Page 22 of Celestial Bodies

A young lady who Julen didn’t know spoke. “Perhaps she went for a walk in the maze. I’ve seen several individuals enter for a stroll. That’s as fine a place to start as any, wouldn’t you agree?” Her smile reached both ears.

He swallowed hard and steadied his voice as much as possible. “My thanks to you all. I’ll follow your advice and start my search in the maze.”

Julen forced his legs forward as he looked to the ground, waiting to be tripped or pushed. Something he had grown accustomed to at school.

He had never told his parents about his troubles at the academy. Why bother? It wouldn’t help. His father would be furious withhim.

Julen ventured deeper into the maze. The warm sun had roasted the evergreens, releasing a cloying scent of resin. The towering walls of the labyrinth loomed over him like rows of sentinels flanking his path to the executioner. The quickening of the setting sun sent his mind racing.What if I get lost in here? I can’t scream for help. I’d die of humiliation.

His fingers started to fidget with the buttons of his doublet, and his stride accelerated. He was lost. He had no idea how to get back to the entrance.

He didn’t want to find Glacia anymore. He just wanted out. From one dead end to the next, he cursed under his breath for choosing to walk in this blasted place. The skies would darken, and he’d be lost here.

He began to run, trying to find an exit, grunting as he ran into one dead-end after another. He continued his quest to free himself from the maze when he bounded around a corner and saw them.

Glacia lay stretched along a bench. Her dress hiked up, with anexposed leg wrapped around the lower back of a man thrusting into her. She clenched her eyes shut and gasped with pleasure. The firm buttocks of the man flexed in response to his languid movements.

Julen recognized him—Lavin, a classmate. Lavin’s lips met hers, swallowing her soft mewls.

Julen’s body burned as rage boiled over. He didn’t love this girl, but to humiliate him like this at their engagement party of all places! She couldn’t wait untilafter?

Dedicated to the Mother Planet. Commitment to virtue, MY ASS!

Julen darted in the opposite direction. He didn’t know where he was going. All he knew was he had to get as far away fromthemas possible.

He leaped on a bench and began hopping up and down, trying to see over the evergreens. He felt like a fool, but what could he do? The exit was far, but he understood how to get there now.

Bouncing off the bench, he sprinted in the direction of the exit. Heart pounding, teeth clenched, he finally made it. He sped past the awful group of peers. His mind was in tatters, and he couldn’t discern whether he imagined laughing or if they genuinely cackled at him.

The world spun as he ran to the castle. The guests whirred by, their eyes bulging and mouths agape, as he ran past them.

Once inside, he ran up the stairs, intent on getting to his bedchamber. His mother was going down the stairs with one of her ladies.

“Did you find her?” she asked.

A sharpness laced Julen’s tone as he hurried past her. “Yes.”

“Well, where is she?”

He stopped and quickly turned to look at his mother. “ILL!”

His voice filled the room, echoing off the stone walls. A sconce on the wall shattered. Bits of glass clattered to the ground, a breeze tossing about the pieces. His mother looked at him, appalled. He could feel himself shaking. He peered over the railing to see servants and guests gawking.

He sneered at them. “What are you looking at?!”

Everyone below quickly resumed whatever they were doing.

It felt liberating to yell, to unleash some of the unbridled fury that rumbledwithin. Julen turned and continued up the stairs.That little maze hussy—cuckolding me at our engagement party, huh? We’ll see about that.

He reached his bedchamber and slammed the door behind him.

11

Chapter 10

Dacias

Two drinks and four mediocre performances later, and Arlo still hadn’t arrived. Dacias rolled shreds of the show lineup into tiny balls—tempted to flick them at the affectionate couple sitting beside him.

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