“Enter,” Luca referred to as via the door.

Benji smiled as he stepped into the room, delighted that it was like a miniature model of the library the place he’d spent the final two days. As an alternative of studying tables, the middle of this room featured an infinite desk set for an elaborate lunch. As an alternative of the intricate stained glass home windows, the outer wall had massive home windows and double doorways that led to a balcony. Luca smiled and rose to increase a welcoming hand towards Benji.

“Thanks for taking the time to satisfy with me, Your Highness,” Benji began as they shook arms. The customized appeared unusual, however then, he spent most of his time having talons as a substitute of arms. “I’m Benjamin?—”

Luca held up a hand. “I bear in mind who you might be, Benji, and I vastly respect your persistence. Please name me Luca, no less than in casual settings. I’m nonetheless adjusting to the title.”

Benji nodded. “Sure, Your…er, Luca.” His voice trailed off, and he was uncertain of the place to begin his story. There was a lot he wanted to inform the king.

“Please, sit.” Luca gestured at one of many comfortable-looking customer chairs on the desk. “Be a part of me for a meal, and let’s get to know each other earlier than we get into the explanation to your go to. I have to admit I’m inquisitive about your individuals. I’ve by no means met an owl, and the legends are fairly mysterious.”

Benji might sense the king’s unstated query and grinned. He understood curiosity. “Would you prefer to see?”

Luca grinned with the keenness of a younger boy. “I’d be mendacity if I mentioned no. I do know many eagle shifters, and they’re smaller than their human varieties, solely 4 or 5 occasions the dimensions of their wild cousins. I’ve heard that owls are completely different. Do you thoughts?”

The skinny, sandy-haired man loved the chance to point out off for his king. “Under no circumstances, Sire.” Benji’s Therian kind was spectacular, particularly if the king had by no means seen an owl Therian shift. “Do you thoughts if we step out on the balcony?” He set the bag containing the historic books he’d borrowed on the ground. “I choose the open air.”

Luca nodded and stood. “So do I, and we must anyway. It’s one of many few locations within the palace you possibly can shift with out activating the defensive wards.”

Benji’s eyes widened in shock as he adopted Luca outdoors. “You’ve witches right here? I’ve heard about them and have at all times been curious concerning the magic they wield and their ties to Therian bloodlines. I ought to very very similar to to satisfy one if the chance presents itself,” he requested as he stripped.

“It’s not an issue. I’ll ask Remy to introduce you. He’s been in another country arranging essential appointments and making journey preparations for the subsequent few weeks, however you met him this morning. I extremely suggest talking with him. The person is a veritable font of knowledge.”

Therians weren’t bothered by nudity. It was a truth of life. He closed his eyes and centered his thoughts. His owl kind felt extra pure, so the shift was quick.

Rather than a tall, gangly man with massive yellow eyes, Luca noticed an owl bigger than Benji’s human kind. The chook turned his head to stare at him with the identical eyes. He unfold his wings and shook out sand-colored feathers earlier than settling down and searching longingly on the sky. Luca stared on the magnificent creature, astonished. Benji took just a few hopping steps towards the balcony’s rail, unfold his wings, and leaped into the air.

I’m sorry, Sire. Since my arrival, I’ve not taken my true form, and I can’t resist a fast breeze via my feathers.

Luca couldn’t blame him, and if his schedule hadn’t been so tight, he would have modified varieties and joined the owl for a leisurely flight. He contented himself with watching Benji’s aerial acrobatics.

The owl rose to dizzying heights earlier than executing an ideal twist that despatched him rocketing again towards the bottom at breakneck pace. He stopped wanting slamming into the balcony with one other mid-air roll. Benji modified as his physique spun and completed the roll on human ft, grinning at his king.

“That was excellent!” Luca exclaimed. “I’ve by no means seen a Therian who might match your precision flying. Dragons are far too massive to make such tight turns.”

Benji donned his garments. “Your Majesty, it’s all physics. Your dimension prevents among the particular maneuvers I can carry out, however should you hit the correct pace and angle, you may fly as exactly. It’s an artwork amongst my individuals, and I might think about it an honor to show you.”

“Completely,” Luca agreed. “I’m unsure when I’ll have time, however Remy and Niletean know each second of my schedule, and between the 2 of them, I’m certain they’ll make it occur. For now, let’s return inside and eat. I’d love to listen to extra about your individuals.”

The palace’s cooks had ready a formidable lunch. Benji ate with gusto, having fun with the international flavors. Luca watched in amusement as his visitor tried a few of every thing.

“I wasn’t certain what you desire to, so I requested for a big selection.”

Benji swallowed his present mouthful and smiled through the pause earlier than one other chunk. “Every little thing is superb, Your Majesty. Meals is the one space the place my individuals are not good. Give us any expertise, and we are going to grasp and enhance it in brief order. Current an unsolvable drawback, and we are going to ship an answer, however we by no means developed spice and taste combos just like the people in our territory. That is scrumptious.”

Luca sat again in his chair and watched the opposite man. “How is it that we all know so little about your individuals?”

“That, Sire, is a really lengthy story. I suppose I ought to start now. What have you learnt concerning the origins of Therians, witches, and magic?”

Luca was quiet as he thought-about the query, then shook his head. “Nearly nothing, I’m ashamed to say. Navigating life within the current below Nikoli’s rule was arduous sufficient. I didn’t have a lot alternative to look at our origins. Current occasions have given me trigger to marvel about them, although.”

Benji understood the sentiment, even when he had no body of reference to narrate to it. Curiosity was one among his elementary traits. He at all times wished to know extra and couldn’t think about letting something stand in the way in which of data. He needed to find out how and why issues had been the way in which they had been and welcomed any likelihood to share that info.

“For a lot of of our type, now we have merely at all times been, so the origin of our numerous species was by no means questioned,” Benji continued. He eliminated the books from the shoulder bag and laid them on the desk. “I’ve been studying Therian historical past for a full day now, hoping to reconcile what my individuals know of the early years of our evolution with the newer info in your archives. Once we retreated from the world after the Rending, we by no means imagined the information can be misplaced.”

Luca targeted his intense blue gaze on Benji. “You’ve received my consideration. Please proceed.”

“It could take days to impart the small print, however I can summarize a very powerful details. There are different universes and different dimensions, Sire. I don’t converse of different planets with life, although these additionally exist. To place a visible to it, think about bubbles floating in a void. Every universe has its path, they usually occasionally collide. When that happens, a metaphysical hyperlink varieties between the 2 dimensions, generally with disastrous outcomes.”

Supply: www.seynovel.com