Chapter 9 #2
“She anchored to you,” Theo explained to Lucas, whose expression had shifted from surprise to something much less appropriate for a public space. Feeling my belly flip several times, I looked away from Lucas, though I could feel him running his eyes over me.
“We’ve been practicing all morning,” Phoenix explained to the others. “She’s a natural. I think she could probably portal to the city by next week if she keeps it up.”
“Think you could do it again right away?” Rowan asked, appearing from the equipment room with a towel slung around his neck, clearly having watched us from afar. “Portal to a person, I mean.”
I considered it. “Maybe. It took a lot more concentration than location-based portaling.”
“Try me. See if you can find my axis point. No cheating. Use me, not the distance.”
Oh I can think of several ways I could use you, Rowan…
The others stepped back, giving me space as I shook off my wayward imagination. I closed my eyes, focusing on Rowan—his booming laugh, his long curly dark hair, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
The portal formed faster this time, growing to full size with barely any effort on my part. I opened my eyes to see it shimmering before me.
“That was bloody quick,” Theo said and whistled appreciatively.
I stepped through the portal, emerging just inches from Rowan. He grinned down at me. “Hmm, I could have too much fun with this new development.”
The portal closed behind me without my conscious direction, as if it had served its purpose and was no longer needed. Something about the way Rowan was looking at me made my heart race, and I took a small step back to clear my head.
“I think that’s enough practice for today,” Phoenix said, moving to stand beside me. “You don’t want to overextend yourself the first time out.”
“Yeah, uh, probably a good idea.” Rowan was still staring at me, and it took all of my effort to turn away. “Coffee anyone?”
Over the following days, my portaling skills improved dramatically. With each practice session, I could create larger, more stable portals and maintain them for longer periods of time. I even managed to portal to the train station several miles away and back in a matter of seconds.
I attended my classes, went to training every morning, and had meals with the Stardust guys.
All in all, I was starting to get used to the new routine.
But at night, alone in my tower room, I couldn’t escape the persistent tug of the Nightfall bond.
Even with them back across the ocean, the connection remained, stretching between us like an unbreakable thread.
Tonight, I sat cross-legged on my bed with yet another ancient book spread open before me.
The restricted archives had yielded a treasure trove of texts about the Ophis designation.
Some were written in languages I couldn’t decipher, but others contained information that both fascinated and terrified me.
“Listen to this, Nood,” I said, tracing my finger along a particularly disturbing passage.
“’The severing of an axis bond, once fully formed, exacts a terrible price from all parties involved.
The axis bears the brunt of the spiritual wound, but all bonded warriors will suffer greatly.
Death is not uncommon among those who attempt the ritual. ’”
Noodle lifted his head from where he was coiled on my pillow. ‘Death is permanent. Bond-pain is temporary.’
“I know, but...” I turned the page, revealing detailed illustrations of the ritual.
My stomach lurched at the images of contorted bodies, faces frozen in agony.
“It says here that if even one person survives the severing, the others connected to the bond will likely perish. The magical backlash is too severe.”
‘You care if they perish?’
I closed the book with a heavy sigh. “I hate them for what they did to me. But do I want them dead? No. I don’t think I could live with that.”
The realization settled over me like a cold, soggy blanket. Despite everything, I couldn’t bring myself to attempt a ritual that might kill Percy, Aiden, Draco, and Eris. Even if it meant being tethered to them forever.
‘Then find another way.’
“I’m trying,” I muttered, gathering up the books and shoving them into my bag. “I need some fresh air. Want to come?”
Noodle slithered up my arm in response, settling comfortably around my arm. He was starting to get a bit too big for my wrist, and soon we were going to have to work something else out.
I grabbed my jacket and headed down the spiral staircase, nodding to a few Scorpios studying by the hearth as I passed through the common room.
Outside, the evening was mild, the setting sun painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.
I wandered toward the grove, drawn to its peaceful solitude.
Finding a sturdy oak with low-hanging branches, I hoisted myself up, settling on a thick limb about eight feet off the ground.
From this vantage point, I could see most of the campus grounds bathed in the golden glow of sunset. I pulled out one of the books I’d brought from my bag and opened it, balancing it on my thighs as Noodle slipped down to explore the tree.
