Never Keep (Sins of the Zodiac, #1)

by Caroline Peckham

Everyone around me was laughing, muttering or sniggering and my eyes met those of the Sky Witch for a moment, the only one in the courtyard who seemed moved by what I’d said. In the depths of those storm grey eyes, I saw a river of belief, like perhaps for some unknown reason she accepted my truth. Heat rose in my veins as the laughter grew and a burning sensation poured through my veins, rage mixed with embarrassment. It coursed through me like an inferno, and suddenly my body was shifting, a ripple of energy rushing down my spine and my form changed at once. I landed on four large white paws, my clothes hanging loose around my new form, and a hiss of surprise left my lips. I’d Emerged, my Order was here and it looked like I was some kind of large cat. And in the puddle of water over the flagstones, I saw my reflection staring back at me. A leopard of some sort, a Relic Leopard perhaps, though their fur was tanned, not white like mine with these dark black spots, and I was smaller than one of them too. They could grow as big as horses, but I was closer to Fae-sized. “What is she?” Alina muttered to Ransom. “A fleabag cat by the looks of it,” Ransom sneered.