Chapter 29
Twenty-Nine
Scorpio leaned back in his seat, an air of arrogant nonchalance cloaking him like his well-tailored suit. His dark eyes glittered with thinly veiled amusement as he surveyed the assembled Zodiacs, clearly unfazed by the weight of their scrutiny.
Aries was blazing beside Pisces, his entire body tensed like a loaded spring ready to unleash its pent-up fury. ”If you”ve been plotting something this whole time, Scorpio...” he growled, the threat evident in his low rumble.
Scorpio”s lips curved into a condescending smirk. ”Always so quick to assume the worst, Aries. Your celestial immaturity is precisely why so few trust you with matters of true importance.”
A derisive snort escaped Capricorn at Scorpio”s barbed words. Pisces’ eyes narrowed on the female Zodiac, which was met with an imperious arch of one shapely brow.
Sensing the rising tensions, Virgo cleared his throat loudly. ”If we could focus on the matter at hand?” He threw a nervous glance around his carefully constructed observatory. ”I”d rather not have this place reduced to cinders before we uncover the truth.”
Aries’ energy simmered beside Pisces, though his jaw remained tightly clenched. Sagittarius shifted uncomfortably, clearly wishing to avoid any further conflict.
“First,” Aries said to Virgo. “Tell everyone why Dark Gemini was in that mirror realm in the first place and why you chose to keep it a secret.”
Virgo sucked in a breath and nodded, expecting to be first on the chopping block. “You all recall Gemini’s nature in the early days of our kind. She was volatile, like a comet hurling through time. She is a twin, after all, two opposing sides connected as one.” He leveled his gaze on the group with an appeal for understanding. “Centuries ago, I was exploring beyond the borders of our universe. That’s when I discovered the mirror realm. It hung like a twin universe to our own.
“I knew it would be the perfect place to contain the dark side of Gemini. So I invited her with me to explore this astonishing realm, and when we were there, she enticed her dark side to come forth.” Virgo let out a breath, his face full of regret.
“When I pulled her back through the portal, only her light side had come through. Her dark side was entrapped forever.
“She begged me to keep it a secret, to never let any of you know just how wicked her twin could be, and to leave her there forever.” He adjusted his glasses and shook his head. “It seemed like the best outcome at the time. And many of you,” his gaze lingered on Aries, “Were too young in your evolution. It wasn’t wise to reveal the location of this darkness.”
Sag leaned forward, his arms resting on the table. “And the supernova cracked the realm?”
Virgo nodded. “It caused a tear in the fabric of the universe next to ours. Dark Gemini found the opening and escaped.” Turning his attention to Scorpio, Virgo fixed the enigmatic male with a level stare. ”What is your involvement with the Cerulean Tear”s disappearance and Dark Gemini?”
Scorpio met Virgo”s gaze without flinching, his expression infuriatingly unreadable. ”My involvement with her conspiracy to overthrow our dear water siren here is nonexistent, I assure you.”
Drawing on the snippets of Sagittarius”s memories, Pisces leveled an accusatory glare at Scorpio and Capricorn. ”That”s a lie.” Her hands clenched into fists. ”I know you two have somehow had a hand in this—in stealing my power, in unleashing Dark Gemini”s chaos.”
Scorpio”s infuriatingly calm veneer didn”t so much as crack under her heated gaze. ”Is that what the wanderer”s disjointed glimpses have shown you?” he mused, his tone rich with patronizing amusement.
Aries tensed beside Pisces, his fury practically singeing the air around them.
”You”ll want to hear me out, little Pisces,” Scorpio continued, holding up a placating hand.
“Then talk,” Aries growled.
Scorpio’s gaze lingered on Aries before addressing the assembly. ”When Dark Gemini breached the barrier of the mirror realm, she emerged with the full extent of her formidable powers—including her mastery over illusion and deception.”
Pisces’ suspicions about the depths of Dark Gemini’s illusions created a cold pit in her stomach. Beside her, Aries went rigid.
A slow, knowing smile curved Scorpio”s lips. ”It wasn”t I who stole your power or imprisoned you, my dear. That was Dark Gemini herself, disguised as my visage to mislead and manipulate you.”
”That explanation would be convenient for you?” Aries ground out through gritted teeth. “Given your history, I don’t believe you didn’t seize the opportunity to elevate your own ambitions.”
”Of course you don”t,” Scorpio agreed quickly. ”Which is precisely why I requested this meeting.” His piercing gaze shifted to Sagittarius. ”Our mutual friend here possesses a rather...unique skill, does he not?”
Sagittarius stiffened, realizing Scorpio”s intent. ”Absolutely not,” he growled, shaking his head vehemently. ”I won”t pry into the twisted recesses of your mind, Scorpio. That power is a curse, not a gift to be freely wielded.”
”And yet it may be the only way to conclusively prove where my true allegiances lie,” Scorpio countered smoothly. ”Are you prepared to risk allowing suspicion to fester? To let Dark Gemini”s tangled web of lies persist?”
A tense silence hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Pisces couldn”t tear her gaze away from Scorpio, her mind whirling as she struggled to discern truth from deception. Could he be right? Could Dark Gemini”s illusions have been so perfectly crafted as to mimic even Scorpio himself? It seemed unfathomable, and yet...
Aries’ jaw worked furiously, his internal struggle evident. At last, he turned to Sagittarius, his expression resolute. ”Do it. We need to know for certain where his loyalties lie, whatever the cost.”
Sagittarius opened his mouth to protest, but the determined set of Aries’ features stopped him short. With a weary sigh, he nodded his acquiescence. As he rose to his feet and moved to stand before Scorpio, Pisces couldn”t shake the feeling that they were about to glimpse a truth that would shatter their cosmic reality into countless, jagged shards.
Scorpio met Sagittarius”s gaze, his expression unreadable. ”Well, wanderer? Are you prepared to lay my mind bare and reveal the truth?”
The words hung in the air, rife with unspoken challenges and the weight of cosmic consequences yet to be unveiled.