Page 29 of The Bound Zodiac

“Yes, but I can’t do it alone. The power needed is more than any one Ophis has ever managed. The last Ophis gave his life to hold that portal open, dying on the other side. In theory, I could do it, but I wouldn’t survive. But with nine bond mates⁠—”

Percy narrowed his eyes. “Nine.”

This was it…

“Both shields merged into one.”

“You want us to share you with them?” Eris asked, copper eyes wide.

“I want us to work together, Eris. To become stronger than either shield could be by itself.”

“And what exactly does that mean?” Aiden asked. “Because it sounds like you’re asking us to bond with five strangers while you⁠—”

“Let me be clear, Aiden. This isn’t just about me. This is about all of us, every Zodiac on Earth. The Assembly has kept us divided and ignorant. They’ve kept us from reaching our full potential. The Order believes that if we can open the portal, we can reclaim what we lost. We can go home. And you know what? We were once strangers too. In many ways, we still are.”

I tried to ignore the hurt in his eyes before he hid it. “And what makes you think the Assembly will allow it?”

“How could they stop us? If word got out, I bet we’d have more supporters than we realize. So many would give anything to go home. The Assembly only controls the ignorant.”

Percy stood and paced. He didn’t look angry, just confused. “And what about us? What about the bond we already have?”

“I want to expand it. Make it stronger. I want to make all of us stronger. Our bond won’t disappear. I’d never ask that of you.”

He ran a hand over his face, and when he looked at me again, his eyes were a vivid, dangerous red. “So you’re saying we’ll have to feel it when you—” He gestured toward the Stardust side of the room. “When you’re with them.”

Heat crept up my neck. “Actually, we need to practice blocking when necessary. Privacy is possible with a little effort.”

“That’s your solution?” Percy’s voice rose. “Just block us out while you⁠—”

“While I what, Percy? Live my life? Form relationships? That’s exactly the point. We need to manage this bond properly, not let it control us.”

“Easy for you to say,” Aiden muttered. “You’re not the one who’s going to feel⁠—”

“I feel everything, Aiden. You’re not very good at blocking me out. Do you think that’s easy? Do you think I want to know when one of you is angry or jealous or—” I caught myself, taking a deep breath. “We need to learn to control this. All of us.”

The silence felt heavy. I could tell they were running out of valid objections. No logical reason existed for us not to do this, and they knew it.

Draco stood suddenly, drawing all eyes in the room. Without a word, he went to the kitchenette, muttering about needing caffeine.

“I’ll uh… help,” Jamie said, rising from his seat. He moved past Percy and joined Draco at the counter.

A bit of the tension eased as the two of them worked in silence—Draco pulling mugs from the cabinet, Jamie locating the coffee and tea. I watched them, unsure of what to say. Percy, Aiden, and Eris were talking amongst themselves while Phoenix, Lucas, and Rowan observed with bemused expressions. Theo was munching loudly on a bag of chips.

After a few minutes, they returned with a tray of mugs. Jamie handed them out to Stardust while Draco served Nightfall. When he offered me my mug, our fingers brushed, sending a spark through me. His eyes darkened briefly before he turned away.

Aiden watched us, his expression unreadable. He caught Draco’s eye, raising an eyebrow in silent question. Draco shook his head slightly and mouthed “later,” before taking his seat again.

I took a sip of my coffee, using the moment to gather my thoughts. This conversation was going smoother than I’d anticipated. Everything in the room was still intact. No fires, no injuries. I considered that a win.

“Look,” I began, setting my mug down. “I know this is a lot. I know it’s asking you to trust people you barely know. But I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was necessary.” My eyes met Phoenix’s green stare. “And honestly… I trust them. And I hope you trust me enough to see that.”

Phoenix leaned forward, his large frame making the couch creak beneath him. “The Order has waited for this moment for centuries. For an Ophis to open the portal. But she can’t do it alone, and with only four bond mates, she might not survive.” A wave of anxiety rolled through the bond with Nightfall. Phoenix continued, “The Order isn’t just about the portal. It’s about preserving our history, our culture, everything the Assembly has tried to erase. If you agree to this merger, you’ll meet the elders. They’ll want to assess your commitment.”

“Assess us?” Percy’s voice was dangerously quiet. “We’ve been loyal warriors for years. We don’t need to be assessed.”

“Everyone is assessed,” Phoenix said. “Even us. We all underwent evaluation before joining.”

Percy nodded, sipping his coffee as he sat back.