Things That Should Stay Buried - Casey L. Bond Page 0,51

pressure to reply with him. Kes had frozen beside me. “What was that all about?”

“No idea.”

Even so, I had the sneaking suspicion that he’d been around Aquarius long enough to have a good idea of what Aquarius was speaking riddles around.

We walked down the hall, down staircase after staircase and to the front door. We passed through the columnal rings and I cursed myself for not tugging on a coat before we left.

Before I took another step, Kes winked away and returned with two parkas. His and mine, both puffy with bulky hoods lined in fur; his white and mine the color of mulled wine.

The crowd amassed at the bottom of the platform was enormous. The overlapping voices were almost deafening, but when they saw me and Kes approach, they slowly went quiet. Kes found the girl who’d come for us. Beside her stood none other than Xavier Dillon.

He was a sight for sore eyes. He pushed his longish, bleached-blond hair behind his ears and smiled genuinely.

He was my classmate, my would-be prom date, and my long-time friend.

I rushed toward him. “Xavier?”

His jade green eyes found mine. “Larken!” He pushed around the Guardian and wrapped me in a crushing hug, spinning me around with a laugh. “It is you! I thought so yesterday, but couldn’t see well enough to be sure.”

“You’re an Aries?” I asked. I actually hadn’t known his birthday, so I was sort of a bad friend, but it wasn’t like I knew everyone’s, so…

“But you aren’t. Your birthday’s in May,” he said, his voice dropping as my eyes pleaded for him to keep quiet.

Everyone in our class knew mine and Kestrel’s story. We’d told it often enough. People were fascinated with twins, even fraternal ones. And our story, being born weeks apart, was even more unusual.

I threaded my hand through his and pulled him out of the crowd and up the stone steps. The crowd protested. One man shouted, “When will we get to see Aries? We have questions. We have concerns! My son needs twenty-four-hour care and he is a Pisces! How do I know he’s safe?”

All my muscles tensed when he said her name. I knew from experience how cold and cruel Pisces was. How unfeeling and apathetic. There was no way she would take care of someone with needs like his son had, but maybe someone else would. Amid the chaos, there were brilliant flashes of the good that still existed in humanity.

Kes waved us up the steps, walking to my left. He leaned in and told me, “Aries will address his people. It’s not your place to respond.”

Right. Then why did it feel like I owed the man an explanation, hug, or apology? Maybe all three.

At the top of the platform, Aries appeared. He looked at me, scowled at Xavier, and glared at our clasped hands. A rumble began in his chest that rattled the stone beneath our feet.

I let go of Xavier’s hand and walked to him. “This is a friend from school,” I explained quickly. “Xavier.”

He refused to look at me, focusing fully on Xavier. I could almost see him sifting through Kes’s memories.

Xavier took in Aries and had the good sense to shrink away.

“Xavier Dillon,” Aries said coldly.

Xavier’s eyes slid to mine, full of questions about how Aries knew his name. I’d have to explain a few things later. “Aries,” I said calmly, drawing his attention back to me. “Is it okay if I talk to Xavier inside the castle?”

If Aries was outside and wanted to hear something that was said inside the castle, I had no doubt he could. There was little he couldn’t do.

“You will be chaperoned,” he replied gruffly.

“That’s fine; I just want to talk to him for a few minutes.”

He nodded. I could tell it took great effort for him to make the movement, for him to allow what he wanted to prevent. I wanted to reassure him that while Xavier being here was exciting because he was familiar, a friend, it was nothing more than that. He was nothing more than a friend and never would be.

“Do you want to come with us?” There was nothing I would say to Xavier that Aries couldn’t hear.

“I have other matters to attend,” he answered, staring at the crowd. “Kes will accompany you.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

His full lips thinned but he inclined his head, stepping around me to address the concerns of his people, but not before muttering a few sentences to Kes in the language only the