Things That Should Stay Buried

by Casey L. Bond

  His eyes sharpened. “Did you fight?”

  “I tried, but… God, she was strong. I couldn’t break her hold no matter what I tried.” I remembered the crystal-clear water sloshing overhead as my fingers fumbled toward the light, never gaining enough traction to push my face to the surface.

  “Is it possible that Aries wanted her to succeed? Just for the pledge to be broken?” he whispered.

  Tears pricked at my eyes. “No.” I mean, I don’t think so.

  Xavier was making me question everything now.

  My eyes slid to the door guiltily where I knew Kes stood, listening in. He could hear every word that passed, even the whispers. If Kes had been the one standing outside the bathroom, would Pisces have been able to almost drown me?

  A darker thought slid into my belly.

  If Aries ordered Kes to kill me, would he have to obey?

  If he refused, what would Aries do to him?

  Xavier told me more about the rebellion that was forming. I learned it consisted mainly of a small group of men and that they were waiting for an opportunity to strike, but Aries was always in the castle, and always with me.

  “You have to tell them to stop,” I begged. “Kes is not a liar. If they somehow manage to hurt Aries, our people will suffer.”

  His brows raised, then furrowed angrily. “Our people?”

  “The people in this territory,” I amended, flustered.

  “Is that what you meant, Larken? Because for a second there, it almost seemed like you meant yours and Aries’s people.” He looked disgusted. “How do you stomach him? He treats you like an object, then just as easily throws you to me like scraps.”

  “That’s not true,” I argued, the words dying in my throat.

  He shook his head. “If you were mine… I would never push you into his arms.”

  “Well, maybe you’re both wrong for thinking I’ll ever belong to anyone but myself.”

  He stiffened. “You know what I meant. I mean, he marked you. His blood is under your skin. It’s barbaric the way he treats you! Ordering you around all the time, having you constantly guarded, telling me I have to make you happy – not that I wouldn’t want to anyway, but still. He acts like he owns you, but not like he respects you. Surely, you have to see that.”

  I pressed my eyes closed.

  “What if you just asked to speak to Taurus?” Xavier suggested. “Maybe you could make a deal with him. If you go willingly to your territory, maybe he would leave Aries alone.”

  I didn’t tell him that it didn’t matter, because Taurus wanted me dead. I didn’t even understand it myself. Why would he care about one person? What was so special about me?

  I needed to exert whatever influence I had with Xavier to stop those who would try to attack Aries. He would kill them for even attempting it.

  “Can you get word to the people planning this rebellion? They need to understand what the consequences would be if they kill one of them. And if they try anything against Aries… it would be their last attempt.”

  He blew out a tense breath, but trudged across the room. “They’re not striking anytime soon, but I’ll tell them,” he said. “I can’t promise they’ll believe it.”

  I knew he didn’t. There was doubt in his tone. He would tell them what I said and probably give his opinion, but in the end, they would continue on their path to what would ultimately end with their deaths.

  But there was more at stake than just their lives. What happened if they succeeded and managed to kill Aries? Could they live with killing one twelfth of the world’s population with him? If he couldn’t reason with them for their lives, maybe Xavier could persuade them not to kill his people.

  “There was a thirteenth Zodia. When he died, his people, all of them, died with him, Xavier. This isn’t a lie or a theory. It’s truth.”

  He must’ve seen the worry in my eyes. “Then I’ll have to convince them.”

  “How will you get out of the castle to talk to them?”

  “I’ll be discreet when I seek them out,” he said, his voice turning to stone. “I promise. He never said I couldn’t come and go as I please.”

  Must be nice…

  He stood. “I should go before Aries finds out I spent too long as your companion and has me thrown out of here.”

  I walked him to the door and watched as he strode further into the castle. Xavier didn’t require chaperones or companions. He didn’t require Guardians. But he would have one now. Kes’s icy eyes trailed him as he left, and then he glanced at me before motioning for me to move back inside and closing the door.

  Kes belonged to Aries.

  He was his Guardian.

  And he would protect him.

  Even before threat became action.

  I warned him, but Xavier had to choose whether or not to heed it.

  ARIES

  Virgo left after Taurus’s surprise visit. Aquarius and I sat at the table in my rooms, discussing the situation.

  “She said if I was the one to break the pledge, I wouldn’t weaken,” I thought aloud.

  “How would she know unless she’d done the same to Lager before they killed him? Perhaps she wants you to break it because she wants you to be weakened.”

  “Would she strike out against me after I defended her?”

  Since the moment I awoke, I’d thought of nothing else. I played out every scenario with every Zodia a thousand times, and while I knew where most of them stood when it came to me, Virgo’s words set me on edge.

  “Virgo is… complex. If you’re wondering where her loyalties lie, they lie with her alone. She’s beholden only to herself.” Aquarius swilled the mountain water in his glass. “I don’t trust her.”

  Neither did I. Then again, he might be the only one of them I did trust.

  I needed to determine who would stand with me, or if anyone but him would. I knew that Leo, Pisces, Gemini, and Libra stood with Taurus. Sagittarius likely would, too, but so far he’d been quiet. Aquarius hadn’t seen him among the others.

