The stars in the sky were magnificent. Cascading across a velvet blanket with bright white prisms scattered at random. Except they weren’t truly at random. Every star above was placed expertly by a hand whose power dwarfed understanding. A hand that Scorpio couldn’t even comprehend but a hand that had pushed her forward every day of her life.
But that was what was above.
Down below the ground was bathed in shadows. A darkness so thick that it choked her with every breath she took. It hung on the air thick and restrictive almost like chains. She’d been here many times. A hell that was buried deep within her own dreams. A darkness that even the Goddesses above couldn’t point her through.
As a child, she had been afraid of this darkness but now she had seen truly horrific things. Terrifying magics that she’d only thought existed in stories to scare children. And yet still she kept walking. Those could not drag her down and thus neither could this darkness.
And yet this time it was different. For the first time in this darkness, she wasn’t alone. No that would be a lie. This wasn’t the first time she had felt another prescience. A shadow hanging over her shoulder waiting to tap her on the shoulder or to feel the thin blade of a knife at her throat or a larger one between her ribs. It had never happened but the dread was still there.
Stepping through the darkness she had to fight her every instinct to look over her shoulder. But she’d fought her instincts to a standstill. No matter how dark it got in front of her she knew that just by looking to the sky she would find her way forward.
But then the smog around her changed, sliced open by a flash of black. She reached to her hip and whipped the khopesh free from it sheathe and held it behind her head. Metal on metal echoed in the emptiness.
Without glancing back she shoved the shadow back and leaped forward spinning around to face them. She held the khopesh close and watched as her assailant stood to his full height. “A little scorpling wandering around at night,” he said and laughed as he lowered his own khopesh. “Just recently shed her skin for the first time and thinking she’s a predator. But there’s always something bigger waiting in the shadows.”
He was a tall brown skinned man with long black hair and red eyes. His face was warped into a hungry sneer as he looked at her. He raised the khopesh to his lips and she swore that he was licking it. Everything about his man would have unnerved her in any other situation but she was eerily calm.
“Who are you?” she asked slowly pointing her khopesh at him.
“You don’t know? I almost feel hurt,” he said and approached her slowly. “Almost.”
Scorpio took a step back and the shadows got in the way, grabbing at her limbs, almost solid. She stumbled and caught herself but squared her feet. She watched the shadows part for him and heard the soft clinking of metal dragging across the ground.
She glanced toward the ground and then back up at him. He stepped to the side and the shadows wrapped around him. She lost sight of him for a second and then gold darted through the darkness. She brought her sword forward intending to swat the attack away. Instead, a chain wrapped around her sword and she saw the black diamond tip.
The shadows surged and Scorpio tried to move but he was suddenly there. The glint of black cutting through the darkness and wanting to rip open her throat. “Sting Scorpio!”
Her dagger unwrapped from her waist and moved to intercept. It caught his khopesh in its gold links. He faced her with that savage grin swinging his free hand. She caught that too and leaned forward slamming her head against his but she wasn’t the only one with that idea.
They both jumped backward landing close to the ground. They stood slowly their tails twitching. Both of them rotated their swords flipping them around so that they lined against their arms. “You’re him.”
“I’m you,” he corrected. “How many have fallen to your sting? I was very productive by your age.”
“I’m nothing like you. I’ll never be like you.”
“Oh little scorpling. You never had any other choice.”
He lunged at her and started swinging his khopesh savagely putting his shoulder and weight into every swing. Scorpio blocked each that she could and ducked around letting her tail mount a third attack. However, he had the same idea and it became a complex dance of swords, chains, and fists.
Scorpio jumped backward as the chain slammed into the ground. She ducked under a khopesh swing and tried to lunge with her own. He caught it in his hand yanking her forward and punching her in the chest. She took it in stride flipping over his head and kicking him in the back. His dagger lunged at her and her own deflected it to the side. Shee stumbled and dug her blade into the ground. She cut through the darkness and looked at the sky. Where the night sky and the stars once were instead she saw something else.
A bed, a fire, and two girls. One buzzed and tall and the other golden hair and short. Their hands were clasped together and the younger girl was bouncing up and down eagerly. The taller girl laughed and her voice echoed for all of them to hear. ‘You did it Stingie. You really really did it. Just like they all said we could!’
“No Virgo,” she echoed with her younger self. “We did it together.”
The past her stared at the sky and for a moment the sneer he wore went away. His face was almost at a loss as he watched Scorpio and Virgo together. Lowering his head slowly he turned around to face her. He spun his khopesh around slowly and his tail pointed at her.
“That’s sweet. Really it is. You and the little priest. The best of friends. A lovely little couple. Me and my Virgo were close too. Let me show you.” He turned the weapon around and stabbed it into the ground and the image above their heads was eaten away by the shadows below, her memory becoming his.
The echo of war filled the space. Screaming, clanging, the smell of burning. He was moving on a mission slaying men and women with every swing of his weapons. But the sudden influx of tents around him slowed him down. Following an instinct and a goal in mind. He broke through and watched a man in robes crouching over the wounded. He closed the distance his tail already uncoiled and once he was close enough it struck.
