“I never accepted your offer,” I said, then threw a glance over his shoulder, pretending to look for someone. “I thought that note must have been meant for your girlfriend and somehow ended up in my pocket instead.”
He grinned darkly, stepping forward and I shot a look behind me, finding Tory had joined Sofia and Diego, the three of them waiting for me at the end of the path.
My stomach seemed to hover and I knew I should just end this conversation and walk away.
Seth shifted closer, his fingers winding around my wrist and sending a flare of heat into my veins. He leaned forward, moving his mouth to my ear. “I think she's got the message now. It's over.”
“I thought you were polyamorous.” I stepped back again, his closeness overly familiar as usual.
“I'm definitely the amorous part.” He grinned widely and held his arm out for me to take.
I snorted a laugh. “No, Seth. I'm going with my sister.”
“Ooh twincest,” he said brightly.
I wrinkled my nose but couldn't fight a laugh. “You're twisted.”
“Real twisted,” he growled. “You wanna find out how much back in my room?”
“No thanks.” I turned away from him and tried to pull off the cool stroll away, only I stumbled on my heels and muttered a curse as I joined my friends.
So smooth.
Tory raised an eyebrow and I gave her a not now expression that she surprisingly accepted without complaint.
Diego moved into the middle of our group and draped his arms around all three of us. For once, he wasn't wearing his hat and I was kinda surprised to find his dark curls fell down almost to his shoulders. “Can we pretend you're all my dates tonight? Make every guy in Zodiac think I'm er - cómo se dice? - the shit.”
“Na you're good.” Tory ducked out of his hold with a teasing grin.
“Hey!” he laughed and I slipped away too, giggling as he wrapped his arms around Sofia to hold onto her. She turned bright pink as he tucked her nearer and made no effort to leave.
“You're not going anywhere,” he murmured and she smiled wider than I'd ever seen.
“Then you’d better make sure you don’t drink so much and have to duck out early again,” I teased.
“I can handle my drink!” Sofia protested, flushing red. “There was something wrong with those shots.”
“Like the fact that you couldn’t handle so many of them?” Tory asked with a laugh.
“No! Like they were too strong or there was something else in them or-”
“C’mon guys let’s stop teasing her and just enjoy our night,” Diego said, interrupting her mid-rant.
Tory and I exchanged a grin as we let the subject drop but Sofia continued to look a little annoyed about it.
As we closed in on The Orb, my Atlas pinged in my bag. I frowned, sliding it out and eyeing the notification on the screen.
Falling Star:
Our stars are finally in alignment.
It’s time we meet.
I’m waiting in Venus Library.
I stopped walking abruptly, staring at the message in shock. Tory moved closer, noticing my reaction.
“What's up?”
In answer, I thrust my Atlas under her nose.
She read the message and her eyes rounded. Diego and Sofia grouped closer, a question in their eyes.
“Falling Star wants to meet,” I told them and Sofia bobbed up and down in excitement.
“You have to tell us everything when you get back,” she said.
I nodded, my heart hammering as I glanced over at Venus Library to the east of The Orb. The huge red brick walls rose up several floors, the deepening sunset casting them in blood-red light.
I made a move but Diego caught my hand. “Wait, is this a good idea? It might not be safe.”
“It's fine,” I promised. “Falling Star has helped us. Why would they hurt us?”
He seemed concerned, sharing a look with Sofia.
Tory rolled her eyes then started walking away. “It's happening Diego, get over it.”
I gave him an apologetic shrug and hurried after my sister, my limbs fuelled with adrenaline as we quickened our pace toward the library.
“Do you think Diego had a point?” I asked when he was out of earshot.
Tory shook her head, her features set. “I wanna know who it is, don't you?”
“Of course,” I agreed. “I just dunno if we should be bringing some backup…”
“Too late now,” Tory shrugged as she opened the door to the library and jabbed me in the ribs to encourage me inside.
I gave up my protests, too curious to turn back anyway. I didn't want Falling Star to run off again if we hesitated too long. And it was time we found out who the hell had been messaging us.
What’s the worst that can happen in a library anyway?
Tell that to the guy who was killed by Colonel Mustard with the candlestick.
The library curved around in a wide circle, the floor painted to resemble the night sky in tones of silver and deepest blue. Above us, an incredible globe hung from a silver chain, built in the image of Venus. A light glowed within it, changing from time to time and casting a hazy glow of green then blue, purple, red, pink.
At the back of the room was high a balcony above which were smaller silvery orbs hanging from the ceiling to light the place.
We crept through the first row of bookcases, the scent of old parchment tingling my senses. The library had plenty of shadowy corners to hide in and the thought sent goosebumps fluttering across my skin.
“Where are they?” I whispered, the place seeming to require silence.
“Here,” a deep voice answered and a man stepped into the aisle in front of us.
My heart raced as I stared upon the face of Falling Star. He smoothed down his long grey moustache, taking a step forward out of the thick shadows.
Professor Astrum, our tarot teacher looked a little pale as he glanced between us. “Girls,” he said softly. “I'm sorry for not revealing myself sooner.” He smiled warmly and my thundering heart began to slow. “I was a good friend of your mother's,” he said, pausing to let that sink in. “Merissa loved you both very dearly.”
Tory folded her arms. “Is that why she dumped us in the mortal world to fend for ourselves?”
Astrum frowned deeply. “You don't understand, dear Roxanya.”
“Tory,” she corrected sharply. “Don't use that name. It isn't mine.”
I pressed a hand to Tory's arm, giving her a pleading look. If we angered him now, he might not tell us anything. And I seriously wanted to hear what he had to say.
Tory gave me a nod that said she'd hold her tongue and I turned back to Astrum.
“Go on,” I urged.
“Those times were dark. Your birth father, King Vega…The Savage King, he was the cruelest of rulers, barely a day went by without a public execution in the capital. Merissa was trying to protect you from him, from the way the world was too.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my heart pounding at the idea of being related to someone with such a terrible reputation.
“Nymph attacks rose every year and King Vega grew panicked, lashing out at his own people in response. He was deeply afraid of them. And in the end, that fear was valid. They murdered him, as you know, and the rest of his family.”