He darted back and forth, occasionally striking at bugs that hovered near the leaves. I watched him with a smile, marveling at how he’d adapted to our new surroundings. He seemed more active here, more engaged than he had been at Dominion.
‘I am the winner,’ he hissed excitedly, lunging at a small glowing insect. ‘I’m death…’
I chuckled, turning my attention back to the book. As I flipped through the pages, a movement caught my eye—a quick flash of light between the trees. I stared at the spot, waiting, until I saw it again. It was a tiny humanoid figure peeking around a trunk before darting away.
“Pixies,” I murmured to myself. I’d been hoping to get a better look at one since arriving. According to the Stardust Shield, they were all over these woods, but they moved so quickly it was hard to catch more than a glimpse.
Refocusing on my book, I turned the page and froze. At the top of the yellowed parchment was a symbol I recognized immediately. A serpent devouring its own tail, encircling a thirteen-pointed star. The Ophis emblem.
My heart quickened as I began to read, my fingers tracing the faded ink of the title: “The Order of Ophiuchus: Keepers of the Path Home.”
According to the text, the Order of Ophiuchus was an old-world society of zodiac families who’d preserved the true history of our kind.
I read aloud softly, “‘The Serpent Bearer, the true Ophis heir, will return to the site of the First Crossing. There, they shall open the Way and lead the Aelari back to their ancestral worlds, reclaiming what was lost.’”
I sat up straighter, my pulse racing. The site of the First Crossing. That was Imperium. The very ground beneath me was where the original portal had been opened.
“’Only the thirteenth designation,’” I continued reading, “’has the power to bridge worlds, to walk realities. The Ophis is the key that was prophesied, the one who will restore what was broken and lead us home.’”
The sudden flap of wings startled me. I looked up to see a large raven with iridescent blue-purple feathers circling the grove. Gretchen. Jamie’s familiar.
She swooped down, landing on a branch near mine, her intelligent amber eyes fixed on me. Below, Noodle had stopped his hunting to watch her.
‘Made friend.’
I laughed. “I didn’t know you were in the market for friends.”
‘She is acceptable. For bird.’
Gretchen cawed in response, as if she could hear him, then took flight again, swooping low over the branch where Noodle rested. To my amazement, he followed her, racing along the limb as she flew circles around the tree. They were… playing.
I shook my head in wonder and returned to my reading.
According to the text, the Order maintained secret sanctuaries throughout the centuries, preserving artifacts and knowledge from the original worlds.
I wondered if it was some kind of cult situation, and if maybe I should bring it up with Winters.
Maybe the order didn’t even exist anymore.
This book had to be a few centuries old at least.
The sun dipped below the horizon as I read. Only when darkness fully descended did I realize how late it had gotten. Reluctantly, I closed the book and called to Noodle. “Time to head back!” I carefully climbed down from my perch.
Noodle slithered down the trunk to meet me, Gretchen landing on a low branch nearby. ‘Must we?’
“You can play with your new friend tomorrow,” I promised, offering my arm. He coiled around my wrist with a resigned hiss.
Gretchen cawed once more before taking flight, disappearing into the night sky. I wondered briefly if she was returning to Jamie, and what he might learn from her about our encounter.
On the way back to Ophiuchus Tower, I noticed lights still burning in the Scorpio common room. I hesitated, then decided to stop in. Marcus and Dani were sitting by the fire, mugs of tea in hand as they pored over textbooks. They looked up as I entered, their faces breaking into welcoming smiles.
“Jupiter!” Dani said. “We were just talking about you. Want some tea? Marcus made his famous chai.”
“That sounds perfect.” I sank into an armchair beside them.
Marcus poured me a steaming mug, the spicy aroma instantly comforting and delicious. “How’s the portaling practice going?”
Oh right, I had to remind myself that nothing was a secret in this damn place.
I took a sip, savoring the blend of cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. “Still working on distance, but I’m getting there.”
We chatted easily about classes and training, about the upcoming weekend trip to the village that some of the Scorpios were planning. It felt normal. Blessedly fucking normal.