Chapter 19
Nineteen
Pisces stood in silence long after Aries stormed out, letting the weight of his shattering words gradually diffuse through the stillness. Despite the cracked windows allowing the ocean breeze to circulate, the air grew thicker and more stifling with each ragged breath.
She sank back down on the rumpled bed, cradling her head as she struggled to process it all. Aries” descriptions of their shared history—the fated, all-powerful union, only for her to betray and fracture that sacred bond through unthinkable treachery—battered her like crashing waves on the shore. And his confession that she had essentially exiled him to the role of her enemy, all while professing lingering love and demanding covert allegiance?
It transcended even the most tragic ballads spun by ancient bards. She should be reeling from the sheer melodrama of it all, the unbelievable theatrics underpinning their cosmic fall from grace. And yet...despite the missing pieces of her memory, something deep in her soul”s marrow rang hauntingly, achingly true about Aries” account. As much as her rational mind strained to dismiss it as the ramblings of a vengeful, tired heart, she could not ignore the profound sorrow weighing behind those smoldering eyes.
He believed every damning word—and part of her very essence believed it too, even if the specifics remained obstructed for now.
Pisces rose on shaky legs with a tremulous exhale and made her way toward the splintered entrance, sidestepping the glittering shards of broken glass. She needed perspective, clarity, before the walls closed in completely.
Gemini and Sag were already outside, their expressions tight as Pisces emerged. An uneasy silence fell over the trio. ”You, uh...you okay?” Gemini asked finally, though a guarded look replaced her usual warm smile, and her eyes flitted uncertainly toward Sag.
Pisces simply shook her head, unable to find her voice yet. Gemini inched closer, moving as if approaching a spooked animal. ”We couldn”t tell you sooner,” she said carefully. ”Aries” orders...”
”We get it now,” Sag interjected, his typically affable demeanor turned wary as his jawline hardened. ”What Aries was raging about...your supposed betrayal...”
The words hung heavy between them. Pisces finally met their accusatory stares, tears brimming anew as her heart twisted. ”I don”t remember any of that,” she pleaded. ”I couldn”t have?—”
”Maybe you couldn”t,” Gemini cut her off, ”or maybe you just don”t want to remember.”
Pisces recoiled at the celestial”s uncharacteristic icy tone. Sag remained stonily silent, his previously earnest hazel eyes clouded with doubt and mistrust.
”If what Aries says is true...” Gemini went on, voice low and laced with quiet judgment. ”If you did willingly sever that sacred bond with him, consort with Scorpio against our sworn ruler, then we have a serious problem.” She stepped forward again, and Pisces could feel the shift in Gemini’s energy. ”Because that”s a line no Zodiac crosses, little fish. Nobody betrays a celestial and gets to swim away unscathed.”
Pisces could only gape in stunned bewilderment, frozen by Gemini”s sudden shift from kind friend to icy interrogator. Desperate, Pisces turned her attention to Sag, who wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Sag? You said we were friends. Do you truly think I’m capable of such a thing?”
Kicking sand with his boot, his hands in his pockets, Sag shrugged and lifted his hazel eyes. “I didn’t think so before. Now...I don’t know. Aries is brash. He’s domineering. But I’ve never known him to be a liar. What you see is what you get with him.”
“And me?” Pisces asked, fresh tears clouding her vision.
“You’re different, Pisces. You’re an ancient celestial, more enigmatic. There’s always been a duality to you, living in two worlds at once.” He paused, searching for the right words. “Perhaps there’s a darker side to you than any of us ever realized.”
“So that’s it then? You’re just going to turn your back on me? Leave me to find the Cerulean Tear on my own?”
“Maybe,” Gemini said, her tone edged with malice.
“No,” Sag said, looking at Gemini questioningly. “No matter what happened or what we believe, we have to find the Cerulean Tear. This doesn’t change that you’re a Zodiac, and we must find a way to restore you to the stars.”
Despite Pisces ” silent plea, Gemini didn’t offer the same sentiment as Sag. There was still the matter of Gemini and Virgo’s secret to address, but if she brought it up now, either Sag wouldn’t believe her, or they’d cast her out altogether.
Pisces blew out a breath and wiped her eyes. “Do you think Aries has gone?”
Sag lowered his eyes for a moment in thought, then shook his head. “He’s near. I can still feel his energy.”
“Okay,” Pisces said, straightening her back and walking toward her cabin.
“Where are you going,” Gemini called after her.
“To get some sleep.” Pisces didn’t know if sleep would help, but instead of throwing herself to the sea, she couldn’t think of anything else to do. Because when she saw the look on Sag and Gemini’s faces, it dawned on her with sickening clarity: She may well have lost the only true friends and allies she had left in this forsaken universe.