Page 18 of Celestial Bodies

Souzie shook her head. “Look, you seem sweet, and I think it would be good for him to have someone he could see or even just talk to. I know how lonely he feels, but I can’t arrange this.”

Dacias swallowed hard. “I know. But… please?”

Souzie looked at him for a long time before rolling her eyes and downing her drink.

She spoke to herself, “For Vexora’s sake, I bring him here one damned time, and I have men pulling at my skirt like I’m a schoolmarm.”

She turned to Dacias and gripped him with both hands by his shirt. “If you hurt him, I will find you. I will find a way to slip into your room in the dead of night and slice off somethingyou will miss. Do you hear me?”

Dacias and Klorin stood silently, blinking at Souzie, before Dacias said, “I understand. I…I guess I’m willing to take that risk.”

Klorin looked at him in disbelief. “Really?”

“Shut up, Klorin.”

Souzie laughed. “You two are cute.” She looked at the ceiling before saying, “Let me think about this for a little. Meet me here tomorrow. Same time.”

Dacias couldn’t contain his smile. He felt hopeful again. “Yes! I can do that.”

Souzie put her hand out to shake it. “Good. Now, the one who doesn’t like boys.”

Klorin looked between them, slowly pointing to himself and mouthing, “Me?”

Souzie nodded. “Are you as romantic as this one is? Because, if so, we should talk.”

Klorin looked at her wide-eyed, and she smirked. “That is if you’re not afraid of a little Lapistrean lady.” She winked, and Klorin grinned as he blushed.

9

Chapter 8

Julen

Tonight was the engagement party for Julen and Glacia. Chaos engulfed the castle as the servants worked tirelessly to prepare for the grand occasion. His mother was on the warpath; if anything didn’t meet her standards, she would throw a tantrum and make the perceived offender rue the day they were born.

Fortunately for Julen, he avoided the mayhem by taking a day trip to Cupidor.

Fourteen sunrises had passed since the pendulum, and nothing had happened. His father stopped speaking to Julen, and his training with Lupan ended abruptly.

The shame that consumed Julen sent him into a downward spiral of dread and self-loathing. He knew he had to take matters into his own hands, so he turned to what he did best: research. Julen scoured everything he could find about Vexora, the quake, and power manifestation. He spent night after night in the archives searching for an answer.

He even poured over old children’s fables about the mythical creatures of Caligon, a forest in southeastern Tarratan, hoping to uncover something—nothing but fairytales.

After poring over every text he could find in Lapistra, Julen contemplatedgiving up. He had exhausted all his options—nothing was left to discover.

Two evenings ago, Souzie recommended trying a bookshop in Cupidor called Writer’s Wilderness.

“You need to go there. They have a ton of books banned in Lapistra. I’m sure you will find answers there.”

Julen brimmed with delight at the possibility of going back to Cupidor. “That sounds perfect! I’ll go first thing tomorrow.”

“No!” Souzie shouted, then quickly adjusted her tone. “I mean…you should go the day after. The wretched engagement party is that evening, yes? You might need an escape while they prepare the castle for the big event.”

“Hmm. You’re right. My mother will be…”

Souzie nodded. “Insufferable? Unbearable? A woman on a rampage? Yes, go the day after tomorrow. Definitely.”

Souzie couldn’t have been more correct, and Julen sighed with relief as he exited the tunnel. He hadn’t been to Cupidor since that first night when he met Dacias and the romantic in Julen couldn’t help but fantasize about bumping into him again.

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