Page 58 of Celestial Bodies

He stepped forward, and two guardians stopped him, pushing him back into the chair. Dacias looked at Ferrean, whose eyes glared back at him withpure hatred. “You did this to yourself, Dacias. After what that bastard did to our mother, you’re a traitor.”

Dacias’s father bellowed, “Enough, Ferrean.” He turned to Dacias, his eyes brimming with tears. “Is it true, Dax?”

“Of course not!”

Ferrean screamed, “You were with him tonight! Admit it!” He turned to the guardians. “Ask if he was with Prince Julen. See if he lies right to your face.”

Dacias froze. Should he lie? Could he tell them he and Julen were romantically involved? They may want Julen here. They could get information from him. Could he ask Julen to do that?

The guardians approached with their cuffs.

“Dacias Validar. You are accused of espionage. We have orders from the royal palace to detain you and bring you to the prison. We implore you to cooperate.”

As the guardian spoke, Dacias looked at Klorin. He hoped he wouldn’t get mixed up in this. Did Ferrean know about Souzie too?

Klorin gave him a look, then used his eyes to lead Dacias to his hands. Klorin began sprouting claws.

Dacias looked back up at Klorin and nodded. Klorin mouthed the word “one.”

Was this the best idea? No. But Dacias knew he couldn’t be arrested. Not tonight. Not when so much was riding on his help tomorrow. He needed to help Julen. This was their one shot before he’d be forced to marry that girl.

“Two.”

Dacias focused on his brother while clearing his mind.

“Three.”

They each shifted at once, an explosion of fur and growls filling the space.

The shock of his sudden transformation sent the guardians hurtling back, but they caught their bearings and began to shift. Two wolves, a hyena, and a jaguar, stood before them.

The hyena lunged at Dacias, but he swiped the hyena’s throat and threw him to theground.

Klorin released a growl and pounced on the wolves. The jaguar stood frozen in fear. His eyes darted between Dacias, with fresh blood on his claws, and Klorin, making quick work of the two wolves.

Ferrean began to shift into an anaconda, but his father grabbed him. “Stop!”

Dacias knew he could take these guardians in moments flat, but he didn’t want to kill Rugirean soldiers. He was hoping he hadn’t mortally injured the hyena. He didn’t needmurderon his list of charges as well.

He released a mighty roar that shook the ground and lunged at a wolf, his jaw clutching its neck, and tossed it off his brother. Klorin spared no time pouncing on the other wolf and slicing at its chest, causing him to yelp in pain.

Dacias roared again and darted out of the house, Klorin following closely behind. The mighty roar of the jaguar echoed, and Dacias glanced behind to see it and one injured wolf hot on their trails.

When they reached the city center, they were met with startled cries as they darted around people milling about the streets. Dacias heard a piercing howl. He knew the wolf was signaling to other guardians nearby.

Klorin and Dacias reached the tunnel to Cupidor, only to be met by a tiger and a rhinoceros.

They darted right and raced along the border where Rugiria met the Cupidorean forest. Border guardians began shifting at the sight of them. Dacias and Klorin had blood on them, and half a dozen animals barreled after them.

Speed was on Dacias and Klorin’s side, and they wove between the border guardians. Klorin began outpacing Dacias, leading them to a break in the foliage along the border.

Klorin crossed the forest threshold first, instantly shifting back to human form. Dacias followed. He had never crossed the border between Rugiria and Cupidor while in lion form. It hit him like a punch to the gut. His lion features peeled back, and his bones cracked in rapid succession.

He landed in human form and panted.

Klorin screamed, “LET’S MOVE!”

Dacias leaped to his feet, and they sprinted through the forest. He heard the echoes of bodies slamming into the ground from behind them. The guardians breached the border. It was only a matter of time before they caught up to them. They needed to hide.

---