Zodiac Mansion

Reconvening

Long time no update! Get it? Ha okay, I'll stop. Anyway, just making a quick author's note.
I'm planning on going back and revising some earlier chapters in this book because they're...
well, they're just bad. So be on the look out for a couple changes here and there. It won't be anything too major though! Or will it? Enjoy :)

•••

"It's strange that only the two of them would bother you. Clearly they knew they wouldn't have stood the chance... It baffles me how they even knew where to find you."

Cepheus' hand found it's way to his beard, stroking it ever so cautiously. His eyes were a mix of question, attention, and a bit of worry – though he would never let them know that.

Aquarius had her arms crossed, leaning against the wall of his office. She had remained quiet as the zodiacs explained their run in with Corvus and Vela to Cepheus. When she finally spoke, her voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a knife.

"Obviously they knew they didn't stand a chance. If Ophiuchus and that
Algol-demon-Queen wanted a fight they would have given us one."

She had everyone's attention now.

"Corvus and Vela weren't there to destroy us, no. They were there to study us."

Cepheus knit his eyebrows in confusion, his expression mirroring everyone else's. Aries was quick to respond. "Study us? What does that mean? We're not some fucking-"

"Language!" Cepheus cut in.

"...Textbooks you have to read and memorize."

Aquarius shook her head. "That's not what I'm saying. What I mean is, I think Algol sent them to observe how we perform in battle; how we react, how we strategize, our strengths, our weaknesses..."

"Why would Algol want to know that?" Pisces voiced.

"Why wouldn't she?" Gemini quipped. "If I wanted to destroy us and take over the world, I'd probably want to know my enemy's strengths and weaknesses too."

"I mean he has a point," Taurus agreed.

Cepheus spoke up, "It's very plausible that's what they were doing. However, this just leaves one question unanswered."

"What's that?" Cancer asked.

"How they knew where you were."

Another round of silence fell over the zodiac, and this time Aquarius didn't offer an answer. The thought of their enemy knowing where they were – where they were going – made them feel on edge, almost violated. How on earth did they know where the zodiac were?

Finally Virgo said, "Maybe it's possible that someone told them."

"What do you mean?" Sagittarius asked.

"Like someone from the school told them," She continued, playing with the pendant around her neck. "We told our friends and other people where we were going for Spring Break. It could be possible there's someone here who's secretly joined Ophiuchus and told them where we were going."

"You don't actually think..." Capricorn muttered quietly.

"If that's true then we have to do something about this!"  Leo's loud voice cut in, filled with agitation. "We can't trust anybody-"