Page 28 of Pisces Rising

“Explain it,” Aries barked.

With a resigned sigh, Virgo continued, “The hidden realms outside our galaxy act as mirrors, reflecting outwards and inwards, creating the illusion of a twin universe on each side. If a portal to one of these realms is opened or becomes fractured in any way, you can enter it."

Pisces frowned. "But why is that a problem?"

"Because getting into the realm is one thing. The portals are easier to spot. But getting out of a reflective labyrinth of stars is virtually impossible."

Gemini spun in her chair. “This is boring.”

Pisces sensed the increasing tension beneath Gemini's tone but kept her focus on Virgo. "If only a Zodiac could have taken my Tear, and they hid it in a mirror realm, wouldn't they still be trapped there?" Her gaze flicked to Sagittarius, who opened the glowing map with a knowing nod.

"She's right. All the Zodiacs are accounted for in this universe."

But Virgo's demeanor remained heavy with an unspoken burden, and his eyes flickered toward Gemini before locking onto Pisces again. Beneath that weighted stare lurked the shadow of a truth he dared not voice.

Aries must have felt it, too, because the temperature in the room spiked as he cast Pisces a stern look. She met his blazing gaze and held out her hand, silently asking him to stand down.

As her mind put the pieces together, echoes of ancient wisdom stirred in her soul's depths. The fire serpent in the water wasn't real. Aries insisting she betrayed him, when she knew in her heart she hadn't. The rift between the Zodiacs, tearing them apart by a thousand invisible cuts...

She recalled Aquarius's cryptic warning again: "The wind can carry whispers unseen. Things aren't always what they seem."

"Wind," Pisces said to herself. She could feel Aries drawing near, feel his eyes focus on her. "The wind isn't what it seems," she whispered to Aries, who watched her intently. Then her searching eyes swept past Aries, landing on the one Zodiac who might be capable of such treachery. The airy twin, mistress of illusion herself, who knew about the mirror realm. "It was you," Pisces said.

Gemini's familiar face darkened as Pisces' intuition screamed a single, devastating word: Foe.

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Foe. That one word echoed not just in Pisces’ mind but reverberated through the cosmos itself, defying the boundaries of time and space. She was certain each of the Zodiacs felt that cosmic ripple, their very existence interdependent.

Without fear, Pisces took a step toward Gemini, then another, the air growing thicker with every footfall. Gemini was her friend, her light in the dark since she landed on this planet. But the air sign’s increasing hostility and odd behaviors could no longer be ignored.

Gemini remained rooted in place, eyes shadowed, and fists clenched as her breath came in shallow, rapid bursts. With each of Pisces’ approaching steps, Gemini's appearance flickered between light and dark like a cosmic battle waging across her form—until, at last, darkness conquered. When Pisces stood just a few feet away, Gemini glared menacingly, her visage replaced by a cold, malevolent presence.

Dread gripped Pisces’ heart, but she pushed it down, certain that the real Gemini had been present some of the time. And this dark force was no match for Gemini's true, radiant spirit.

"Hello, old friend," Pisces said evenly, surprising herself with the calm in her tone.

Dark Gemini laughed, the harsh sound grating like nails on a chalkboard. "You don’t remember me. You don’t remember yourself." She laughed and cocked her head.

Pisces countered her smirk with a small, sad smile, feeling the weight of Gemini's betrayal like a stone in her gut. "I don't need my mind to know who you are." She placed a hand over her heart. "Some things can't be stolen."

Gemini scoffed, and her eyes flicked over Pisces’ shoulder. The energy of the others—Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius—radiated as they closed ranks behind her, their protective energies bolstering her own. It was a small flicker of warmth amidst the growing cold.

"Son of a bitch," Sagittarius rumbled, staring at his corrupted friend in disbelief. "Pisces...she's the reason you lost your memory." His gravelly voice took on an edge of fury. "Dark Gemini can corrupt and shatter minds."

“That explains why we couldn’t help Aries on the beach,” Virgo added angrily. “She stunned us.”

"Surprise," Dark Gemini said with a nonchalant shrug, revealing the full extent of her betrayal. After everything they'd been through, the casualness of it was like a physical blow to Pisces’ sternum, stealing her breath.

Dark Gemini nodded. "It was so easy manipulating you all when your guards were down. And Scorpio, the greedy fool that he is, provided the perfect distraction." She focused her full attention on Pisces. “I almost had them all thinking you were a traitor.” She laughed. “And I didn’t just take your power and your memories.”

Dark Gemini’s words echoed, and Pisces clutched a hand to her chest, knowing what else was missing.

“You got it, Princess.” Her nose twitched with distaste. “When I took your power and got into your mind, your bond with Aries cracked like a walnut—split right in two. And now that you’re mortal, you’ll never get it back.”

For some reason, this revelation was the heaviest blow of all, and Pisces nearly collapsed before Aries braced his arms around her. She could accept living without her celestial power, but her soul needed that bond, or else she would forever be lost.

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