“That was too easy,” he said as the screams of Libra and Aquarius filtered in. He trailed forward his khopesh scraping across the ground. “That’s what we do to Virgos. You see we’re killers and monsters. And you keep trying to fight that. I don’t get it but you better wise up fast little scorpling.”
Going low he lunged at her and Scorpio forced herself to get it together as she whipped her own weapon into position. She blocked it but the curve of the weapons slid against each other and he stepped closer closing the distance between them. Locked together as they were their tails became the next contention point.
“Sting Scorpio,” he said and his tail shot forward. It pierced her neck and her eyes went wide. Her blood splashed forward and her legs shook as she stumbled backward but she kept standing her blade locked against his own. “You’re alone and just like me you’re only good at killing. Just give up and stop fighting who you really are.”
The pain burned in her throat and it became hard to focus. Her grip on her sword was getting weaker and she wondered if she could even win this. She wondered if he was right and fighting who she was, was a waste of time. ‘Don’t give up stingie!’ she gasped hearing Virgo’s voice echoing and cutting through the darkness ‘You’re not the old Scorpio or any of the ones that came before. You’re you. The best you! Don’t let anyone else tell you different!’
The stars above her head glowed brightly and she felt the warmth in her own body. The stars linked together until her constellation blazed to life and she felt strength inside her welling up. A couple tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at her predecessor. Righting her stance, she pushed back against him no longer feeling the pain in her neck.
“What? How?”
“That’s the difference between us Scorpio,” she said pushing back. “You were a loner so all you had was to become a monster. But I’m not alone. I never have been. From day one I’ve always had a family. I’ll never. Ever. Be a monster like you. Sting Scorpio!”
Her tail whipped forward and darted underneath his armpit and stabbed into his chest. He grunted, eyes widening, but leaned forward, “You think your little declaration is going to save you scorpling?”
“No but this will. Scorpio Venom.” It was like a small explosion. He jolted as the tail went deeper into his chest and she felt her energy inject into him. She felt it race through his entire being like a fire eating away at anything it could. She watched him try to hide the pain on his face but knew that it was over.
His arms went slack and his sword clattered to the ground, turning into darkness. He stumbled backward before falling down to one knee and then the other. But through the pain, he laughed at her and raised a shaky hand, “Well played. You’re going to make a fine killer.” He said and then turned into the shadows around her.
She stared at the spot where he once was and then at the now empty field, she stood in. She looked at the sky, stared at the blanket of stars and saw her constellation. Brighter than anything else in the sky. But more importantly, she looked beyond hers to another neighboring constellation. Bowing her head she closed her eyes, “Thank you Virgo.”
When she opened her eyes, she looked at the ceiling of her tent surprised. Suddenly the air was very cool, she didn’t feel restricted by darkness but her body ached. She was back in the tent that they were sharing since they first arrived there. Groaning she sat up and then winced almost falling back down. “Stingie!”
She looked to her side and watched as Virgo careened into her. She threw her arms around her squeezing tightly. Despite Scorpio’s immediate, painful, protest she didn’t let go. Scorpio finally pat her on the back slowly. “I’m okay Virgo. Please let go.”
“I was scared Stingie,” she said pressing her face against hers. “You were asleep for so long. Morrigan said it wouldn’t be long but it’s been hours. And you were grunting and talking in your sleep. I thought something awful had happened to you.”
She frowned thinking back to the fight with the other Scorpio. Everything he had said and she shook her head, “Something awful almost happened,” she said softly. “But because of you I was able to fight back. Because of everyone I was able to win.”
Virgo looked up at her and her eyes were wide with worry and relief. And then she kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly as if she’d go away. All she knew was she had to do it in that moment or it would pass. She knocked Scorpio over and pulled away as they fell.
Virgo sat up, not having meant to do that much but stared at Scorpio whose eyes had crossed and mind had gone blank. “Oh no stingie!” she grabbed her shoulder shaking her quickly which managed to snap Scorpio out of it mostly.
“Are we interrupting something?”
Both girls turned to see Morrigan and the twins at the opening flap of the tent. Gemini was hanging off of his brother. Both stared at Virgo who had managed to turn an aggressive shade of red and got back into her seat. Morrigan chuckled and walked toward the bed to stand in front of Scorpio.
“Did you have a good dream?”
Scorpio got her bearings and sat up more to face Morrigan. “You told me you could show me the door but only I could open it.”
“And did you?”
“Yes.”
Morrigan grinned and her red eyes were aglow. The twins went to Gemini’s bed and he was already taking off his shirt looking at the large red bruise on his hip. It was already starting to swell up. He touched it and winced earning him a look from his brother. “What? I wanted to see.”
“You literally didn’t have to do that. I can just look at it and see it hurts,” Cancer shook his head. “Princess can you help my idiot brother?”
