Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Tarek stalked through the halls of the Avarice palace.
It had been weeks since the events of the Sagittarius social and Primary meetings that had gone horribly wrong.
Tarek was subjected to further humiliation as the Primary Stars requested he remain in his city while they discussed what further actions to take.
A united front against me.
Finally, the Primaries had summoned him. Attendants and sentinels alike scurried out of his path. He was surprised smoke wasn’t curling out of his nostrils from his building fury, but alas, he was not blessed of Arieset. Not yet.
“Arche!” Tarek barked, prompting his Third in command to jog up to where he was ringed by a small guard.
With the two neighboring cities at each other’s throats after recent events, the tenuous alliance Stardom worked so hard to preserve threatened to break.
Tarek’s claim over Aela and her display at the social event had the Zodiac Houses slipping into their old, suspicious ways.
How Virgo remained steadfast was beyond him.
They played the neutral bridge between Sagittarius and Taurus, while Gemini watched, entertained by the tension.
There still had been no sightings or communication from Eros of Aries since The Darkness retreated and Aela had vanished.
“Anything on Eros’ whereabouts?”
“No, Primary,” Arche said.
Tarek knew as much, but oh, how he hated not having a purpose.
He felt as if he really was nothing more than a lino playing at a game he was unfit for.
Tarek paused his thundering steps and slammed his fist into the nearest column along the hall.
Dusty-rose stone crumbled away from the pillar.
He did it again. And again. Only after the column was a pile of rubble at his feet did he cease his assault on the unassuming architecture.
His escort knew better than to comment on his wrath, else they be on the receiving end of it.
Tarek rubbed at his bottom lip and peered at Arche through the corner of his eye as they continued down the hall toward the traveling rings.
Something had shifted between him and Arche ever since he jumped Avarice into the Sagittarius system.
Arche had been distant. For his class and station, he was attentive and respectful.
He was all the things Tarek expected from his commanders, but the warmth and devotion Arche once held for Tarek seemed to have considerably dimmed.
Tarek supposed he had the luxury of time to figure out the rift between him and his oldest friend, sequestered in his city unless summoned by the Primaries—but then again, why should he?
If Arche found him lacking in any way, that was not a reflection of Tarek but of himself.
Tarek inclined his chin as he looked down at the Cancerran.
How long has it been since I’ve thought of him as anything other than a Taureon star?
Tarek suppressed his dislike for the sake of the surrounding sentinels.
Perhaps a restructuring is in order. And they say I cannot hold my temper… They should be grateful.
He was due back in Sagittarius to discuss what he hoped was approval for his next request. Since Aela evaded his sentinels’ attempts to locate her, her prolonged disappearance forced his hand.
“Send out whoever we need to. We need to redouble our efforts. Eros must be present for an accord to be struck, and Aela also needs to be found. Kaus won’t let us stay here with her missing.”
The formidable Primary had tasked House Taurus with acquiring Eros and Aela’s whereabouts—though the Senate was dubious of her survival with how The Darkness descended. Tarek had no doubt. Somehow, he knew she was alive.
She has to be.
Attempting the Trial of the Gods was perilous, as many celestials who attempted to receive a God’s blessing of a different House were eviscerated more often than not.
But without Aela’s power to bolster his own, he couldn’t Ascend and leave his House to the likes of his aunt or any of his faux supporters within the Taureon Asterism.
Even with the crystal bands he forced his House to wear, he had yet to grow a blend of crystals that ensured they couldn’t plot against him.
Arche had responded to Tarek’s orders while he was lost in his thoughts.
He gritted his teeth. Arche knew as well as he did himself that he was stating the obvious and repeating previous commands.
The search was well underway to locate Aela and contact Aries, but he had to appear as if he was doing something.
He loathed things outside his control, the appearance of weakness—being a bystander to events that directly affected him.
When Arche remained withdrawn instead of offering comforting words, accolades, or good-natured quips to temper his anger, his silence stepped on Tarek’s last nerve.
“Stay in Avarice. I need your grounding presence for the Asters—you know how they can get—vultures, the lot of them.”
Arche bowed his head and hung back as the guard ushered Tarek to the traveling rings.
Before waiting to see if Tarek had traveled safely, his once best friend spun on his heel like a dutiful sentinel to do his bidding.
