Chapter 13
Thirteen
Aries rose from his chair, his imposing frame silhouetted against the backdrop of the window as he gazed outside. ”We shouldn”t linger here too long,” he warned, a growl lacing his urgent tone. ”Scorpio won”t be far off.” He turned his fiery glare to Sagittarius with a commanding air. ”We good?” An unspoken challenge was sparking between the two fire signs before Sag wisely opted for peace with a nod. “Good,” Aries rumbled. “You still have your map?”
Cancer settled into a chair next to Pisces, her features alight with a smile despite the waning stiffness in the room. She surveyed the assembled group. ”This is nice.”
“Like a fork in the eye,” Gemini muttered.
Cancer patted Pisces’ hand. “I know things are tense, but this could be a good thing.” Her tone was filled with a hope Pisces couldn’t find for herself. ”Aries won’t let anything bad happen to you. And it”s been so long since we”ve all been together.”
Pisces nodded, not wanting to voice the thought that Aries himself might be the bad thing that happened to her.
Sagittarius responded to Aries with a deft flick of his wrist, conjuring the glowing map that had guided their journey thus far. ”I guess we”re going on another road trip, fam.”
As the map hovered before them, its twinkling lights beckoning them toward the next leg of their tour, Pisces couldn”t help but feel a sense of trepidation mingled with a glimmer of hope. Perhaps Cancer was right. The Zodiacs working together was certainly easier than running from multiple threats. Now, if she could only figure out how to manage Aries.
Sag and Aries stood before the magical map, marking the vast distances between their celestial realm locations. Scorpio and Capricorn”s markers pulsed near Aquarius’ trendy club back on Earth. ”They”re headed for Aquarius,” Aries observed, furrowing his brow.
Sag cleared his throat, giving Aries a cautious glance. ”I suggest we see Virgo. His interdimensional research could give us an edge.”
Aries smirked. “That’s how I got here so fast.”
“Virgo’s portals?” Sag asked, shaking his head like he should have expected that earlier.
Aries nodded with smug delight. Sag had been right yesterday. Aries wasn’t just a hothead. He was a clever hothead.
Pisces threw Cancer a questioning look.
”Portals,” Cancer whispered. ”It”s Virgo”s power, among other things.” She smiled thoughtfully. Across the room, Aries” eyes narrowed as he turned his stony gaze toward them. Cancer”s smile faded as he stalked closer.
Pisces tensed, feeling the waves of disdain rolling off him. His eyes burned into her, full of accusation over whatever betrayal he believed she had committed as he leaned closer and said, ”On Virgo”s island, we”ll have time to plan without those fools dropping in on us.” He glared at Pisces as if she were the biggest fool of all.
Pisces averted her eyes, unwilling to show any reaction to his menacing presence. Gemini watched the interaction warily, and as Aries retreated to the map, Pisces noticed that Gemini’s delicate features seemed to cloud over for the briefest moment before brightening again with a tight smile. ”Maybe Aries was right about returning to Star Castle. Regrouping with Libra and Leo would put us in a stronger position. We won’t accomplish anything by taking a vacation.”
Sag raised an eyebrow. ”Gemini, Virgo can help us. We can”t return to the stars until we know what’s going on up there.”
Gemini”s smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly composed herself. ”You”re right. It”s just that...I have a feeling something isn”t quite right about all of this.” Gemini”s eyes darted from Pisces to Aries nervously as if searching for something, and Pisces” heart dropped. Maybe Gemini had suspicions as well.
Aries scoffed. ”Don”t tell me you”re getting paranoid too.”
Something felt off about Gemini”s reticence. The hairs on the back of Pisces” neck prickled as her intuition whispered a warning—not friend. A sliver of darkness had flickered across Gemini”s face, contorting her fey prettiness into something...different before vanishing.
”Virgo could have insights we need,” Sag decided, nodding at Aries. ”His portal research may reveal a path forward.”
”So we’re taking a portal to an island?” Pisces asked, feeling slightly anxious about the unknown. The strange, disorienting car ride earlier had already overwhelmed her newly mortal senses. Gemini laughed, the musical sound further disarming Pisces” suspicions. ”We”ll call Virgo. Down here, we do as the humans do.”
