Page 57 of Celestial Bodies

“If we time it right, we can get you out through the forest. Border Patrol switches at midnight, and there’s a small gap before the new shift takes over,” Souzie noted.

Julen’s mind spun with the logistics. It all felt so sudden. “Holy Vexora.” He took a deep breath then nodded. “I can do this. I need to find a place to stay. I’ll come here and stay at a boarding house for some time. I could ask Mindel for a job, or maybe he knows a place that needs—”

Dacias interrupted, “I want you with me. Klorin has a contact in Border Patrol, and he’ll have a UIN for you by tomorrow. It won’t be valid, but it will look official. Ferrean is a dick, so you can’t stay with me, but there’s a little town right by the festival we went to. They have a boarding house, and you can stay there until I can speak with the authorities. I’m confident they’ll see you as an asset against Haligran. The tricky part will be convincing them that you are truly renouncing your homeland, but I will vouch for you. My father is also a former general and has a lot of sway. After that, they’ll provide you with a new identity and an official UIN to match.”

Oh. Yes, that’s a plan.Julen looked at Dacias, a warm feeling expanding in his chest. “You want…you want me to come…”

Dacias quickly added. “That is if you are comfortable divulginginformation. We could always have you use the fake UIN and hope for the best if you’d prefer not to do that.”

Julen blinked a few times before Dacias added, “That is if youwantto come to Rugiria. I should have asked you before I did all of this. Sorry, I got carried—”

Julen stopped his rambling by planting a kiss on Dacias’s lip. “I love the plan. I love the idea of being in Rugiria with you.” Julen brushed his fingers along Dacias’s cheek and whispered, “I love you.”

Souzie chuckled and shook her head. “You two. I can’t handle how adorable you are.” She slid to the edge of the bench and stood. “I’m going to get a drink. When I come back, we’ll discuss the plan for tomorrow.”

She walked off, and Julen looked at Dacias. “I love you so much. I’m the luckiest boy on Vexora.”

Dacias tugged him even closer, wrapping his arms around Julen’s body. “My Julen.”

24

Chapter 23

Dacias

Dacias exited the tunnel leading from Cupidor to the Rugirean city center. His heart swelled at the thought of Julen being home.

Rugiria would treat Julen the way he should be treated.And if anyone doesn’t, I’ll rip them to shreds.He fantasized about getting a little cottage along the southern coast, shifting and traveling by lion to get to and from training each day, then coming home and finding Julen puttering around the home. He knew this was a fantasy. Dacias didn’t even know if Julen would be one for domesticity, but the thought of it was so adorable.

Dacias became addicted to the moments when Julen let go, his shoulders loosened, and the tension around his eyes disappeared. Dacias had made it happen several times before, but he wanted more. He wanted to make Julen happy. Julen deserved to be happy after a lifetime with that awful bastard of a father.I’d give anything to slice that man to bits.

That’s where those eyes came from—no matter how hard Julen tried to mask it, Dacias could see the pain in them. He wanted to fix it, replace the thoughts plaguing the mind behind those shimmering eyes with beautiful memories.

He barely saw two feet before him as he walked up the dirt road to his home. The late hour made the path pitch black. The house came into view,and light shone out from a few windows.

He wondered what Klorin had done with Ferrean that evening. Ferrean didn’t like much except drinking, and after a few drinks, he always wound up in Cupidor with a sex worker or picking fights with a Lapistrean. Dacias knew he’d have to buy Klorin a drink for distracting that pain in the ass.

When he arrived at the house, he strode up the stairs to the front door. Even though the lights were still on, there was a strong possibility his father was asleep, so he stepped lightly.

When he opened the door, he heard a rustling in the main living area. He assumed it was his brothers.

“Is that you, Kl—”

He choked when he saw the four guardians standing by the fireplace. Klorin sat in a chair, their father resting his hand on his shoulder, and Ferrean stood by the guardians, a taunting look stretched across his face.

Fuck.

Klorin began to speak, but his father pressed down on his shoulders, signaling him to stop, and stepped forward to close the space between him and Dacias. “These guardians are from the royal palace, Dax. They claim—”

Before his father finished, a guardian said, “Cadet Validar. It’s come to our attention that you have infiltrated the Secret Services Center and are sharing information with Prince Julen Zephyrus of Lapistra. You are under arrest for espionage.”

Dacias’s breath hitched. His eyes grew wide, and his neck became hot. “Espionage? I’ve done no such thing! How could you think that?”

The same guardian replied, “We must take you to the prison for questioning. A trial will be held. You will have your day in court to defend yourself, but such accusations must be treated seriously.”

Klorin leaped to his feet, hands clenched at his sides. “This is fucking absurd! Ferrean, you bastard!” He turned to the guardians. “He’s making this up. I swear, Dacias would never do this. Ferrean is lying.”

Klorin faced Ferrean. “Your own brother! I could kill you, Ferrean.”

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