Tarek grimaced as the rings separated into a hollow column, and a flash of blue light took him.
Tala was waiting for Tarek in Theora when he arrived with his host of sentinels.
With a clipped nod to his sister, Tarek strode through the halls to the meeting room.
He didn’t wait for the Sagittarian sentinels to announce him before striding into the room with his full honor guard.
He glanced at his sister, whose eyes were fixed on the vacant seat Aela had filled weeks before.
The repairs to Theora were nearly complete, thanks to the combined efforts of the earthen elementals.
Tarek knew better than to expect gratitude from the likes of Kaus.
There was little left for the Primaries to consider aside from the requests Tarek kept pushing at them; the tension in the air since the initial meeting had tripled.
“Tarek,” Kaus greeted without standing. None of the other Primaries stood either.
“We need to discuss Aela,” Heze said without preamble. The meeting room felt cramped with no fewer than eight sentinels accompanying each Primary along with their Adjacents. They were all one breath away from combusting.
“We are searching everywhere—” Tarek began when Kaus cut him off with a growl.
“Hold your tongue. You’ve done enough. Keep quiet, and accept the judgment we mete out.”
Tarek’s rage bypassed any reason as he puffed his chest. Pollux and Castor looked at him with barely suppressed grins.
“As I was about to say,” Heze spoke into the tension, “Aela needs to be found and brought into a House. A celestial of her class is a liability on her own—for her protection as well as the rest of us.”
Sulae nodded beside him. “She got along well enough with my attendants and me. I propose she stay under House Virgo’s protection until the matter of her bonding with Tarek is decided.”
The Gemini twins shrugged and held up their right hands in favor. Kaus’ gaze bored into Tarek who was scarcely breathing. The Sagittarius Primary swiveled his gaze to Heze and then Pollux before settling on Tarek again.
“She’s too much of a risk.”
Sulae’s verdant cheeks deepened to emerald. “We’ve been over this, Kaus—you agreed.”
Kaus continued right over Sulae, “She doesn’t belong with any of our Houses.
Her element confirmed as much. Aquarius is long gone.
How she survived without them…” he trailed off, a rare sign of his unease.
He recovered quickly and said, “A power such as hers needs something to protect—it’s in our Gods-given nature.
She has no House to defend. All that unchecked power is as great of a threat as The Darkness.
We hunt her down and confirm that The Darkness ended her, or we end her ourselves before she has the chance to turn on us again. ”
Tarek shook with rage. “No! I won’t allow it! Aela is mine. She is my bonded!” He gripped his chair with such force that the polished wood splintered.
“Eros spoke true, Tarek,” Castor said. “You cannot wield her power. She is as much of a Primary Star as the rest of us if she’s the last of her Line.”
“In name only,” Pollux added.
“You’re all idiots,” Sulae said with a roll of her eyes. “She needs safety, not more hands grasping for something she’s struggling to master!”
Heze rested a hand on Sulae’s shoulder.
“A recess, please?” Tala suggested.
Sulae met Tala’s eyes, a silent female communication passing between them.
“I agree with Sulae,” Proxima said. Tarek had forgotten she was present for these meetings. Had forgotten he had almost acquired an Adjacent class’ power as his own. He had a Primary within his grasp now, and he wasn’t about to let her go.
Kaus directed a scowl at the room.
Proxima spoke up again. “Aela does not pose a risk to the realm.”
“How do you know this?” Castor challenged.
“She isn’t like the rest of us. She’s been Gods know where for how long, but she brings change—a fresh perspective we’ve been blind to for far too long.”
The room quieted in the wake of Proxima’s words. Tarek glared at her. Kaus stood, his host rising to their feet behind him along with Proxima.
“If you dare put my House at risk again, Tarek, whether it’s your bonded or not, with the Fates and Gods and all the rest as my witness, I will burn you without name.
” With Kaus’ parting threat, the Sagittarian sentinels formed a protective box around their Primary and Adjacent and escorted them out of the meeting.
Castor and Pollux sighed in unison, then giggled at each other. Heze and Sulae appeared unconcerned by Kaus’ sentiments, which didn’t bode well for Tarek. The Virgos offered a nod to the room before gathering their retainers, leaving without saying more.
“What about my other request?” Tarek called out.
Pollux appraised him. “Who are we to impede a holy voyage? Go see if you’re worthy.”