Zodiac (Zodiac, #1)(98)
Shining above me now, in stunning clarity, are Cancer’s four moons. Mathias and I catch each other’s eye but don’t speak. Then the picture changes to Virgo’s needle city, to Gemini’s capital, to Helios. . . .
I’ve never seen anything like this before—the Houses of the Zodiac partying together, showing off for each other, sharing their tricks. For the first time, I see what a united Zodiac could look like—and I finally understand the full scope of what I’m fighting for.
This is about more than stopping Ophiuchus and bringing him to justice. It’s about our universe, and the kind of place we want it to be. We become our best selves when we’re around the other Houses: Nishi has made me more inquisitive of the world around me, and Hysan has helped me find my confidence. There’s a reason Helios binds our Houses together—we’re meant to learn from each other, not about each other. To speak to each other, not of each other. We’re not Cancrians and Librans and Arieans and Scorps and Geminin and Piscenes and Capricorns and Sagittarians and Virgos and Leos and Aquarians and Taurians—we’re the Zodiac.
My heels are making my ankles sting, so I lean against Mathias’s bicep, linking our arms. He, Lacey, and Mallie are alternating between watching the sights above and the fight below, but I’m gazing at the crowd, a rainbow of colors that’s no longer segregated but blended. Then a familiar voice floats from nearby, and at last my eyes find the ones they’ve been looking for.
Hysan is twenty feet away, talking to a gaggle of university students from various Houses, most of them holding pink drinks. The group looks spellbound by him, and I try to hear what he’s telling them. But I can’t make out the words.
After a minute, there’s an outburst of laughter from the students, and one of the girls—a Libran—slaps his arm playfully. Hysan says something else and flashes his centaur smile. Even from this distance, it tickles my skin.
The holographic wrestlers take a break, and now that people have stopped shouting, I can hear Hysan’s voice. It sounds like he’s telling a joke.
“After creating the first human,” says Hysan, his green gaze dancing with every person in the group, “Helios gave the Guardians a chance to make an adjustment to man—one wish, effective the moment it’s made. Aries was up first. He gave us super strength.” An Aerian girl in a skintight red dress whistles. “Taurus removed our need to sleep. Gemini imbued us with magical powers. Cancer made sure love would always guide us.” He pauses and casts his gaze around for a quick moment, and I wonder if he could be searching for me.
When he starts again, he speeds through his list, and the students cheer him on as he goes: “Leo got rid of our inhibitions”—two Leos slap hands—“Virgo made us flawless, Scorpio gave us mental control over technology, Sagittarius gave humans the power to teleport, Capricorn made our brains bigger, Aquarius lengthened our lifespans, and Pisces gifted everyone with a pure soul.”
When Hysan finally takes a breath, the group applauds. The hungry look on some of the girls’ faces makes my stomach sear with jealousy. I’ve been watching the Libran girl, and she’s brushed her arm against his too many times not to be intentional.
“Only Libra’s Guardian was left, and for his wish, he asked that human lives be fair.” Laughter erupts from half the group. “And that’s why instead of being gods, you’re listening to me tell this joke.” The rest of them are now laughing, too. It’s the first time I’m seeing Hysan on his own.
I longingly watched Mathias for years before we ever spoke, but Hysan I’ve only known as mine. I don’t know him when he’s not with me.
The Libran girl, who looks to be about twenty and has silky blonde hair, invites the others back to the embassy. “We can get room service,” I hear her say, and even though she’s addressing everyone, she’s only looking at Hysan.
The group welcomes her proposal with drunken excitement, and every organ within me seems to crumble, until all that’s left is my shell. She’s beautiful, older than me, and doubtlessly more experienced—of course Hysan is interested.
When he leans into her ear to whisper something, my insides wring with despair. I just accepted the charge to lead our universe in a war against an eternal star, and I can’t even compete with this mortal girl.
But then Hysan pulls away, and the girl’s smile is gone.
As I’m watching, he casts his gaze around again, and I realize that his manner is so courteous, I didn’t notice it before—but he’s actually been searching the crowd often. And this time when he looks, he sees me.
He excuses himself from the group and cuts over to where I’m standing. The Libran girl’s gaze lingers after him, her expression sulky.
Mathias looks down from the images of Guardians Origene and Caaseum in the sky. He spies Hysan’s approach, and his arm muscle tightens under my hand.
When he’s only a couple feet away, I feel Hysan taking in every part of me, even though his eyes never pull away from mine. He reaches for my free hand, and my blood bubbles where his lips touch my skin. “I missed you,” he says, holding my fingers a moment too long.
“This is Mallie and Lacey,” says Mathias loudly, forcing Hysan to turn away from me.
After they introduce themselves, Mallie says, “We should resume our drink service.” Her glassy eyes reflect my coronet again. “Good fortune, Guardian,” she says, bowing. “May you lead us to victory against Thirteen.”