The Tenth House

by Ashley R Scott

  I grab hold of the door frame to keep myself steady as Jocelyn groans from the seat beside me.

  Easing slightly off the accelerator, Aidan weaves my Jeep through the traffic. I keep my eyes glued to the back window, watching the SUV falling behind but matching our moves.

  After a lifetime on the road, Aidan slows just enough to take a side road leading deep into the thick and ancient trees. The single-vehicle road is barely visible under the snow. As he slows almost to a crawl, the Jeep groans with the effort of grinding uphill on the unplowed road.

  “Where are we going?” I grimace with every bump, hanging onto the door handle to keep from sloshing around.

  Aidan grips the wheel with white knuckles as he yanks it hard to avoid a tree that had broken under the weight of the snow.

  “We have to find you somewhere safe.” He pulls hard on the wheel again. “If we can get there.”

  “Way out here?” I frown at the darkened forest.

  Aidan opens his mouth then closes it. He sighs, a look of sadness on his face.

  “You’re better off on this mountain. There’s safety in these trees.” He slams on the brakes, and the Jeep slides to a stop, lightly tapping a large tree stump blocking the road.

  “Now what?” Jocelyn leans forward, peering out the windshield.

  “You’re going to have to walk from here.” Cursing under his breath, Aidan throws the Jeep into park.

  I squeeze up beside Jocelyn. “What do you mean, you? You’re not coming with us?”

  He hangs his head. “I wish I could. That car following us was too close. They’ll be here any minute. I can’t risk them catching you.”

  “What about us? We can’t survive out here.” My fingers grip the headrest and I desperately will him to change his mind. “We need you.”

  He brushes his shaggy hair out of his eyes, wincing at moving his cut arm. He pushes the door open, sliding out into the arctic air, the fresh scent of crisp pine flooding the car. “Come on. Hurry.”

  Jocelyn and I slip out of the Jeep, and I glare at the tiny snowflakes floating softly through the trees. We trudge forward a few feet before stopping to look at Aidan.

  “Stay together and walk in a straight line, using each other's steps. Drag your feet to hide the footsteps.” He kicks through our footprints around the Jeep, glancing back before hopping inside the vehicle.

  “I’ll be back with supplies as soon as I can. Walk straight down this road and follow the fork to the right, go into the trees, and you’ll find a small cave. Hide in there and wait for me.”

  Jocelyn lays a hand softly on my shoulder. “He’s right. We should go ahead. I’ll find the way, but I can’t handle it if something happens to you.”

  Aidan fires the Jeep to life, backing up slowly.

  As I stare at the receding taillights, I brush Jocelyn’s hand off my shoulder.

  “I still don’t know why this is happening. I don’t know why I’m running. I don’t know why my friend is dead. I don’t know anything!” My voice rises, shrill as it breaks the silence of the forest. I hang my head and refuse to look up as Jocelyn quietly turns, heading deeper into the woods.

  We fight through knee-deep snow, our labored breathing creating thick white clouds in front of our flushed faces. Whispers ride the currents, barely noticeable on the wind.

  “Do you hear that?”

  Jocelyn whirls around, searching through the dense forest. “No. What do you hear? Are we being followed?”

  I frown, straining to listen but unable to make out any words.

  “I don’t think so. It sounds like whispering, but I can’t figure out what direction it’s from. It's like it’s coming from the trees.” I feel a pull from the earth, growing stronger the deeper we hike into the trees.

  I shake myself from my thoughts to find that the sound has faded away, leaving me to wonder whether I heard anything at all. I squint through the trees. We’re lost. Everything looks the same out here. Dizzy from the cold, I kick at the snow, stumbling as I throw myself off balance. “Are we even going in the right direction?”

  Jocelyn glances around, then doubles over, her hands on her hips.

  “I can’t tell the trees apart, but we’re headed the right way.” She straightens, swaying slightly.

  “You okay? You took a big hit earlier.” Her face is still slightly puffy, and the bruise on her cheek spreads slowly.

  She smiles softly, the gesture more of a grimace than any reassurance, and shivers.

