The Shifter of Planets (BOOK TWO OF THE SPACEWING PROPHECY)

Chapter 9

Tectonic flinched, but realized that the King hadn't noticed him.

Thank the moons, he thought silently. 

They continued through the courtyard, into the palace. Tectonic had one last thing to say. To the Council of the PlanetWings, to Venus. 

To the King himself. 

They walked through the double doors, tails entwined. 

"You ready?" Tectonic said when they reached the giant golden doors to the courtroom. 

"Ready as I'll ever be," she replied. He took a deep breath and opened the doors. 

"I demand to see the king!" he yelled, staring every one of those councilors in the eyes. They knew who he was. 

"Only a member of the royal families can request audience with the king!" one said. 

"I am Princess Celestial of the SunWings," she replied. "I think you should do as my friend here says. I rank higher than you, Mercury." Counselor Mercury glared at her, but turned to the other counselors to talk. After a few moments, Counselor Jupiter spoke. 

"Very well. At sundown, you may speak with him in a formal meeting." 

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The day was long and boring. Tectonic's heart rate was speeding up every second the time became closer to sundown. He was aching to get this over with. He wanted to meet the other leaders. But her had to talk to Boulder first. And he was bringing his friends with him. 

"I'm in," Orbit said, to no one's surprise. "I want to stare those PlanetWings in the eyes and glare at ALL OF THEM." 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Twilight asked. "The i will be hostile toward us. They may even attack." 

"Don't worry," Pisces said, entwining tails with him. "Tectonic and Celestial will protect us." 

"Don't you dare die, none of you," Streak growled. "You will be so sorry if you die." 

"We'll be dead. We can't be sorry if we're dead," Orbit flicked her ear. "And you're coming too." 

"I know," Streak said icily. Before they knew it, this turned into a long-winded conversation until sundown finally was upon them. 

"We call it moonrise," Twilight said. "Our time is different from yours, I suppose." They took off toward the castle, wingtips brushing wingtips. They landed in one of the taller towers and made their way down to the courtroom, were a long table was set up, Tectonic and his friends on one side, the Council of the PlanetWings on the other.

"You never said anything about bringing enemies into the castle," King Boulder growled, stalking into the room. His daughter Venus was beside him, looking hurt and refusing to meet Tectonic's eyes. 

Tectonic was scared. Terrified, even. But he held his gaze steadily on the king. 

"Why have you come here?" the king growled. "Come to steal my daughter again?" 

"And he brought the mutated SunWing princess with him. And NightWings." Mars added with a hiss. She hated them, it was personal for her. 

"You're DayWings!" Orbit replied, just as fiercely. 

"Everyone stop calling each other names," Tectonic bellowed. The room went silent. Now was the time. 

"We're here to talk, sir," he stared at King Boulder. "This war has to end. You know as well as I. And we're here," he motioned to the wyrms around him. His friends. "To put a stop to it." 

"Ha!" Boulder bellowed, looking around at his counselors. "How do you know this war is so terrible? What makes you think I would want it to end?" 

"Why wouldn't you?" Rose growled. "There are dragons dying, and hardly anyone even knows why. How did this war start, hmm?" 

King Boulder hissed at her. 

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that we need to win. Do you understand?" 

Rose narrowed her eyes. 

"You're not my king. You can't tell me what to do. I don't care if we're allies." she lashed her tail, the shimmery surface sending the light from the window dancing across the room. 

"Give us the Amulet," Pisces said suddenly, choking out the words and doubling over. Twilight yelped and dashed over to her, holding her limp body in his talons. 

"Pisces!" he cried. 

The king widened his eyes. 

"What do you want with the Amulet..?" he looked around. At Pisces and Tectonic and Celestial and Twilight. He saw the matching necklaces, the honey bees buzzing in the garden the only sound in the room. Everything else was silent. 

"How do you know about it?" he hissed. "We've kept this secret for years." 

"The necklaces..." Twilight gasped. "Hers must have told her something. I've heard about the Amulet, though. It's supposed to be the most powerful object left by the animuses many eons ago. It was supposedly lost to time, but all along the PlanetWings had been keeping it a secret..." he stared at the king. "We need to get to it. It can supposedly stop and start wars with a blink of the wearer. We can unlock its secrets, or die trying." 

Tectonic took a sharp inhale. This wouldn't be easy.