As Cancer located Virgo”s number, Pisces couldn”t shake the feeling that something wasn”t right with Gemini. Had she imagined that brief darkness clouding her features? Did Aries somehow share his accusations with her? Her instincts fired warnings, but Gemini seemed perfectly normal now.
Cancer handed Sag her cell phone as the video chat rang. “Hey there, hotspot,” Virgo said. Pisces guessed the nickname had something to do with Sag’s leveled confidence. “I hear you guys are in a bit of a predicament over there.”
“That’s an understatement,” Sag said with a small laugh. “Thanks for sending the uh...reinforcements. Sag’s brow arched ironically, causing Aries to scowl.
“Yeah, no problem,” Virgo said, sharing in the silent exchange. “Anyway, what can I do for you?”
“We need to get to you. Quickly.”
“Understood,” Virgo said as clicking keys echoed over the call. “Aquarius called and filled me in. I’ll send you a threshold. See you soon.”
Gemini rolled her eyes. “She’s like the TMZ of the Zodiacs with breaking news.”
Sag smirked at Gemini, ended the call, and closed his map with a swipe of his hand. Within moments, a vibrating energy resounded through the cottage, and an ornate doorway shimmered into existence before them.
“Are you coming with us?” Pisces asked Cancer, wearily rising from the table.
Cancer observed the portal and shook her head. “Not now. I think I’ll stay back here and keep watch of things.”
Aries nodded. “You stay here and call us if Scorpio and Capricorn try to pull any shit.” It wasn’t a suggestion; it was an order. “And quit it with that calming shit. I know what you’re doing.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cancer’s blue eyes swept carefully from Aries back to Pisces, and she smiled innocently. “I promise I will come when you need me. For now, just remember who you are, little fish. Keep your senses sharp.”
Pisces lingered momentarily, wondering if Cancer was trying to tell her that her instincts weren’t telling her the truth. She looked warily at her uncertain allies, wondering if she could trust any of them.
“Let’s go,” Aries barked, irritation radiating from his imposing form as he stood by the ethereal gateway.
Sag and Gemini entered first, vanishing into the shadowy mist beyond. Pisces bit her lip, hesitating before Aries’ arm shot out, hooked her at the waist, and dragged her through the portal with him.
Unlike the dizzying ride in Sagittarius’s SUV, stepping through the portal was just like stepping through a door. On the other side, she once again stood on a beach, surrounded by tall, vibrant palm trees and a blue sky with an otherworldly pink and purple hue.
Aries still gripped her to him, his hot breath falling on her neck. She clenched her teeth and pushed him away. He released her with a mocking laugh and walked ahead, leaving Pisces reeling in his wake.
“You okay?” Gemini linked arms with Pisces and pulled her along. Pisces nodded, unsure that she was. What duplicity had Aries accused her of at Cancer’s cottage? And when he’d said she’d given up her power...she didn’t need her memory to know that none of it rang true.
“We should have packed for the beach,” Gemini chimed, interrupting her thoughts. “And we need to get you in a better mood. I hate when you get all sad and moody.” A wry smile lit her face, and she snapped her hands, changing both of their outfits to light, flowing cotton dresses. “That’s better.”
The warm, salty air brushed the bare skin on Pisces’ arms, and she inhaled deeply, letting the energy of the ocean calm her spirit.
“Hey Sag, you want a Hawaiian shirt?” she called out. “What about you, fire sheep? Need a flowered button down to get you to chill?” She laughed as Aries shot back a warning glare, seemingly unfazed by his wrath.
Pisces wished she could do the same and shrug him off. But his words, his touch, and his energy were all around her. She stayed silent as they followed a winding path inland, drinking in the island”s beauty.
For now, Pisces would keep Aries’ accusations to herself. Until she understood more about what had happened to her, she didn’t want Sag or Gemini to turn their loyalties against her with suspicion.
As they approached Virgo”s island sanctuary, Pisces couldn”t help but feel a sense of dread creeping up inside her. She was getting closer to the truth, and she had a feeling that things were about to get much more dangerous and complicated than she ever imagined.