  “Just a bit of a headache. I could use a hot bath and one of Sarah’s steaks.” She laughs, hollow and forced, no mirth touching the ghostly stare that haunts her eyes.

  “Let’s keep going. We should be getting close.” We fall back in line, dragging our weary bodies down the path. “My feet are freezing.”

  I had lost track of time when a murder of crows screeches, echoing through the mountain air, as it thunders through the trees overhead. I duck, sucking in a sharp breath, the frigid air stinging my lungs.

  Staying close to the ground, I scan the forest, searching for anything that could’ve spooked the birds. Even the forest around us holds its breath.

  In the distance, dark shapes slink through the trees.

  “Run.”

  With a squeak, Jocelyn fights her way forward with me pushing her from behind. Shouts echo through the air, hastening our steps, as I struggle to swallow the panic rising in my throat.

  I throw a quick glance over my shoulder to gauge our distance from the men. They’d seen us and were quickly running in our direction.

  “Ciara, look out!”

  I whip my head around just in time to slam into a man with a midsection as thick as the trees that fill this forest. The force of the collision sends me stumbling backward, and I instinctively throw my arm down to break my fall, grimacing as pain shoots through my wrist.

  The crash leaves him unfazed, as if I’d been a light breeze brushing against him. The man stares down at me with blood-red eyes beneath curly orange hair, reminding me of an oak tree in autumn. His outstretched arm grips a squirming Jocelyn with a meaty fist wrapped tightly around her shoulder.

  “Who… Who are…” My question dies on my lips with a flick of his fiery glare. My stomach twists in knots, his appearance weighing heavily on my already strained nerves.

  Jocelyn swats at his hand, his iron grip unflinching. Frowning like she was a puppy nipping at his ankle, he tightens his grip. A quiet moan escapes her lips. “Be still, girl.”

  He scans the forest and grunts, shoving Jocelyn behind him as Slade and Wesley break through the trees.

  I scramble to my feet, rushing behind him, and grab hold of Jocelyn’s arm. She looks dangerously close to tipping over.

  Slade and Wesley stop short, bumping into each other at the sight of the man between us. They size him up, calculating their plan of attack.

  Silently, they take cautious steps to their right, as if hoping to somehow get around the man-shaped wall. Wesley watches our protector with beady eyes, his lip twitching nervously. “Get out of the way, Zodiac. This doesn’t concern you.”

  A slow smile spreads across the man’s face as he raises his arms to his sides, palms facing down toward the snow. A flurry of snowflakes whip around in front of us in every direction, the flakes growing thicker and making it almost impossible to see.

  Wesley and Slade shout, their words barely able to carry through the chaotic dance of flakes.

  He raises his arms, the intensity of the miniature blizzard increasing. Finally, he pushes his palms toward the men, blasting a wall of snow in their direction.

  As his arms drop, the snowstorm disintegrates, leaving only a pile of snow where Wesley and Slade had been standing. He walks up to the mound, lightly placing his palms on the snow. Crackling noises fill the air as it hardens into ice.

  He faces us, shaking the snow from his hair.

  “That will not hold them long. This way.” He shoves Jocelyn in front of him. I'm impressed that she m
anages to keep her balance.

  He walks past me, and I scramble to keep up. “What the hell was that with the snow? How did you do that? Who are you?”

  Twisting at the hips, he stares down at me, studying my face. A chuckle rumbles deep within his barreled chest. “I rule the element of water. In all its forms.”

  “What’s funny? And I asked who you are.” I huff, hardening my gaze as I wait for an answer.

  “I am Scorpio.” He pushes forward, deeper into the forest, moving through the snow as if he walks on top of it. “You know, you are a lot like him.”

  I stare at him, my jaw hanging open as steaming puffs of breath hang in the air in front of me.

  “Wait. What? Like who?” I shake my head and realize they're quickly leaving me behind, so I struggle to catch up.

  Without missing a step, Scorpio says, “You’re like your father. Hurry now, and keep quiet.”

  I stop, a cold shiver running through my body, more from the news than the freezing mountain air. He knows my father? Mother never talked about him. I’d never even seen a picture. On the verge of tears, I look up at the receding back of Scorpio.

