Page 38 of Pisces Rising

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.

Chapter

Thirty

Sagittarius approached Scorpio with obvious trepidation, his footsteps heavy as lead. Scorpio regarded him with that infuriatingly calm demeanor, almost daring the archer to breach the defenses around his mind.

"Are you certain you want to do this?" Sagittarius asked, his voice edged with warning. "Once the connection is made, there’s no turning back."

A muscle ticked in Scorpio's jaw, the only outward sign of any inner turmoil. "Do it," he said flatly.

Sucking in a fortifying breath, Sagittarius reached out and pressed his fingertips to Scorpio's temples. His eyes slipped shut as he delved into the scorpion's psyche, following the intricate pathways of memory and thought. Pisces had an inkling of what Sagittarius was experiencing. The chaos of dissecting a lifetime of memories from one so cunning would be a grueling task.

Seconds ticked by. The silence in the observatory grew heavier with each passing moment. Pisces found herself holding her breath, every fiber of her being strung taut with anticipation.

At last, Sagittarius broke the connection, stumbling back from Scorpio as if physically struck. His eyes were wide, his complexion ashen. Whatever he had witnessed in the darkest recesses of Scorpio's mind had clearly shaken him to his core.

Scorpio rose fluidly to his feet, his sharp gaze cutting to Sagittarius. "Well, wanderer? Do you have all you need to dispel the suspicions clouding the truth?"

Sagittarius could only nod, looking distinctly uneasy.

"Then I suggest you share your visions with Pisces." Scorpio's mouth curved into a terrible smile. "She has a right to know what transpired, after all."

Aries glared at the scorpion. “This better not be another one of your tricks.”

Scorpio cocked his head and picked a piece of lint off the arm of his suit. “I’m sure you have something terribly violent prepared for me if it is.”

Aries rose from the table with his eyes fixed on Scorpio and positioned himself behind Pisces. He rested his hands on her shoulders and whispered in her ear, "Whatever you're about to see, I'll be right here." When she looked up at him, his dark eyes burned with fierce protectiveness. "I won't let anything harm you."

Pisces managed a shaky nod, steeling her resolve as Sagittarius approached. The archer looked as if he would rather be anywhere else, his handsome features pinched with dread.