  That left Cancer, Scorpio, and Capricorn to consider.

  If I could sway any of them to stand with me, it might make the difference. Because if Aquarius and I stood alone against the majority, this wouldn’t end well. And I wouldn’t ask my friend to risk himself to defend me on his own.

  “Allowing the boy near her is a mistake,” Aquarius warned gently.

  I’d hated Xavier Dillon since the moment his name fell innocently from Larken’s lips, but as much as he was being used by those who would strike at me, I thought he might prove useful as well.

  “I do not warn you without cause. You should send him away.”

  “He’s being watched as closely as Larken. For now, I’d rather see what unfolds from his presence.”

  Aquarius shook his head. “You’re making a mistake.”

  “So you’ve said. Twice.”

  18

  The next day, I tried to replicate the knots on the dress Helena had constructed as best I could. I hadn’t paid close enough attention when I took it off, but in the end it covered the important parts, so I thought it was fine.

  My hair was messy, so I wet and combed it down and brushed my teeth. Then I grabbed my coat and told Kes I’d like to see Xavier.

  Once we were in the hall I asked, “Did he sneak out last night?”

  Kes snorted. “He’s not a total idiot. He knew we’d be watching him.”

  “He needs to get word to them. They have to stop whatever it is they have planned.”

  “If you’re worried that they’ll succeed, you can stop worrying. They can’t kill Aries, no matter how grand their scheme seems.”

  I knew that, but…

  I tried to make Kes understand. “I just think if they try, it won’t end well for them. If Xavier can persuade them to think this th
rough carefully and not to do something foolish, then if they still decide to go through with it, I won’t feel guilty. I will have done my part to warn them, at least.”

  He turned his head to look at me. “You aren’t the least bit concerned about Aries?”

  Truthfully, I was. More than I wanted to admit.

  I was afraid.

  For him, his people, my brother, and Helena and the other Guardians. Everything had a weakness. Xavier warned me that that anything could be killed, and he was right.

  The only thing more resilient than a Zodia’s life was the will of people hungry for freedom.

  Kes gave me a look that told me to be careful… again. I knew he was looking out for my feelings, but something made me think it was more than that. I didn’t want to think of what it could possibly be, so I was glad when we reached Xavier’s room. I took a breath and knocked on the door.

  “Come in.”

  I eased the door open and found him sitting in the corner of his sparsely-decorated room in an arm chair. Beyond that chair, there was a bedroll and clothing in the closet that consisted of tunics and pants. He was dressed like Kes, but his tunic was dark blue and plain without a pattern sewn into it.

  “Hey!” He stood up and ran a hand through his bleached hair, offering a genuine smile.

  I answered his smile with one of my own. “Good morning.” I hitched a thumb over my shoulder toward the door. “Do you want to find breakfast and then go for a walk?”

  Xavier smiled. “Yes to both.” He quickly tugged on his shoes and gestured for me to lead the way.

  Was he as claustrophobic as I felt sometimes?

  Kes followed us to the kitchens where we grabbed a couple rolls of fresh bread before making our way outside. Kes kept his distance, though I knew he could hear us and could reach us in an instant.

  At first, our conversation was stilted and inane as we wound through the columns. We talked about innocent things like how we’d slept and how good the bread tasted. He told me I looked beautiful, but for some reason, the hair at the back of my neck stood up. His eyes looked strange. Where before they were playful and kind, now they were closed off and darted around as if he was afraid.

  He probably was.

  I wanted to walk into the village, but Kes told me that was absolutely not going to happen. So we walked the rings, starting with the largest circumference and working our way in toward the castle.

  “Can I see the mark?” Xavier suddenly asked, a hopeful but shy smile on his face.

  Did I imagine the blush on his cheeks?

  “I mean, if you feel uncomfortable, don’t worry about it,” he added quickly.

  Kes appeared in front of me in a flash. “I don’t think that’s something you should reveal. Especially not here, out in the open.”

  I didn’t tell Kes I wasn’t about to show him anyway, but then, Xavier pushed…

  “Later, then?” Xavier suggested. “Privately.”

  Kes gritted his teeth so hard, they scraped together. The sound was loud enough to make Xavier think twice about pushing any further. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure why he cared. I supposed if our roles were reversed and he told me he’d taken a Zodia’s blood under his skin, I’d be curious. Still, we were friends before this, but certainly not that close.

  A short while later, Aries showed up to relieve Kes, sending him off on an errand. He was quiet as he trailed along behind us, his hands folded behind his back. He never said a word, never interjected as Xavier and I talked, but the longer Aries was our chaperone, the more uncomfortable Xavier became.

  “I think I’d like to go and rest for a while. Do you mind if we head back?” he finally asked.

  “Sure,” I agreed, wondering why he’d clammed up.

  Maybe Aries scared him, or else he was worried Kes had told Aries about the plan being hatched by his own people. If Aries and Kes shared memories each night, then he likely knew. Still, he was polite and quiet and kept his distance. It was hard to concentrate with him walking behind me, and difficult to talk to Xavier in Aries’s presence. Even about simple, unimportant things.