  I shift my eyes to Jocelyn, who was watching me through tears of her own. Both hopeful and pissed, I follow Scorpio slowly as Jocelyn falls in silently beside me.

  We shift toward the right and follow a line of trees that curve down toward a ravine. I’m exhausted and numb as the three of us walk in silence.

  The trees thin, giving way to large, jagged rocks. We squeeze through, one by one, and follow the narrow path, disappearing just below a large boulder. The bottom opens into a small cave, close to the size of a large garage. We file into the cave, and I rub my frozen hands together, huddling close to Jocelyn.

  Scorpio stands rigidly near the opening of the cave and slowly closes his eyes. A breeze flows in from behind me, impossible given it was a stone wall, and kicks my hair over my shoulder. A whisper floats in on the wind, so faint that I can’t understand the words. A stiff gust whips through the cave, and suddenly everything grows still and quiet.

  “Uh, what was that?” Jocelyn stares wide-eyed. I don’t blame her for looking ready to bolt. She’s caught up in what appears to be my mess, and we’ve both seen too much already. I shrug, taking a deep breath. For just a quick moment, I had felt at peace.

  “Sit. Rest for now. We have business to discuss.” Scorpio waits, staying near the entrance.

  Jocelyn leans against the wall, sliding down into a sitting position and stretching her legs out in front of her. I cross the cave, the thump of my footsteps echoing through the hollow space, and sit down beside her.

  “You mean the business of telling me how you know my father?”

  “I mean the business of you telling me what you’re going to do about Taurus.” Scorpio straightens his posture, cutting a very imposing figure even when I’m not staring up at him from the floor.

  “Nothing. There’s nothing I can do. I don’t even know what any of this has to do with me.” I pull my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around my shins, ducking my head beneath the heat of his stare without looking up from the ground.

  “It has everything to do with you, girl.” His booming voice fills the cave, cloaking us with his anger.

  I scramble to my feet and charge forward, stopping just inches from him.

  “If in fact, this does involve me somehow, then somebody had better start giving me answers. Two days ago, everything was normal. Now, in the last forty-eight hours, I’ve been running for my life. I don’t even know why. I saw someone I know murdered. I can’t even go to my own home. I’m stuck out here in the wilderness, in the snow with nothing! I’m freezing. Oh, and as if that isn’t enough, Zodiacs are somehow real people. You’ve got to be kidding me!” I tremble with anger, my nails digging into my palms as I stare him down.

  “Never mistake that we are very real and that we control your actions through your personality. I suggest you tread carefully. Taurus has rebelled against his duty, broken the ancient creed, and you must be the one to stop him.” His voice is low and even, deflating some of my anger.

  “Why me? Why don’t you stop him and just leave me alone?” I turn my back on Scorpio, hanging my head. “I just want to be left alone.”

  Scorpio appears in front of me, causing me to jump.

  “That murdered woman? Reena? She was my Guardian. I demand you stop him.” Scorpio softly reaches out, tipping my face up to look at him and surprising me with his gentle touch. I search his eyes, finding them pleading and sad.

  My heart breaks for him. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I don’t know what this Guardian thing is that people keep talking about.”

  Scorpio steps back, the cold mask back in place. “You have the full assistance of my Aid. He will give you all the help you need. I’ve ordered him to do so, and he cannot refuse me. We all expect big things from you. You’re different than the rest. Don’t let us down.”

  “Your Aid?” A chill creeps deep into my bones, and I rub my arms.

  “Aidan.” He cocks his head to the side, listening to something only he can hear. He vanishes, leaving me staring at empty space.

  “What the hell? Where did he go?” Jocelyn sits on her knees, searching the cave with wide eyes.

  “Am I crazy, Jocelyn? Does any of this make any sense to you?” I pull my coat tighter and lower myself to the ground next to her. The cold weighs heavily from all directions.

