Page 26 of The Star's Sword
He snorted. “Perhaps. But it can also make it worse.”
I looked up into his swirling green eyes, a little bit lost about how I was feeling about him. About where he could realistically fit into my life.
Or how I would fit into his.
“Anyway, about the unicorn thing,” he said. “Let’s take a walk along the trees while I explain, because you might find it interesting, and it will distract us both from the tension hovering like an anvil in the air, ready to crush us both.”
We fell into an easy pace, walking along the trees.
“Yes, tell me about the unicorn,” I said. “How do you tame one?” I didn’t want Vasara to know anything I didn’t. And it was a good distraction.
“They usually don’t try to charge as often as that one does,” he said. “But basically, a unicorn will test anyone who wants to tame one by charging. With their horn out.”
“Ah,” I said. “And the unicorn stops rather than impaling the tamer?”
“Supposedly,” Zadis said. “But I haven’t ever heard of it happening. I have heard of celestials being gored, so now unicorns are more of a decorative object. It’s said they understand a person’s heart innately, and they either charge to kill, or test bravery. People have passed the bravery test only to die to the unicorn’s heart. But it’s said that a unicorn’s true match won’t die, because the unicorn will become ethereal and pass through them.”
I felt fear just imagining the concept. “What’s the bonus of taming one? If its horn can basically obliterate you out of existence.”
“Immortality, supposedly,” Zadis said. “They release a serum from their horn only for those who have trained them.” He looked at the unicorn in the enclosure. “This one though, I’m not sure what it can do.” He laughed, putting a hand on my shoulder lightly as we walked. “Of course, no one is going to let you test something like that, being that you’re the Morningstar and we can’t really wait another thousand years for justice just because a unicorn doesn’t like you.” He removed his hand, but the feel of his touch lingered. “After all, it’s very subjective. I’m sure you’re very likable, as I like you, but—”
“But a unicorn may think differently,” I said, moving forward, feeling awkward, somewhat like a girl on a first date for some reason.
My body hadn’t even forgotten what it felt like to hold Sam, and yet now Zadis’s touch was echoing on my body.
And somehow, I felt enervated and strengthened by both.
“Thank you, Zadis,” I said, stretching in the sunlight. “I feel so much better. Can’t even remember the awful feeling Vasara left in my mouth.”
Zadis’s lip lifted slightly. “Hopefully I’ll leave a better one.” He leaned in slightly, and I caught my breath, and then we heard a loud slam from the direction of the cathedral, like something huge had hit the ground.
We both jogged across the rocky, jagged remains of the road between the enclosure and the cathedral to see a huge cloud of dust and a large, golden-brown lion with fluffy white wings, which were folding in around it.
Before the smoke even cleared, there was a man there. He had clothes on, because celestial shapeshifters always did after a change, even though this was an extra-special shifter; a lion dog for the gods.
The man had wheat-blond hair and smiled broadly as he looked around and his eyes met mine. Immediately he put his arms out. “Cleo! I’m back.”
I ran toward him immediately. “Griffin!”
Finally, my best friend was back from training in the havens.
I couldn’t wait to see what he’d learned.
11
“Griffin!” I yelled again, as I fell in against his huge body and his arms closed around me. He was always so gentle with me. Overprotective. “I missed you.” I couldn’t wait to tell him everything.
He finally released me and put an arm around my shoulder as we turned to see Zadis walking toward us. “Looks like you’ve been busy.”
My cheeks warmed. “What?”
“Don’t play stupid,” Griffin teased. “I saw you overhead while flying in. It looked like the two of you were about to kiss.” He looked around. “Where’s Samael? When I left for training, he was still clinging around you, in the honeymoon phase.” He looked at Zadis who was standing there easily, hands in pockets, black hair lifting in the wind as he smiled and came forward to clap Griffin on the back.
They’d become friends ever since we came back from the demon realm.
“You looking to be disemboweled again?” Griffin asked.
Zadis laughed. “Actually, we have Samael’s blessing.”
