Libra Ascending: An Epic Urban Fantasy Romance (Zodiac Guardians Book 1) by Tamar Sloan (adult books to read .TXT) 📗

It’ll remind her that they’d never let anything happen to each other.

“Do you remember the time he was five, Zarius?”

“He was five for a whole year. You’re going to have to be more specific.”

Zarius is pushing her to focus on the details. Clever guy.

Tess huffs and Tristan imagines her rolling her eyes. “The time he had the visions about what we were getting him for his birthday.”

The sound of a chuckle filters through Tristan’s senses and he wishes he could smile.

“He saw that he got a fighting stick that he’d later use on a Skin—”

“A bō staff.”

“That’s what I said. He saw you passing a great big stick all wrapped up with a ribbon or an…”

“An avocado.” The tension has eased from Zarius’s voice. He was hoping to help Tess, but it doesn’t surprise Tristan she’s easing his mind, too.

Memories of that evening fill Tristan’s mind. Without the sensation of his body, it’s like he’s there. He’d been elated by the first vision. Devastated by the second.

He hates avocados.

Zarius and Tess had no choice but to tell him the truth. He got the bō early and set himself the challenge to see if he could convince them to get him two sai instead.

Getting those batons with their pretty curved prongs coming up the sides had been quite the cherry on his birthday celebration.

“And do you remember the time he was six and he walked in on us, well…”

Suddenly, Tristan wants to bolt upright and tell them he’s fine. Of all the stories to tell! This is one he doesn’t want to hear.

“I told him I was teaching you the body fold defense.”

“Which he then wanted to learn.” The eye roll in Tess’s voice is apparent.

“So, I told him about the Gemini planets instead.”

Tess sighs. “He always loved hearing about them.”

The memory of his first time hearing about his home worlds blossoms in his prison of a mind.

“The Twin planets are the most beautiful of all the planets I’ve ever been to,” Zarius had said, sitting on the edge of Tristan’s bed after tucking him back in. “Unlike Earth, all the plant life is red. There is nothing more beautiful than looking down on a forest of red Ocana trees, with their luscious pink flowers.”

“What makes them red instead of green?” Tristan had asked, eyes wide with wonder.

Zarius chuckled. “I never thought to ask that question. Red was my normal. Earth’s green plants are strange to me.” He’d winked, and Tristan giggled.

“What else is different from Earth?” Tristan asked eagerly.

“Everything,” Zarius had laughed. “Because the planets rotate around each other in the same orbit, they frequently eclipse each other. The planets act as each other’s moons, giving each other the tidal pull they need to sustain life, and it’s so beautiful to see the red and blue orb of Gemini II in the sky on Gemini I. Earth’s Moon is so unremarkable with its plain white. I miss home.”

Zarius looked longingly out the window, as he often did.

“Will I ever get to see our home planet?” Tristan asked in a small voice.

Zarius looked back at him and smiled. “I hope so, Tristan. I hope we both will.”

“Of course, then Tristan wanted to know about the Gemini Twins,” says Tess fondly, snapping Tristan out of his reverie.

He always asked about them. Even back then, Tristan felt…incomplete. The words Zarius spoke that night have always stayed with him.

Twin orbiting planets. Two separate bloodlines. One moment in time.

For thousands of years, the Gemini Heirs were born at the exact same second. They weren’t only destined to become the Gemini Guardians, to wield the powers of their ancient stones, but were also fated to be soulmates.

And when their forces combined, no power in the Universe could defeat them.

“Will I meet her soon?” Tristan had asked.

Zarius had pulled the covers up as he’d tucked Tristan between them. “That’s the plan.”

Tristan had fallen asleep, secure and confident in the knowledge that what Zarius said would happen always did.

“And the topic of the body fold defense was dropped,” says Tess, a smile in her voice.

And Tristan never questioned why Zarius didn’t teach it to him… If Tristan could feel his body, he’d blush.

Silence descends between them. There’s the sound of the engine revving too high with each gear change, the odd squealing of tires as they take a corner.

But Zarius and Tess don’t tell any more stories.

“We have to make him better, Zarius.” Tess chokes the words out.

“That’s the plan.”

It’s a good thing Tristan is paralyzed, or the thought he just had would’ve popped out of his mouth before he could stop it.

Let’s hope that plan goes better than the one to find his Twin.

There’s the sound of more rubber being left behind on asphalt and the engine shuts off. They must be home.

The car door opens. “Quick, open the door.”

The rapid thumping of Zarius’s heartbeat fills Tristan’s mind. Zarius is carrying him inside. Who knows when the last time he did that was. When Tristan was three? Four? He frowns inside. There are no grunts to show Zarius is struggling with the weight. Time for more protein shakes.

Once he gets his body back…

The sound of boots down steps tells Tristan they’re going down to the basement. He expected that. It’s the safest place in the house. And where the nanites are.

“You open his mouth, I’ll pour them in,” instructs Zarius.

There’s a pause and Tristan feels nothing.

“Dammit!” Zarius’s voice has gone quiet. It only goes quiet when he’s freaked out. “He’s not swallowing. Quick. Turn him on his side.”

“Get it out, Zarius!” Tess shouts. “He’ll drown!”

Drown? There’s more silence and Tristan curses the black void he’s in. He’s choking on nanites and he has no idea.

“It’s fine,” Zarius says with relief. “His mouth is clear.”

“Why can’t he swallow, Zarius?”

“We’ll give him more. This time intravenously.”

Tristan notices that Zarius avoids the question. He wills Tess to ask again. He wills his body to work.

Why can’t I swallow?

“Here.” Tess’s voice is full of