Chapter 21
“What do you mean the nanobot is gone?” Taurus held Circe in his arms. Soon as his Astraeus released him—after using him and the other Zodiacs as energy missiles to shatter the asteroid they could finally see—he’d grabbed Circe and yanked her away from the machine.
“The dimples are empty. It’s inside her,” Aquarius stated somberly.
“Well, get it out!”
“I don’t know how.”
Aries approached. “She’s not waking up?”
“No.” And it crushed his heart.
“She did a brave thing.”
“Yeah, she did, and now we need to help her.”
“Agreed.” Aries glanced at Sage. “Any idea how we can remove the nanobot without causing harm?”
She shook her head. “I’m afraid not. And I wouldn’t suggest lightning.”
“No shit,” Taurus huffed.
Aquarius snapped his fingers. “Hold on, I know something that might work. An EMP pulse.”
“Pretty sure we don’t have any of those in our armory,” Taurus snapped.
“No shit. Nor do we have anything to detonate in the atmosphere to create one, and I don’t think the sun is due to emit any flares anytime soon.”
“Then why even mention it?” Taurus didn’t mean to sound short, but with Circe unresponsive, possibly forever, he couldn’t entirely control his emotions.
“There is something else that can create an EMP pulse. Stars.”
Taurus glanced overhead and spotted his constellation. “And how do you propose we get them to send one?”
“Ask your Astraeus.”
Such a simple answer and he immediately closed his eyes and concentrated.
So hey, big shiny constellation in the sky, it’s me, your avatar. I know you’re probably tired after bashing that alien ship, good job, by the way, but I don’t suppose you could do me a little favor.
No reply, but then again, no one ever actually conversed with their Astraeus once they became a warrior.
Taurus sighed as he hugged Circe close. “Guess they—”
His back suddenly heated but, at the same time, turned crazy cold. His breath hissed from him, and his body jerked as something burst free. Not anything he could see, and yet whatever vomited from his body rattled everything and everyone on the rooftop.
“What the fuck was that?” Leo exclaimed.
“EMP pulse,” Taurus whispered as he stared at Circe’s face, more specifically the fluttering lashes.
Her eyes opened, and she stared at him. Said nothing. Just stared.
“Honey? You in there?”
“The entire time,” she grumbled. “Remind me to never play with nanobots again.”
He crushed her to him to the point she complained, “Need my ribs, please.”
“Sorry.” He sat her upright, and she blew hair out of her face before smiling.
“We did it!”
“Only because of you.” The honest truth. From the very beginning, Circe had been the one sounding the alarm, working for a solution, even offering up herself to save the day.
“Taurus is right, because of your bravery, we managed to destroy the alien ship.” Aries waved his hand at the sky, where the stars seemed to shine extra bright.
“I don’t know about you knuckleheads, but after all that whipping around, I need a fucking drink.” Sagittarius declared before heading into Tower.
“And food! Damn, I swear I could eat a hundred burritos,” Pisces declared.
“Please don’t,” Leo groaned. “Even Tower wouldn’t be able to handle that many farts.”
Laughter led to an exodus as the Zodiacs, boisterously discussing the experience, entered the tower. Last to leave was Aries, with his arm around Sage, the only non-warrior other than Circe on the roof. Everyone else had been kept inside for safety.
Circe didn’t seem in a hurry to move, and Taurus was more than happy to just hold her.
“I saw aliens,” she softly whispered. “When that thing took over my mind, I got glimpses of planets and creatures the likes of which I would have never imagined. We truly aren’t alone in the universe.”
“Told you, but even if Earth was the only place with life, you still wouldn’t be alone because I’ll always be by your side.”
She snorted.
“Too cheesy?”
“A little, but you know what, I don’t mind. It’s part of why I love you.” She cupped his face.
Holy shit. She’d said it first. And for once, he didn’t want to run away, not when he felt the same way too. “Not as much as I love you, honey.”
“Didn’t someone promise me—”
He kissed her before she even finished her sentence. Then gave her a toe-curling reward, not for saving the planet, but for coming back to him.
Turned out his quest ended up giving him the biggest prize of all. A happily ever after.