Seeing Sigrid appear out of nowhere and witness the scene, Riley and the other young centaurs were seized by overwhelming embarrassment.
Here they were, proud warriors caught in the midst of a heated confrontation with a group of children.
The thought of their commander witnessing such an undignified display was deeply mortifying.
Riley's mouth opened, scrambling for an explanation that would somehow make this look less damning—
"Big Sis Sigrid!" Nella's voice rang out, cracked with perfectly manufactured anguish. "You have to save me!"
Riley choked. "What?"
But Nella was already in motion, galloping toward Sigrid on her tiny legs with the urgency of a refugee fleeing a war zone.
By the time she reached the commander's side, her transformation was complete.
Those big green eyes had gone wide and glassy, shimmering with tears that trembled on the edge of spilling over.