She nodded quickly moving across the tent space and reaching up to his wound. Her eyes glowed to life and her power flowed to her fingertips. She had been practicing with summoning it and now it was almost as easy as her primary power. When she touched him he was ready to flinch but it didn’t hurt. It was actually warm and soothing.
Relaxing he sighed and looked at his brother, “Next time can you not shoot me that hard?”
Cancer shrugged, “Once I get some good target practice it’ll be fine. You can volunteer to be my target and you can learn to dodge.”
“Oh don’t make me hit you with the tempest. Morrigan’s not going to stop me next time.”
“Both of you,” Morrigan looked back at the twins and they shut up immediately. She nodded slowly and looked at the four of them as a whole. “My Queen was able to help you three awaken to your potential. In a sense, you are the younger siblings to Her and are made of similar stuff. Things are calm for now and we should relish that but they won’t remain that way for long. We need to be ready for our next move.”
They all nodded and she smiled at them. She looked like she wanted to say more but didn’t. She walked back to the flap of tent and then into the night. She looked toward the stars above her head and it was so odd how much more at home she felt staring at them than she had in the past. Touching her chest again she felt the vibrating hum of the core within her.
“Your intuition was correct as always my Queen. Those children are promising in many ways,” she leaned her head forward. “I just hope that they will be ready.”
“I see you’ve finished working with the children for the night Mori.”
She smiled and brushed her hair from her face looking at Benidict as he sauntered over. He was wearing plain clothes yet somehow, he made them look regal. One hand in his pocket and the other just dangling. He brushed his hair back and flashed her a smile with teeth but she’d seen this trick before.
Rather than wait for him to come to her she met him halfway and wagged her finger in his face as she passed. “That’s an old trick Ben. You can’t even catch Al with that, let alone me.”
“I have to keep trying Mori. One day I’ll catch you with you guard down and then it’ll be all over for you,” he said matching pace beside her.
“How many decades have you attempted that gambit Ben?”
“Oh have you been keeping track Mori?”
“To keep track implies they might work one day.”
“Which is why I check.”
“To cross reference your own notes?”
He chuckled, “Perhaps. Anyway, where is our Alistair tonight? I am craving his company.”
“Oh? Am I not enough for you Ben?”
“You are more than enough in any instance. However, a different touch is sometimes wanted even outside of your own.”
“Is that right?”
“Indeed. Though I would not be satisfied until I’ve had you both. Preferably in our bed.”
“Subtly was never your forte.”
“With you? Why would I ever hide my true feelings?”
“Fair enough. Alistair is with his sister and the bandit.”
Benidict paused for a moment but nodded shortly, “Vincent has lost much in the past few days. Holding close to friends helps with mending those wounds.”
“Indeed.”
They found themselves walking toward one of the edges of the city, the eastern one. They walked up the stairs to get onto the walls themselves. The guard on duty regarded them with a salute to which they returned with simple nods. Leaving the guard to her duty they walked the length of the wall before settling on a spot. A cool breeze from the desert wafted over them but it wasn’t nearly cold enough to cause discomfort. If anything, it reminded them of Cerise.
“How are you Mori?” Benidict asked looking at the desert.
“I’m alright Ben. Tired but what else is new? There hasn’t been a chance to really rest in a long few weeks. And I don’t think we’re going to get one anytime soon,” she rested one hand on the hilt of her katana. “But I want the Ouroboros taken care of sooner rather than later. They attacked my home and my people. And I want to get even for that affront to my pride.”
Benidict reached out to her and took her hand, squeezing tightly. He forced her to look at him and the glare of her eyes was almost enough to make him look away. To make him fall to his knees and bow before her. But he didn’t, he took a shaky breath and met her gaze.
“Mori. Come back to me. Please.”
She blinked at him rapidly and then gasped. She looked at his hand and didn’t realize how tightly she had held his hand. He shook it out showing the nail markings on the back of his hand. She started to let go but he placed a hand atop her own. “Sorry Ben.”
“It’s fine Mori,” he squeezed her hand gently. “I just knew you were getting lost in your burden.”
She frowned, “My burden?”
Taking his other hand off hers he touched her chest lightly. He felt her heartbeat and the vibrating of the core. “You were chosen by Her Majesty to bear and protect Her core. A very high honor. But Her Majesty’s will is strong. I’m sure you’ve felt it.”
“Often,” she said softly. “Like becoming a passenger to my own body. And often I don’t hate it. It’s comforting. Like She’s still here.” She closed her eyes tightly and sighed.
“I just don’t want you to lose sight of yourself. I miss Her Majesty like a wound on my heart that will never heal.,” he said finally. He touched her face and kept her gaze. “But I do not want to trade you for Her Majesty. That is a world I never want to live in.”
“I know Ben,” she pressed her forehead against his. “As long as I have you and Alistair, I won’t lose sight of myself.”
That made him laugh, “As long as we’re alive you won’t be getting rid of us.”
“I count on that.”
She leaned against him, keeping her hand tightly locked in his she breathed and slowly she let herself relax. For the time being things weren’t insane. They had a moment where they could simply breathe and enjoy his company.
The Harlequin Library 