leopard bounded towards them.
Kaz skidded to a stop and shifted simultaneously, her dark skin shimmering in the moonlight.
“I secured the ship,” she said breathlessly.
As soon as she saw Talon in Zane’s lap, obviously alive now, her eyes darted between him and Iyana.
“What the shit happened while I was gone?”
“We’ll have to explain later,” Emmeric said, standing and again helping Iyana to her feet. When she stumbled, he swept her off her feet and cradled her close to him. She murmured something to him, too low for Zane to hear, and Em shook his head in reply.
Zane went to stand with Talon, but the man was larger than him and was unable to support any of his own weight. Kaz came to his side to help. “Let me shift, and he can ride on my back to the ship.”
“Are you sure?” Zane asked. Kaz nodded, shifting, and he blew out a relieved breath.
Once they had Talon secured, they began their trek out of the Dead Lands.
Wailers could still be heard shrieking in the distance, but they didn’t seem to be approaching.
He was grateful for the small mercy. None of them were well enough to fight their way to the shore.