Thirteen Rising

  Thanks to Stan, I can fly.

  “Leave your guilt and your self-doubt and your fears on these ships,” I say, my voice gathering strength, “because when we land on the Thirteenth House, we can’t carry them with us. For too long we have been leading with our fear and not our faith, because no matter how unfulfilled we feel today, we worry tomorrow could be worse. We are an army of seers, yet we’ve become so blind that none of us knows what tomorrow will bring, or if it will even dawn at all.

  “This whole time it’s not the stars who have been our enemies—not even Aquarius or Ophiuchus. It’s been us. The master’s plans only worked because we let them. Our distrust broke our Unity, and then he slipped in through the cracks. And just like in the Libran alphabet story, we were too busy pointing fingers at each other—our fellow letters—to look up and notice the eraser.

  “We’ve defeated ourselves by forgetting the lessons of our past. Our choices have led us to this fate, not the stars—but that means our choices can also bring us to a new fate. Only our true survival depends on whether we learn anything from what we’ve survived.

  “Will we continue to define ourselves by where we’re born? Will we continue to distrust those who look or act differently from us? Will we continue to be a tribal species that’s only comfortable living among others who are genetically like us? Or will we finally be ready to admit that there aren’t twelve or even thirteen types of humans in the Zodiac?”

  I cast a glance at Mathias, who looks just as proud as Hysan, and as I’m watching, he takes Pandora’s hand and her face lights up like a sun.

  “We are one people.” I look at Mom and Gamba, Risers and yet also my family. “Risers are not abominations—they are descendants of House Ophiuchus. They are members of a repressed race, and our ignorance has created their condition. We are doing this to them by putting so much value on fate and not enough on free will—but Risers are the future,” I say, thinking of the prophesy Ferez once shared with me and understanding at last what it means.

  “None of us can truly be defined as one thing. We are all born as curious creatures with boundless imaginations. We are all seekers of justice and wisdom. We are all at times passionate and philosophical and nurturing and industrious and innovative. We all have a spiritual side that connects us to the stars, and we are all charged with the stewardship and protection of our land and environment. We are all warriors, especially today. And that means we are all Risers.

  “What we’re missing is the glue that gels together all these pieces of us: Unity. The only way we will save the Zodiac is together. So don’t spend the rest of the flight reviewing strategy or anticipating our fate. Spend it getting to know the Zodai next to you. Forget whom we’re fighting against and instead focus on whom we’re fighting for—because the most important weapon we can bring to the field of battle isn’t the one we can touch. It’s hope.”

  Hysan shuts off the broadcast and pulls me into his arms, lifting me off my feet with his kiss. Mathias hugs me next, and then Pandora, Ezra, and Gyzer come over to congratulate me. Even Skarlet bumps fists with me.

  Ophiuchus goes back to meditating, but I didn’t really expect him to do anything else.

  Mom and Gamba approach me last, and the others busy themselves with other things to give us some semblance of privacy.

  “Did you really mean what you said about forgiveness?” asks Mom.

  “Yes,” I say softly, thinking of Stan and what he would want for us. “I forgive you, and I also release you. You don’t owe me anything. Just be happy.”

  She stays silent, and I read it as just part of her stoicism, but then Gamba rests a hand on her lower back, and I realize Mom’s moved. I guess it’ll take some time to get to know the real Kassandra.

  But at least I’ll have that chance.

  I look into Gamba’s tourmaline eyes next, knowing now it’s my turn to ask for forgiveness. “Gamba, I’m—”

  “Forgiven,” she says simply, and there’s no rancor in her voice. “I know I’m a stranger to you, and we look nothing alike, but I would really like to be your sister, if you’ll let me.”

  I consider the three of us—a Cancrian, an Aquarian, and a Capricorn—and my lips stretch into a smile: We’re the family of the future. “I’d love that.”

  Gamba grins, her white teeth bright against her dark skin, and even Mom’s mouth curves into a small smile. The first real smile I ever remember seeing on her face.

  And I wonder if she might be feeling her first flicker of happiness.

