Page 52 of Sins of Leo

“Yes, please.”

To her surprise, he laced his fingers with hers as he led from the small hut into a rustic village. Despite leaving the tower in the morning, it appeared to be early evening, with twilight giving way to a clear night with stars shining in the sky.

“Can you see my constellation?” he murmured, glancing upwards.

“Would you be mad if I said I have no idea how to find them?”

He chuckled. “I didn’t have the slightest clue when I was recruited. To me, stars were stars.”

“How were you chosen?” she asked as they neared a building playing music.

“By almost dying doing the right thing.” His expression turned pensive as he muttered, “My dumb ass ran into a burning building to save some people trapped. I got everyone out, but someone claimed one of the children was missing. I went back inside and almost didn’t escape alive. Ended up severely injured. Burned on a good portion of my body, my lungs irritated from the smoke. I was in so much pain I couldn’t even be mad thatthose who cried for me to go back were mistaken. Turns out, the child wasn’t in the house. Not that it mattered by that point. I was dying and, for my effort, abandoned.”

“What?” she exclaimed.

“Everyone knew I wouldn’t survive the night, but no one had the balls to end my misery. Instead, they left me outside the burning house, assuming either a wild animal would finish me off or that I’d die of my wounds.”

“That’s horrible,” she exclaimed.

“It was a different time. One with no time for the weak. I don’t blame them. I would have been a burden had I recovered.”

“Burden how? You’re perfectly fine.”

“Only because the stars chose me. As I lay bathed in starlight, a voice asked me if I would be the world’s champion for a second chance at life. I said yes. Next thing I knew, I was wrapped in light and taken to Tower for my transformation and education on what being a Zodiac warrior meant.” They’d stopped in front of the cantina while he finished his story.

“You were chosen for your bravery.”

“Bravery, supposed honor, the fact I could kill. Being a hero isn’t all saving kittens from trees and people from drowning. Our task is to root out evil and eliminate it.”

“Will you have to do that forever?”

“Until I die or retire, passing on the role to someone else.”

“You can stop being a warrior?”

“Yes, although not sure why I would. This is my life. My purpose. In all our history, hundreds of warriors have served, but only a handful ever quit.”

“Who chose you? You said there was a voice.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. None of us do. Just another mystery, like the origin of Babel Tower.”

The door to the cantina opened, and heavenly scents wafted.

“That smells good.” Ruth’s mouth watered.

It was more than good. The authenticcazuela—a type of stew with hearty vegetables and meat—served withpanamasado—a Chilean bread—filled the tummy nicely.

As they ate at the rear of the building on a mismatched pair of chairs, Leo pointed out Santos sitting by himself shoveling food into his mouth.

After the meal, Ruth approached him and managed only to say, “Hi, I’m Ruth Warmstone,” before the man wildly shook his head.

“No. Go home. Go.” He shooed Ruth, his agitation so obvious she couldn’t push.

She turned to return to her table to see her chair occupied by a woman.

A beautiful woman.

And Ruth saw green—with a heavy outline of red.

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