Leo Rising (Zodiac Guardians #3) - Tamar Sloan Page 0,3

visibly jumps as words appear on the screen.

Virus scan complete. No threats detected.

Tristan and Jareth glance at each other and Tristan shrugs. “Alden was nothing if not thorough.” They both turn back as more words appear on the screen.

Source unknown.

“Seems we’ve got a secret admirer,” Tristan mutters.

The words change and Tristan’s breath evaporates as he reads the first one.

Zarius.

This message was for his father!

Changes in dark matter. Wormhole being built somewhere. Chardis is up to something.

The screen goes black and they both leap back as the thumb drive bursts into flame. With a quick yank, Tristan flicks it onto the floor and stomps on it. The charred remains crumble, a small tendril of smoke rising into the air.

Tristan looks up to find Jareth’s wide eyes on him. “Did that just say a freaking wormhole?”

3

Brielle

Truth is the core of Brielle’s life. The focal point that all other matters revolve around. The glue that connects all things together.

She’s used to hiding from the truths of those around her, bombarded since childhood by visions that expose the lies they tell. While she has made it her solemn vow to only speak the truth, she respects the right of others to make that choice. In fact, she rarely ever pries for information.

So, she sits in a rocking chair on the front porch, frowning over her current predicament.

Yesterday at Creamy Dreams, Tristan had been acting like he’d seen a ghost as he’d said, “I think there’s another Zodiac Guardian right here in Mirror Point.”

“What? Really? Who?” She’d matched his hushed tone, but she’d been unable to hide her excitement. Jareth and Veronica silently watched with anticipation for his answer.

Tristan had chewed on his lip, staring down at the table. Then he’d finally relaxed his features and shook his head. “I need to do a bit more research before I get everyone’s hopes up. Make sure I wasn’t just imagining it.”

Brielle frowned, deflated. “What did you see?”

Tristan plastered a smile on his face and shook his head again. “I’ve been disappointed too many times. I’d better check it out first. Let’s not worry about it right now. We’re celebrating.”

Jareth and Veronica had shrugged it off, and the outing had continued with laughter and jokes. But Brielle had been unable to let the issue go.

Tristan had seen something that rocked him so much it made him declare right then and there. He believed there was another Zodiac. Even if he doubted whatever it was, he should have shared the experience and gotten their take on it, right? That’s what she’d done after meeting Jareth. If she’d never brought that up, there’s no way Jareth would be a part of their team now. They’d have passed him by completely, and who knows if they’d have ever found him, especially if he’d fled, or worse, been taken by the Skins.

What could Tristan have seen in Creamy Dreams? And if it was potent enough to drain the color from his cheeks, why didn’t she see it?

Oh, right. Because she’d been avoiding looking at him.

Because he said they couldn’t be together.

Brielle knows that’s in part why she’s so obsessed about this. It’s distracting her from having to deal with those feelings of rejection. Even though she understands why Tristan said no, it still burns like a sting from a giant cosmic scorpion.

She shakes away those thoughts and focuses back on the question at hand, the one she’d been pondering all day at school. Since he’d seen the prospective Zodiac Heir at Creamy Dreams, chances are he or she goes to Mirror Point High, so she’d stared holes in the backs and profiles of every student’s head wondering if they were the subject of Tristan’s suspicions.

There are ten more Zodiacs out there, waiting to be found. What if all of them are students here? She knows the likelihood of that is preposterous, but she still can’t help but look at each face and wonder what their power might be.

“Bri? Are you out here?” Bea’s searching voice snaps Brielle out of her musings.

She peers around the tall edge of the rocking chair to see Bea, her adoptive mother, opening the screen door. “Right here,” she replies.

“Oh, good. Would you help me with dinner? I’ve got some pork chops I’m debating what to do with and I’d love your input.”

“Sure,” Brielle says, getting up and putting on a smile. “What about chicken-frying them and covering them in gravy?”

Bea smiles, hangs her head to the side and claps her hands on her thighs. “I knew