We were exposed. Alfred drove out as quickly as possible and my friends rearranged the Summer Triangle, made it an asterism again after we could no longer see their van. The barrier was up as soon as it had been down. All four of them ran to their rooms and were fighting agony and a terrible headache.
"Why didn't you help?" I asked Phoenix.
"Not a descendant of the Twelve Major." She shrugged, then fidgeted with her bracelets.
We'll have Sagittarius in a matter of days. That leaves Gemini and Aries. Maybe even Leo. Scorpio is long gone. Libra may help us a little since they're staying neutral. I made a mental list of the ones we have with us. Cancer, Capricorn, Pisces, Aquarius and Virgo. Then I remembered what Tristan had said. I'm a double threat. Ophiuchus isn't one of the Twelve Major but still powerful.
"I'm going to check on Raelynn." Phoenix sauntered away. Raelynn was banging her head on her pillow and trying not to scream. I checked on Tristan and Nathan, they were pretending to be brave in the training area. I could see the veins popping out of their foreheads and the shortness of breath but they refused to lock themselves in the room. When Raelynn heard of this she sat up as if her migraine had magically healed. She fixed herself up and started archery practice.
I guess she didn't want to be considered weak next to everyone else.
"Well, that was easy." Phoenix smiled.
"Where's Anthony?" I asked.
"In the infirmary, as always." she answered.
"Playing doctor or playing patient?" I wondered.
"Let's find out," she said.
Apparently, he was doing a little bit of both. He was drowsy and couldn't concentrate. His coat was on inside out and his stethoscope kept falling off. He fell on cots and dozed off but he would snap back after a few minutes. We found him with an injection in his hand and he had collapsed on the floor.
Phoenix nudged him with her foot. "Get up." she demanded.
"Give me a hand." I slapped Anthony lightly on his face, that roused him.
"I'm fine," he mumbled groggily. His eyes fluttered open and closed slowly.
"My friend," Phoenix put a hand on his shoulder. "You and I have different definitions of fine."
"I'm serious," he insisted.
"Seriously sleepy and feeble," Phoenix muttered under her breath.
"Go get some rest," I told him. He looked like he wanted to protest but he just handed me the needle and dragged himself on the floor all the way to the boys' room.
"Should we help him?" I asked.
"No." Phoenix shrugged. "He'll be fine."
"What if he accidently walks onto the training area and get shot by an arrow or a bullet?" I worried.
"Then, we'll tell everyone that it was an accident." She smiled nervously. I glared at her but she was amused.
"I'm going to go help him." I decided but she grabbed my arm before I could take another step.
"You worry too much."
"And you worry too less." I shot back.
She yawned as if I was boring her to sleep. "If he does get shot by anything, we'll get a doctor to surgically remove the bullet or arrow."
I raised my eyebrows at her. "Duh, what else would we do?" she snapped but I could see a little concern in her eyes.
"Isn't there another way we can open the barrier without them acting like they're drunk?" I asked.
YOU ARE READING
Celestial Gardens(The Last Star Trilogy #2)
Fantasy"I thought I might pass out again, the only thing that kept me awake was the fact that the Sign on my wrist sizzled like oil on a frying pan. At first I thought it was just the aftermath of the intravenous drip but when I looked at it I nearly screa...
