Page 5 of Celestial Bodies

He closed his eyes. “I just wish I could escape. Just for a little bit. I hate this place.”

Souzie cleared her throat. Julen peeked up to see her devious smirk. “An escape, you say?” She waggled her brows.

Julen knew exactly what she meant. “No! No, Souzie. I can’t do that. My father would kill me.”

Souzie shook her finger at Julen. “Yes. You. Can! This isyourlife. You’re nineteen, Julen! Fuck him, fuck your mother, fuck that little shrew they’re forcing you to marry and come with me to Cupidor!”

Cupidor: the neutral zone separating Lapistra from Rugiria. Ancient texts attributed power manifestation to vibrations in Vexora’s tectonic plates,but Cupidor, located on a divergent boundary, was an area where both Lapistreans and Rugireans were unable to manifest their magic. Over time, it became a refuge for the outcasts of both territories and slowly evolved into a raucous red-light district. Souzie had beenbeggingJulen to go with her for years.

Julen shook his head. This was a terrible idea. The worst. “But what if someone sees me? What if a Rugirean attacks me? What if my father finds out?”

Souzie rolled her eyes and waved her hand flippantly. “We’ll disguise you. Don’t be such a ninny, Julen. Youneedthis. You need to let loose for a night. Forget about everything for just one night and have some fucking fun!”

Souzie stormed into her closet and began throwing clothing at him. “Try these on.”

Julen examined the clothing. “I can’t wear women’s clothing!”

She huffed out a guffaw. “You wouldn’t be the only man wearing women’s clothing in Cupidor, my innocent little lamb.”

His eyes widened. “Really?”

Souzie began disrobing, impatience lacing her words. “I have told you countless times how it is in Cupidor! You’d know if you ever came with me. Put something on.Now!”

Julen took off his black leather battle tog and tried to squeeze his body into Souzie’s pants. “I don’t think I’m going to fit…”

“Ugh. Here.” Souzie stomped over and tried to force the trousers over his ass to no avail. “Dammit! Your ass is too big, Julen!”

Julen giggled as she continued forcing the pants up. “It’s my onlyasset.” He winked.

Souzie groaned and rolled her eyes. “Maybe steer away from comedy tonight, love.” She looked about the room. “What can you wear?”

Her gaze fell to the battle tog crumpled on the floor. Her eyes grew wide as she picked it up. “You don’t need this anymore, do you?”

Julen released a cynical laugh. “No, I was ‘regretfully’ not offered a spot in the military.”

Souzie walked to her bedside table and pulled out a dagger. Julenloved that she kept knives near her bed.

She came from a long line of warriors and began training as a child. Those lessons ended four years ago when Julen’s father orchestrated a coup and seized government control from King Morab. Souzie’s father had served as Morab’s chief advisor; when Haligran ascended to the throne, he imprisoned him and would have done the same to Souzie, or worse, but Julen intervened, pleading with his father to spare her. To Julen’s astonishment, Haligran agreed, but only under the condition that she would be exiled from courtly affairs and kept out of his sight. He was determined to purge any remnants of Morab’s rule from the governance of Lapistra.

Souzie flipped the knife in the air and caught it by the handle. She then handed Julen both the tog and the knife. “Take this piece of shit garment and slice it into the femboy escort look itought to be.”

Julen’s stomach clenched. He whispered, “I can’t.”

“Yes!You! CAN!” Souzie stomped her foot on the last word, inciting the neighbors below to pound on their ceiling with a stick. “Make this thing your whipping boy. Take all that rage and slash it into whatever your heart desires.”

She handed him the dagger and the tog. He examined the blade as it glistened under the candlelight. This tool had power, and Julen felt powerful holding it. The black tog drooped in his other hand. He frowned at it, his mind replaying the dreadful showcase over and over again.

This disgusting uniform symbolized everything he hated about Lapistra, everything he didn’t want to be.Fuck them.He tossed the tog into the air and caught it by the neck, then sliced through its middle. The lower half fell to the ground in a heap.

Souzie howled in delight. “Yes! Slice and dice it, love.”

Julen cackled as he tore apart the tog, his body growing hotter with each furious slash.

The dam exploded, and the rage gushed out as he brutalized the uniform. The more he slashed, the more emboldened he became.Fuck him. FUCK THEM ALL. I’ll show them.He severed the arms from the top half, then grabbed the lower half, viciously slicing into its legs. His eyes burned as hefunneled his fury into the dagger, desecrating this symbol of everything he wasn’t.

He carried the two torn pieces to Souzie’s mirror and slipped them on—the sleeveless top fit snugly, ending just below his sternum, exposing the alabaster skin of his midriff. The pants hung low on his hips, slashes revealing glimpses of his legs and ass. He grabbed a pin from Souzie’s vanity to keep them up.

He looked at himself. A knot of fear formed in his throat as visions of his father’s fury flashed through his mind. Taking a deep breath, he pushed them aside.This isn’t the castle. He’s not here. You’re with Souzie.Souzie must have had a window open as a tranquil breeze soothed his trembling body, pulling him out of his ruminations.

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