  “Rho, I think you have some admirers to greet,” says Mathias, and I turn to see Pandora smiling beside him. “There’s a cue of calls coming in from every ship—should I patch the first one through?”

  “Sure.”

  After fielding congratulatory calls from every Guardian, I cast my gaze around for Hysan and realize he’s not in the nose anymore. Mathias is in the pilot’s chair, and Pandora sits beside him. I go check out the galley, but I only see Skarlet, Ezra, and Gyzer. The Ariean is arm wrestling Gyzer again, and Ezra is refereeing.

  I crack open the door to the largest cabin, and I find Hysan sitting cross-legged on the bed, beaming out a series of screens from his Scan. His hair is as long as when we first met, but he seems larger now, like he takes up more space than I remember. Or maybe the room has just grown smaller.

  I slip inside and lock the door behind me.

  “Just checked on Neith, and he’s almost at full charge,” he says without looking away from the holograms he’s scanning. Neith is plugged into the ship, since Hysan thinks he can be a useful warrior with his super strength and speed. “I just had this idea for upgrading the—”

  I place my hand under his chin and tip his face up. “You’re defying my orders, Lord Hysan. I said no more strategizing.”

  If I’m going to follow Moira’s instructions, I need to ground myself in the present. I need to remember how good love can feel. I need Hysan’s sunlight to take on so much darkness.

  He blinks, and all the screens vanish at once. “Apologies, my Zodiac Queen.”

  I smirk and swing a leg around him, pulling myself onto the bed by straddling him. He hooks his hands on my hips and slowly slides them up to my waist.

  “When I spoke to Moira,” I whisper, his touch making my breaths shallow, “she said that to tether myself strongly to this plane, I’ll need an anchor.”

  His hands stop at the small of my back, and he frowns a little. “Rho, you still haven’t given me any details about that ritual.”

  “You don’t have to worry. I know what to do.” I cross my legs behind him and pull myself all the way forward, until my chest is pressed against his and our faces are touching. I feel his body harden beneath me as I whisper, “You just have to give me a reason to return.”

  His lips lock with mine, and we rest there. Then his hand hugs my head, and his mouth trails down my chin and neck, his touch igniting my skin. I moan softly, and his mouth meets mine again. He kisses me gently, like he’s savoring my taste, the way he did the night I lost my virginity to him.

  His tenderness only makes me want him more, and I slam both hands onto his chest and push him down on the bed. I lean over and kiss him savagely, and his hands reach up to pull off my blue tunic as my fingers work to free him of his golden suit. We’re down to our underwear in seconds.

  Hysan wraps a hand around my lower back and tries to flip me over so he’s on top, but I pin his biceps to the bed. “It’s my turn at the helm.”

  Dimples dig into his cheeks. “You sure you can handle this engine?”

  We both burst into laughter, and when I see his ears are pink with embarrassment, I lean down and kiss him. “Hmmm . . . maybe just a test ride then,” I whisper in his ear in a seductive voice, and then my mouth travels slowly down his jawline and neck.

  His body tenses at my touch, his breathing growing labored. I spy
his fingers twitching with the itch to take over, but I trust him not to touch me until I’ve given my consent. And now I’d like for him to trust me back just as completely.

  “You’re cruel,” he groans as I inch my way even more leisurely down the smooth skin of his chest, and the ripples of his abs, and the lower I go, the more I feel his muscles submitting to me, until—

  Someone pounds loudly on the cabin door.

  I fall off Hysan and burrow beneath the sheets, my heart racing, and Mathias shouts, “Hysan! Why is your door locked? We need you up front now!”

  Hysan curses under his breath.

  “Are you listening?” demands Mathias, who’s still hammering on the door. “Why aren’t you answering on your Ring?”

  “He’ll be there!” I call out.

  Hysan suddenly rolls on top of me, his body stiff against mine, his green eyes ravenous as they gaze into me. He kisses me with such force that my mouth opens fully for him, and every clenched muscle loosens until I feel like I’ve dissolved to a puddle of seawater.