  When we reached the castle, Xavier excused himself to his room and I headed to the balcony to spend more time outside. I wanted to be alone and process my thoughts without worrying about someone seeing my expressions, then analyzing them and reporting back about my wellbeing.

  Aries followed me to the balcony. “I’d like to show you something else, if you’ll allow me,” he said, his voice raspy.

  I turned to face him, watching the wind toy with his hair. My fingers flexed jealously with the desire to touch the dark strands and watch him lean into my touch. “Okay.”

  He gave a small smile and slowly walked closer, raising his hands toward me and lowering his head. Placing his palms on each side where neck met shoulder, he gently eased his forehead closer until it brushed, then touched mine.

  I focused on his breathing, steady and rhythmic, of his heartbeat under my hand, strong and consistent. Of his skin on mine. Of his lips so close. He whispered for me to close my eyes and I let them drift shut.

  At first, I could only see darkness.

  And then… I felt fear. Anger. Terror.

  As Taurus pulled my dad from behind him, Aries watched as I screamed for him. He saw me start toward my father and gave Kes the order to get me to safety in the place Taurus would not find. They’d already discussed it.

  He watched me disappear, wincing from the pain he knew I’d feel from the travel, but knowing deep down it was for the best.

  My dad’s mouth fell open as we vanished. “Where did they go?” he muttered.

  Taurus sauntered forward, pointing his spear-sharp horns at Aries. “I only wanted to talk to her.”

  “I thought you valued honesty, Taurus,” Aries volleyed.

  Xavier watched the two posture, his eyes wide and alert, bracing a hand on the table and planting his legs to be ready to run if he needed to.

  Aquarius rose from his chair and joined Aries in a unified front. Virgo stayed seated, managing to look bored and pathetic at the same time. I thought she’d chosen to back Aries. Why wasn’t she standing with him?

  Aries felt the exact moment Kes and I appeared in the cave, and his erratic emotions were tampered with a sense of relief. He waited patiently as the bullish man paused in front of him. “I will have her,” Taurus whispered.

  “Her father’s presence here will not make her leave the safety of my kingdom.”

  “Of course it will. I have a special offer to make her. I’ll call on her again. Soon,” his mouth and molten eyes promised.

  Dad shouted to Aries, “Are my children safe?”

  “They are both safe, though I cannot say the same for you.”

  Dad looked to Taurus with a question in his eyes.

  “Tell Larken I said goodbye,” he taunted. Appearing in front of my father, he touched his arm and they disappeared, my father’s scream echoing across the room.

  Aquarius turned to Aries. “She’s safe now.”

  Aries swallowed thickly. “I hope you’re right.” He was paralyzed with fear and despair. It coiled within him and squeezed his heart tightly, making it hard to breathe.

  “Call for your Guardian to bring her back.”

  I gasped as he pulled his head away, searching for words as the fog of memory and sharpness of reality collided.

  “I wanted you to see that your father wasn’t harmed.”

  “Thank you,” I breathed, clutching my chest and feeling as though my heart was being constricted. “You were afraid for me.”

  His hand found my hip and he brushed the mark with his thumb, warming it. “Tremendously.”

  “Why?”

  “You know why, Larken,” he said, never taking his eyes off mine.

  I closed my eyes and asked, “Could I show you something
?”

  He nodded and approached again, gently pressing his head against mine, holding me near the jaw this time. His skin warmed mine, lending me comfort to show him things from my perspective.

  I showed him the moment everything went wrong, wondering if he might even be able to feel the migraine that pulsed through my temples on the day the Zodia awoke. I remembered the girl disappearing in front of me, my white-knuckled drive toward the cemetery, the fear I had for my parents after Kes said no place was safe, of seeing his tomb and then him for the first time. How awestruck I was. How I felt like one of the star-shaped flowers curling toward him.

  I showed him how frightened I was to take his marks on my face. How I didn’t understand it, but that when I saw him slash his palm, it had hurt a little. Maybe I only imagined the twinge of pain; perhaps it was merely a sympathetic response to him hurting himself to save me.

  But then again, maybe it was our bond, affecting me before the marks were even painted on.

  I showed him how it scared but thrilled me when our journey here didn’t hurt as it did when Kes carried me, how terrified but awestruck I was when he raised his columns and castle, and how humbled I was when he spoke to his people and gave them shelter.

  I somehow knew he wouldn’t let his people suffer. I knew his heart as well as I knew mine.

  I opened my eyes and found him staring, his beautiful lips parted. “Larken.”

  “Aries,” I breathed, unable to bring myself to pull away from him.

  Instead, he kissed me. Gently this time. Reverently. Softly. He kissed me languidly. Patiently. Pouring himself into it and drinking me in.

  And though I’d been falling for him since he woke, I knew in that moment I was completely his, just as he was entirely mine.

  “How is this possible?” he breathed.

  “I wish I knew.” There was something troubled in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  He shook his head. “I just don’t understand how I can feel so…”

  “I know. It’s intense. And it’s not just the pledge, Aries.” No matter how much Kes tries to convince me it is.