Things That Should Stay Buried - Casey L. Bond Page 0,75

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