  As he pulls away, he says huskily, “You better come back from all this and finish what you started.”

  39

  “WHAT IS THAT?” I ASK as soon as Hysan and I enter the nose, short of breath and with our suits disheveled. Everyone else is already gathered, and they’re staring wide-eyed at the streaks of lightning flashing through the glass—except for Mathias, who’s looking back at me.

  His midnight eyes are soft, and his face is paler than usual, and I understand what he’s feeling because watching the early stages of his romance with Pandora has hurt me, too. Even if I don’t want to admit it.

  We may not be able to affect the past, but the past can still affect us. Mathias and I may have made our choices weeks ago, but our hearts haven’t finished paying the price.

  “It’s Dark Matter,” says Hysan, taking over the control screens from him. “We can’t see it, but according to our coordinates, we’ve just entered the Thirteenth constellation.”

  “I will guide us,” says Ophiuchus, leaning forward from his spot on the floor, and I hear a new energy in his deep voice.

  “Mathias, send a message to the other ships to form a line behind us,” instructs Hysan. “Tell them they’ll need to stick to our exact flight path so we don’t risk hitting anything our sensors can’t pick up.”

  Hysan buries his face in the controls as Ophiuchus provides directions, and Mathias leaves to pass on Hysan’s message to the fleet. Pandora is glued to the window, same as Gyzer, Ezra, Skarlet, Gamba, and Mom, so I slip away and follow Mathias out.

  He opens his Wave and transmits the data to all our ships at once, and when he turns to return to the nose, he sees me.

  Neither of us says anything, but before it’s too late, I break our silence.

  “What do you imagine would have happened if we’d spoken that last morning in the solarium?” I ask, repeating the question he once asked me.

  His indigo blue irises swirl like whirlpools of the Cancer Sea, and he murmurs, “Maybe I would have asked you for your name.”

  “And I would have said, I’m Rho.” I hold out my hand for the Cancrian greeting.

  “Nice to meet you, Rho,” he says musically as we bump fists. “I’m Mathias.”

  His fingers wrap around my hand, and he holds on to it. “This might sound strange,” he says, his baritone voice deepening, “but I’ve really enjoyed sharing these mornings with you. More than I ever realized.”

  Warmth tickles my face as I channel the girl I was then, and it feels good to finally give her what she most wanted. “Being around you,” I whisper, “makes me feel safe. Your dedication to your routine, the peaceful aura around you, the way you’re so comfortable with silence . . . you remind me of home.”

  His face softens, and he interlocks his fingers with mine. “Today is my last day of university,” he says, “but would it be too forward to ask for your information so we can keep in touch?”

  “I’d love that,” I say, and though my face is still warm from the interaction, I feel tears forming in the corners of my eyes.

  “I would have Waved you every day,” he breathes, his thumb drawing small circles on my hand. “And as soon as I got to know you, I would have fallen irreversibly in love, and I would have never let you go.” His midnight eyes are glassy and bright. “Hysan wouldn’t have stood a chance. By the time you met him, our bond would have been unbreakable.”

  And neither of us would have fallen in love with someone from another House, I realize. We would have clung closer to Cancer, and we wouldn’t have opened our minds to the change we needed. Our hearts would have stayed strictly Cancrian, rather than expanding to encompass the whole Zodiac.

  Mathias and I had to fall in love with people different from us to understand that, deep down, we’re all the same.

  My eyes fill with so much water that his face blurs. “You still would have doubted Ophiuchus’s existence, while Hysan would have supported me,” I say with a small laugh, blinking to clear my view. Tears streak down my cheeks. “And I still would have shut the airlock door to try to protect you,” I say more seriously. “Pandora still would have saved you.”

  His gaze grows distant, and I see the events playing out in his eyes; when he focuses on me again, I know from his defeated expression that my math was right. Whatever we do, we always end up back here.

  It’s just our nature.

  He drops my hand, and the warmth in my skin recedes, like the sea’s tide pulling away from the shore.

