The Zodiac Stone

Chapter Three: Water and Wind

His hand slapped to his chest as he jumped. Aine turned and found Lyr standing behind him.

His heart raced against the inside of his chest again, pounding like it wanted to be released. "Lyr," he breathed out.

"Where were you this morning during Morning Prayer?" she asked. "I thought something happened to you, to have missed it."

He watched her eyes as hers bore into his. He looked away when he couldn't hold her stare. His gaze followed her outfit. Her blue vest with the symbol of a Schowat, the blue stylized water droplets, by her left shoulder trailed down across to her right hip. She wore a pale blue skirt with a pleated design to the folds. On her feet she wore dark blue and gold sandals with a nicer design than the crude footwear the Sagittarius were given. Cancers were fourth in their kingdom's status, but the first of the Schowats and got the nicer attire of the water clans.

"I was in the library," he said and slowly took his arm from her grip. She released her fingers quickly as if he'd slapped her.

He wanted to ask her why she hadn't helped him when he was trapped by Vhagn, but remained silent believing it was better unsaid and should let it go.

"The library?" she said. "You never go there. What were you doing in the library?" A look of unnerve fell over her blue eyes and she lowered her voice. "That's a Libra thing."

He could feel a sting in her voice as she unconsciously leaned back, away from him.

"I was looking for something that would help my powers awaken," he said.

He watched her eyes spring wide. "What does that mean?"

"I found something that could help me get my fire," he said. He almost said it loudly but had to rein himself in. He didn't want others to hear, even as hopeful as he was.

What he didn't know, was his one friend, the one who he should have been able to trust, he couldn't.

"Oh, Aine, that's..." she trailed off as if looking for the right words to say. But he could see by the tilt of her head and the strange look in her eyes that something wasn't right with what she thought about it. A silence dropped like a hammer.

"You know Morning Prayer is very important. I don't think you should have missed it. Even for that," she said finally after an awkward silence fell between them.

He shifted his feet and kicked at a loose tile by his toe. "Lyr, do you know what this will mean for me if it works?" he asked. A stab of anger entered his voice. Why didn't she understand how important this was to him? "But you can't tell anyone about this."

She shook her head and took a step back from him keeping her arms tight at her sides and her hands clenched.

"It just sounds wrong and... unnatural."

He threw his hands up into the air in aggravation. "Lyr, I am running out of time! Do you think I will suddenly just get my fire ... tomorrow?" His voice pleaded with her to understand. He had hoped he wasn't the only one who thought this was a good idea, as dangerous as it was going to be.

"I- I don't know," she said and took another step away. "I am going to sit with my other friends today... I think," She looked away from him as she moved quickly. She avoided his eyes and ran into the dining hall.

He stared at where he saw her last before she'd disappeared.

His hands dropped to his sides and clenched the brown fabric of his shorts.

A weight seemed to fall back onto his shoulders, pushing them down toward the floor. The heaviness brought a sort of fog over his eyes. He had thought it had been a good idea but after her reaction, now he wasn't so sure.