Children of the Stars

Chapter Seventeen

Laura, Jasmine and I ended up walking back to the clearing together. My broad Aquarius friend proved to be very helpful as once I stood on my feet, my legs shook and I ended up retching in the bushes. Jasmine helped me, concern flashing in her pale green-blue eyes as my body shook like a leaf.

"Dude, are you alright?" She asked with a frown.

"I will be, in a few minutes." I closed my eyes and forced my feet to keep walking. My stomach sloshed uncomfortably but I refused to let myself barf yet again and let my weaknesses be known. Unfortunately, as we began to run into a scattered few people, Jasmine spoke up again.

"Heights really get to you don't they?"

"Watch it!" I hissed, as a Capricorn boy perked up at the sound of our voices. Laura glared at the boy.

"Keep moving." I saw her eyes flicker dangerously as a glaze of pale blue surrounded her face, a sign of an incoming projection. The boy scowled and refused to stop openly staring at what he probably thought was something that could be interesting gossip.

With a roll of her eyes, the glow shot from the space between her eyes and landed on the ground in a flurry of whitish blue smoke. In about two seconds, the smoke bubbled and changed. A bristling wolf appeared, snarling and drooling as it stared at the boy. His face went slack in terror, and without a second glance took off running. The wolf followed a few steps at a hard gallop before slowing to a trot and returning at a walk to Laura, where the blonde Pisces closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The wolf changed into smoke and vacuumed up to the space between her eyes once more. When her eyes opened, and the pale gleam had disappeared, I let out the breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

"Wow," I whispered, awe spreading throughout my body. "That was intense, bro."

Laura ducked her head humbly and flashed me a small smile. "That is the power of Pisces; to project illusions."

We drifted off into a comfortable sort of silence as we walked, each to her own thoughts. Mine kept returning to Talaiya and the way she deceived me. Hurt rang inside me like a gong bell. My thoughts were diverted as two girls approached. I recognized Kitch's wild tangle of black hair right away, but the other girl was a mystery. She was taller that her Sagittarius friend and much more wiry. The only similarities between the two were the red grins they wore as they greeted us.

"I see you made a... Friend?" I spoke to Kitch, raising an eyebrow. She spat out a wad of bloody spittle before she spoke.

"This is Fellwyn of Aries," she introduced us while I sized up the girl. "She had my back when some bastards tried to brand us from behind."

Fellwyn had off-brown hair with streaks of brighter blonde from hours spent in the sun. Her skin was toned golden and her eyes were the dark green of the deep woods with an amber ring around her left pupil. She had a fierce face though her eyes twinkled in mirth.

"Hello, Fellwyn. I'm Amythest."

"Just call me Fell," she murmured, beaming a crooked smile at me. Her voice was warm as summer, with a pleasant southern drawl to match.

"And look, bitches," Kitch piped up, bearing her wrist. "We didn't get branded!"

"Neither did we!" Jasmine shot back, revealing her bare wrist.

"That's because you two were too caught up in dirty tree sex to even pay attention to the game," I threw in, grinning as I saw the blood rush up both guilty parties' faces.

My roommate looked shocked. "Wait, actually? Jasmine, you didn't tell me you had a girl!"

While the shy Aquarius turned into a puddle in embarrassment, Laura just scowled. Kitch took no notice as she was now frowning at me and my wobbly body.