  And now that it’s gone, I identify the feeling.

  It’s closure.

  • • •

  The Thirteenth House is completely covered in Dark Matter, but Ophiuchus guides us through the pathway created by the Piscenes’ Psynergy. He seems to be the only one who can See through the darkness, though I’m willing to wager Aquarius’s technology can navigate it.

  Our whole fleet lands in the same area because it’s where the Thirteenth Guardian directs us to go.

  “The Marad may already have us in its sights,” says Hysan before we disembark. “Everyone has to be armed and ready.”

  Every ship brought stores of Barers and pistols with them, in addition to their House’s signature weapon. I stick with just my Barer, and Ophiuchus is the only one who doesn’t take any weapon at all.

  When I step off ’Nox, I join thousands of other Zodai who are looking up in bewilderment. The Dark Matter in the atmosphere completely blocks out the sun’s rays, so the planet is shrouded in eternal night. The small hole in the atmosphere through which we flew in is the only place where silver starlight is visible, and every now and then it sends tendrils of lightning streaking through the sky.

  Scientifically, life shouldn’t even be possible here—yet the temperature is balmy, and we’re breathing fresh air. Only the oxygen tastes slightly different . . . almost like Abyssthe.

  Licorice-flavored air.

  Since there’s barely any light coming through the blanket of blackness above, this world’s illumination comes from the plant life.

  We’re surrounded by a massive and seemingly impassable swamp. The wild and overgrown trees are tall and spindly, their limbs crisscrossing with each other, and their leaves glow with silver light, like Ophiuchus’s eyes.

  They look like stars hanging from tree trunks.

  Just like its Guardian, this planet never died. It got caught between states—not quite part of this world, and not quite part of the next.

  While the other ships find places to land and more Zodai disembark, I glance at Hysan, who’s ogling at everything and for once looking just as mesmerized as the rest of us. “Guess I finally brought you somewhere you’ve never been before,” I say.

  His lips hitch into his centaur smile, and it’s like a small sunrise in the midst of an everlasting night.

  Then I not
ice Ophiuchus.

  His wide eyes are taking up his whole face, and he looks smaller somehow. He drops to the earth and touches the loamy soil with his bare hands, the way one would caress a long-lost lover. I feel like I’m intruding, so I turn away to let him have his moment.

  If I had the chance to return to Cancer, I would be on my knees, too.

  As the rest of the army joins us, I notice most people are in their Zodai suits, but some are donning their House’s actual warrior uniforms, like the ones worn during the Trinary Axis.

  The Arieans’ armor is a bloodred fireproof fabric made from the wool of their House’s Rams. It’s woven so tightly as to be as impenetrable as the toughest of metals. But the most striking part of their getup are their metal helmets, which have Ram horns sticking out from either side—when coupled with their huge bodies, they look terrifying.

  The helmet is Aries’s signature weapon. It’s called the Helm, and it provides a polarized, panoramic view of the battlefield and alerts them of incoming attacks or problematic vitals.

  A different herd of horned beasts emerges from the swamp, and after a moment I realize it’s the Taurians, who are dressed in their own fearsome battlefield regalia. The House’s Promisaries wear formfitting olive green uniforms adorned with shoulder epaulets that resemble the horns of a Bull.

  I quit scoping out the Houses’ getups when General Eurek says, “We should assemble the Guardians quickly, before the Marad catches up with us.”

  I search for Ophiuchus, and when I spot him tenderly touching a silver leaf, I call out, “Can you feel the presence of your original crash site?”

  He turns and strides over to us. “The whole place is buzzing with Psynergy. It’s too busy to locate a particular place.”

  Hysan comes closer, frowning, and before he says anything, I say, “We need to find Sage Ferez. I think I have an idea.”

  Eurek dispatches a Major to fetch Ferez from his ship, and when the Capricorn Guardian joins us, I don’t waste any time. “You once told us that uniting the four Cardinal Stones might lead us to the Unity Talisman—but do you think it could also lead us to the Talisman’s original landing place?”