“He’s back!”
“Who’s back?” I ask as she drags me from the comfort of my bed.
“Zane!”
Hearing his name snaps me out of whatever slumbering daze I was still in. Amaya pulls me out into the hallway where Emeric is already waiting, also shoeless.
“Where is he?”
“Grimstone.”
The three of us take off in a sprint, each still wearing our pajamas. Once we reach above ground, I’m wishing I had shoes on as we run across the ashy dirt. One of the large doors is already ajar, and when we slip through, there he is. Amaya springs into his arms, and he clings to her like his life depends on it. I reach for Emeric’s hand as we wait our turn to embrace our friend.
Ryder, Damien, Elias, and Akari are all standing off to the side.
“Come here, you two!” Zane stretches out his tattooed arms and Emeric and I go in for the group hug.
He’s been our missing piece. The last of our family finally home again.
“Not that I’m not thrilled to see you, man.” Emeric grabs his shoulder. “But what are you doing here?”
Zane turns to Ryder.
“We have some catching up to do.” Ryder is tense with a look on his face that tells me he’s fighting the urge to tear the whole castle down.
Without a word, we all follow him to the room where the council meetings are held. Artemus is already waiting in his chair at the end, along with someone else I don’t recognize.He looks to be around our age with harsh features that should make him look intimidating, but for some reason doesn’t.
“Sit,” Ryder orders, and I have a sinking feeling that whatever we’re about to hear won’t be good news. “You can tell them.”
There’s an undeniable expression of dread on Zane’s face. He starts off by motioning to the guy across from him. “This is Nexus. Him and I were recruited by Ryder to be the eyes and ears in the Sector after the attack. The first couple of months back weren’t too bad. They wanted it to feel like we were rebuilding. That didn’t last, though. I’m not sure what Ryder has told you, but training began to go back to how it was right before we entered the Sector. Torture techniques, curses, fighting to the death. We thought that was as bad as it was going to get. So, Nexus and I agreed to stick it out and do what we had to do. That was, until a week ago.”
Ryder must pick up on Zane’s hesitancy to continue because he takes over. “A week ago, my father decided to start sending civilians he felt didn’t support him to the Sector. There, the students have been ordered to torture and kill anyone who wouldn’t pledge their allegiance to him. He began branding people with the Royal Insignia to show their loyalty and obedience.”
Branding. Just like he branded Kane’s love, Lytia, for him to see. It’s the king’s way of showing everyone that they belong to him. I knew things would escalate with time, but I never imagined it would get this bad. The lockdown was one thing. Even the executions I expected. But this? It’s sadistic.
“We decided we couldn’t stay,” Nexus says. The look on his face tells me he’s still haunted by the things they had to witness… or even do.
Amaya reaches for Zane’s hand. I’m sure whatever conversation they’ll be having after this won’t be an easy one.
“There will be more to discuss, but it’s been a long day for these two, and this is a lot to process.” Ryder stands from the head of the table. “Get some sleep, everyone.”
He’s already gone before the rest of us get up from the table. I want to follow him. I want to tell him he isn’t to blame, but I don’t. I know he won’t listen. No matter how much I try to make him see that he isn’t some monster who’s beyond redemption, he insists on condemning himself.
“You okay?” Damien gently brushes my cheek as he moves a rogue hair from my face.
“I’m more concerned about Zane right now.”
“I know.” He rests his forehead against mine. “Stay with me tonight?”
I nod. As everyone disperses for the night, I give one last supportive smile to Amaya before they leave. She looks stoic, and I know she’s trying to stay strong for Zane, but I can tell her heart is breaking for him and the things he’s had to endure these past months.
“It’s only right now that we’re all back together!” Amaya pulls out a button-up shirt and hands it to Emeric. “Here, this should work.”
Em chuckles and takes it from her. “Meeka would be proud.”
“I’ll never be able to live up to her standards, but I can at least plan a semi-decent dinner.”
Earlier this week, Amaya took it upon herself to plan a family dinner for us to celebrate Zane’s return. She even went as faras to ask Ryder if we could use the dining room at Grimstone. I can’t say I was surprised to find out he turned down her invitation to join us, but he still insisted she make use of the room since it hardly ever gets used.
