Page 25 of Pisces Rising

His blazing eyes flickered open in confusion. "How..." he rasped, eyelids already heavy.

Pisces only smiled. "Because I never forgot you...or what a terrifying force I can be."

Chapter

Twenty-Two

Pisces held Aries, gently stroking damp strands of hair from his face. He’d lost consciousness again, but this time, he was here, and he was alive.

It wasn’t long after that Sag, Virgo, and Gemini appeared on the shore, looking almost afraid to approach them. Pisces hoped they’d seen what she’d managed to do and were now terrified. “Virgo, Sag, come and help me get him to the cabins. He needs rest.”

They moved quickly, lifting Aries off the sand and carrying him to the bed in his cabin. She had them move a comfortable chair near the bedside and followed them out. Gemini hung back, and Pisces didn’t bother to make eye contact. She was angry at the sudden turn in her friend, but more than that, she was hurt.

Pisces leaned on the doorframe and crossed her arms over her chest. “Thank you,” she said to Virgo and Sag. As angry as she’d been at them, at least they’d trusted her enough to release her from the lab.

They nodded and started to leave, when Virgo turned back. “How did you do it?” He put his hands in his pockets, looking at her like he’d wholly underestimated her. And he had.

Pisces gave a soft smile, more from exhaustion than humility. “I called on some old friends for help.”

Virgo tipped his chin, understanding that his questions would go unanswered for now. “Well, I am thoroughly impressed.”

Pisces closed the door and took a moment to adjust to the sudden quiet. Her heart had finally stopped racing, the adrenaline ebbing away, leaving her in a state of almost trance-like calm. With a sigh, she rubbed her arms and pulled at the fabric of her tattered dress. After looking in the chest of drawers, she was surprised to find it full of Aries’ T-shirts. She grabbed one, got herself in the shower, and settled in to keep vigil.

In the soft light of dawn filtering through the windows, Pisces curled her legs under her and watched him. She studied the contours of his face, relieved to see the peacefulness that had settled over his chiseled features. Gone was the strain and anguish she had witnessed before.

When he stirred, she leaned forward, pressing her hand on the hard muscle of his chest to soothe him. Brushing her thumb along the curve of his cheekbone, she marveled at having him back from the precipice of oblivion. “I didn’t leave you,” she whispered, recalling his pained words.

Whether he could hear her or not didn’t matter because she didn’t know which Aries would greet her when he awoke, the one who loved her or the one who hated her.

Her heart dropped at the thought of the latter, but she shook it off for now. All that mattered was he was alive, and she felt closer than ever to reclaiming her power. But not even that was excitement enough to keep her from falling asleep next to the fiery ram who didn’t need to steal her heart because he’d had it all along.

Several hours later, Pisces awoke with a start, her neck stiff from falling asleep in the chair. As she blinked away the remnants of sleep, her gaze fell upon Aries, who was awake and staring at her intently from the bed. A thrill of hope surged through her. Perhaps the ordeal had changed him, softened his heart toward her.

She leaned forward, a tentative smile on her lips. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

His expression remained cool, his eyes assessing her, then he arched a brow. "You’re wearing my shirt.”

That wasn’t the first thing she’d expected him to say to her. Looking down at the oversized black T, she shrugged. “I needed something to wear.”

Aries nodded, his dark eyes lingering on the delicate lines of her bare legs before meeting her gaze. “What happened?" His voice was rough, but there was a note of genuine curiosity beneath the gruffness.

Pisces took a deep breath. "You saved me from a fire serpent or water serpent. I’m not sure what it was exactly. Then the ocean...it took you.”

He rubbed his forehead, nodding as if sifting through the memories. “How did I get back here?”

A soft smile graced her lips. “I called upon other powers to bring you back." She searched his face for a reaction, for any sign of the warmth she'd glimpsed before.

Aries frowned, his brows knitting together. "I remember hearing you call for me. Something was different about that serpent. It wasn't real—like an illusion." He pushed himself up on his elbows, wincing slightly. "I knew it as soon as I went into the water, but by then, it was too late. I was already too far in."

Pisces' heart clenched at the memory of his magnificent form being extinguished in the waves. "I couldn't let you go," she whispered. "I couldn’t leave you." The image of his desperate, pleading eyes as he stood on the beach and begged her not to leave him made her heart swell.

She wanted to see that depth now, but only a flicker of emotion passed over Aries' face—gratitude, perhaps only a hint of the feelings he'd kept hidden. But as quickly as it appeared, it was replaced by his usual guarded expression. "Thank you," he said, the words sounding almost foreign on his tongue. "For bringing me back."

Tears pricked at the corners of Pisces' eyes. It wasn't enough. Even after everything, he was still holding back, still couldn't fully let her in. A sob escaped her, and she pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle the sound.

Aries' jaw tightened. "Why are you crying?" His words cut like a knife, and Pisces recoiled as if he'd struck her.

"How can you ask that?" she demanded, rising to her feet. "After everything we've been through, you’re still keeping a wall between us. I saw how you really feel about me on that beach. You swore you were my enemy, but you came back for me. Stop shutting me out so we can get to the truth."