  Jocelyn wraps her arm around my shoulders. “If you’re crazy, then we’re in this together.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  I wait outside the entrance of the cave, taking refuge in the cold silence of the forest. My anger had long dissipated, now replaced by dread weighing heavily on my mind. A glance over my shoulder shows a peacefully dozing Jocelyn, her head drooping forward next to a fire she'd managed to build. Back to the front, I stare at the trees, watching the fluffy snowflakes drift lazily through the air, and wonder how much longer we can survive out here. Too stubborn to go back inside the cave, I wrap my arms around my knees and shiver in the cold.

  “You’ll freeze to death sitting out here.” I jump at the sound of his voice. It’s as if Aidan just appeared out of thin air.

  “I don’t think I care.” I shift carefully on the flat rock I’m using for a seat, taking care not to slip off the edge. It’s a long drop to the bottom of the ravine.

  “Be careful. And I care. Come inside the cave. Please.” Aidan reaches out his hand, but I ignore the offer.

  “I’m fine out here. I need to think.” I quickly look him up and down, folding my hands in my lap. “I don’t see any supplies.”

  “Gresham’s men were crawling all over your house. I was on my way to a store when Capricorn stopped me and made me come back immediately. They’re supposed to bring us supplies. He needs to meet with you.” He reaches forward, and I scoot closer to the edge of the rock. “Please, you’re making me nervous.”

  “When were you going to tell me that you work for Scorpio as his Aid?” I clench my teeth and hold his stare.

  “How do you know?” He rubs the bridge of his nose.

  “I ran into him on the way out here. Literally. He saved us from Wesley and Slade and then brought us here. He’s a lovely man.” I turn my attention back to the snowflakes.

  “There are a lot of words to describe him, but lovely isn’t one of them.” Aidan snorts, then lets out a long, slow sigh.

  “Scorpio put me in charge of keeping you safe. I wasn’t even supposed to talk to you, but I had to after seeing you that night. I was ordered not to tell you anything. I wanted to. Really.”

  My shoulders drop forward and I hang my head. I believe him, or at least I want to. It’s hard to know what’s real anymore, but I can’t stay mad at the man who’s saved my life more than once.

  Aidan slides his hand onto my shoulder, the now familiar tingle racing down my arm. “Are you alright?”

  I fight the urge to lean into him, closi
ng my eyes slowly and tilting my head toward the sky, feeling the soft kiss of the snow on my burning cheeks. “What does Capricorn want?”

  “He needs to speak with you. You’re to go to a cave.”

  My anger instantly flares again.

  “A cave? What’s wrong with this cave? Why do I have to go traipsing deeper into the woods? He wants to talk, he can come and find me!”

  I jump to my feet and shriek as my balance fails, landing hard on my side with my sore ribs screaming from the impact of crashing to the rock. My desperate fingers fight for a grip on the slick rock as I slide toward the edge. “Aidan!”

  “Hang on!” Aidan dives forward, grabbing my hand, and knocks my fingers from their slight hold on the rock.

  I scream, sliding closer to the edge.

  Aidan crawls forward, moving as fast as the slippery surface allows. He lunges, clasping my wrist as my lower body falls over the side of the rock.

  My grip tightens around his arm as my weight dangles over the side, threatening to drag us both to our deaths.

  “Aidan, I’m sorry.”

  “Just be still.” He grunts with effort as he locks his toes on the side of the rock and pulls. His feet slip as he slides closer to sending us both over the edge.

  “Hang on! I got you.” Jocelyn appears and grabs Aidan’s ankles, securing his hold on the rock. “Hurry!”

  “Hold on tight!” Concern fills his blue eyes. I nod, the movement causing me to slip a little farther. He squeezes his eyes tightly shut and pulls with all his strength, groaning as he lifts me up.

  I reach for Jocelyn with my free hand, our arms just out of reach. “Jocelyn, you’re going to have to let me go and help Ciara.”

  “No! Jocelyn, don’t let him go!” I struggle to reach her hand, trying to keep my movement to a minimum. “She can’t. You’ll fall.”

  “We have to hurry. Jocelyn? Are you ready?” Aidan reaches down with his other hand, securing them both tightly around my arm.

  Her lips set in a thin line, she nods to me. “I understand.”