Sigrid's body went rigid beneath him. He could feel every muscle in her back lock up at once, as if she had been turned to stone.
Around the fire, the other centaurs had frozen in identical poses of shock.
Spoons hovered halfway to mouths.
Jaws hung open.
Eyes went wide and glassy, staring at Luca as if he had just announced that he was personally responsible for the decline of mana.
Luca pressed on, because he had already committed and there was no going back now.
"Look, when I first met you lot, I was overwhelmed by two feelings. The first was how visually beautiful and majestic you all were. When I saw you lined up in your armor, facing me with such honor, I was genuinely taken aback. You're stunning. All of you. Genuinely."
This did not seem to make anyone feel better.
