Page 17 of Celestial Bodies

She looked Klorin up and down slowly with her eyes. “The lady would love one.” She then took the drink and walked to the opposite end of the bar.

Klorin coughed. “Well, I never…”

Dacias scrubbed his face with his hands. “Very smooth, big brother. You taught me everything I know.”

Dacias pushed Klorin out of the way and approached her. “Forgive my brother. He hasn’t quite found his way with the ladies.”

She smirked and asked, “And you have?”

Dacias leaned against the bar, attempting to match her casually cocky energy. “No, but I’ve been navigating the boys just fine.”

She laughed hard at that. “Says you!” She motioned to Klorin with the drink in her hand. “So, are you here to help your friend over there woo me?”

Klorin called out, “Excuse me! I do not need helpwooing! He asked me to talk to you! I handle pick-ups just fine when not under duress. He thinks you’re his long-lost lover’s friend.”

She turned back to Dacias, who swallowed and said, “So…yes, about that. You’re Arlo’s friend, yes?”

She cocked her head and asked, “Arlo?”

“Your friend, Arlo. You were here with him, I think. He has dark hair. He was wearing a lot of eyeshadow or something. Then I saw you both at the dance court.”

A look of realization dawned on her face. “Right…my friend...Arlo.” Then she slapped the bar with her hand. “Oh, I rememberyou! " She must have made the connection because her mouth fell open. “Did you come here looking for him?”

Dacias knew his face was bright red. “Yes… We also danced together. I really want to see him again.”

She raised a brow in suspicion. “Why?”

Dacias wanted to explain everything he felt but knew he’d sound crazy. He stumbled over his words. “Well…you see…um…”

Klorin stepped in. “He can’t stop thinking about him. He’s been obsessed for days.Even humped a bag of gear during training. Your boy has turned my brother’s brain to mush.”

Her eyes widened. “You didwhat?”

Dacias elbowed his brother and spoke through his clenched jaw. “I swear, you’re a dead man!”

He turned back to her, knowing his face was redder than the crystals above them. “Ugh…yes, I… I don’t know.” He slumped his shoulders and then rested his head on the bar. “I came here hoping to see him,” he looked up again to face her, “and I foundyou. I feel like that means something, right?” He shook his head. “Forget it. Something is wrong with me. I need to get my head examined.”

Dacias turned away, but Souzie snagged his shirt to stop him. She looked him dead in his eyes, and Dacias couldn’t deny that he felt intimidated. “What is this? Are you planning something?” She started poking his chest. “Look, I’m not to be fucked with. I have knives and know how to use them, so if this is some plot to fuck with my friend, so help me—”

Dacias stopped her, raising his hands in surrender. “No! No, no, no, it’s not any of that!”

She looked at him, her face unreadable. “All right. So you really are this…lovestruck?” She waggled her brows.

Dacias shuffled side-to-side on his feet. “I…I don’t know if…I…”

Klorin swooped back in, batting his lashes as he sang, “That’s a yes.”

Dacias scowled at Klorin, and she chuckled. “So, what do you want from me? You have to understand it’s not easy for him to see you, and Lapistra’s not like Rugiria. It’s not safe for people like him.”

Dacias tugged the bottom of his shirt, spinning his finger around a loose thread. “I know, I know all that. But, if you could maybe give him a message from me?”

She looked at him hard. “Remind me of your name.”

“I’m Dacias.”

She nodded. “I’m Souzie, and I’m not a matchmaker. If he wanted to see you again, he would have told you so. Besides, should you be lusting over a Lapistrean?”

Dacias took a breath and blew out through his lips before looking at Souzie like a kitten peeking out of a basket of yarn. “Do you think he’ll come here again? If you don’t send a message, maybe I could meet him and try to speak to him?”

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