Page 6 of Taurus's Quest
Beep.
She stared in disbelief as the door unlocked.
A yank on the handle opened it. The faint light from the single bulb at her back didn’t show much past the threshold, but she took a step forward anyhow, feeling for a light switch.
To her surprise, her fingers fumbled across one. The room illuminated, and she blinked then blinked again at the empty chamber. Actually, not entirely empty. A strange arch stood in the middle, carved of stone and etched in symbols. It appeared old, a historical monument, locked away instead of being studied.
Being an astronomer didn’t mean she didn’t have an appreciation and admiration for the past. She trailed her fingers on the rock, the tips of them tingling with warmth, almost as if an electrical current ran through the structure.
As she stepped through it to check out the other side, she gasped, expelling all the air in her lungs as extreme cold suddenly hit. The frigid blast lasted only a moment but proved intense and disorientating enough to cause her to fall to her knees. The hood of her cloak flopped over her head and she remained crouched, catching her breath.
How odd.
Even odder? The floor that she’d have sworn was roughhewn stone only a moment ago now appeared to be polished and smooth. Light flickered at the periphery of her vision, and she heard crackling that reminded her of a wood-burning fire.
Still on her haunches, she lifted her head to see a hearth, a massive one that she’d have sworn didn’t exist a moment ago. Neither did the bookcases flanking it. As a matter of fact, she’d never seen this room before.
Where was she? And how had she gotten here?
Before she could properly assess her situation, a deep voice boomed, “So you’re the reason I couldn’t finish my shower.”
Chapter 3
Taurus walked into the library—because Tower left him no choice—and lo and behold, there crouched the green lady. Green not of skin but because of the voluminous cloak she wore that covered her head to toe. Seemingly human-shaped but, to be sure, he drew her attention. “So you’re the reason I couldn’t finish my shower.”
At the accusation, her head turned, and he got a glimpse of her face framed by the deep hood. His first thought? She’s beautiful. Cream-colored skin, a slightly hawkish nose, dark eyes framed by dark lashes and brows, finished off with full lips. In better news, not a monster or alien.
“Who are you? Have you come to let me out?” she exclaimed in Greek, which he understood, languages being one of the Zodiac gifts.
At her rapid-fire queries, his brow arched. “Name is Taurus, and why do you need me to let you out when you obviously knew how to find your way in?”
Her lips pursed. “Apologies. I didn’t mean to get caught in your store after closing. An honest mistake. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to leave your establishment so I can go home.”
“Store? What are you talking about? You’re in Tower’s library, lady. As to how you got here, why don’t you tell me?”
The lady in green rose to her feet and glanced around before facing him, paler than before. “This isn’t right. I don’t remember entering this room. How did I get here? What did you do to me?”
He held up his hands. “Slow down on the accusations. I didn’t do shit. You’re the one trespassing, so why don’t you tell me how you got here?”
“My last recollection was of the shop’s basement. I sought a tool to break the lock on the shop’s rear entrance so I could exit. Instead, I found a door, which I hoped led to the catacombs and possible escape. However, the room beyond only held an arch?—”
Taurus interrupted. “Was it made of stone, kind of old and fancy looking?”
“Yes.” She glanced around and frowned. “It’s gone. Odd, because I distinctly recall stepping through.”
By her words, she’d ended up here by accident. What he found more interesting? The fact she’d ended up in the library and hadn’t remained in the portal room. Most likely Tower’s doing.
Before he could say a word, she blurted out, “What happened to the arch and the room it was in? Is this some kind of trick accomplished with mirrors or projectors?”
Hoo boy. How to explain? Might as well stick to the truth. “You stepped through a portal that brought you to another place.”
She blinked her incredibly long lashes. “Excuse me?”
“You.” He pointed at her. “Teleported.” He waved his hands around and sought an explanation she might understand and found one in popular fiction. “Just like in Star Trek.”
“Impossible,” she huffed. “We don’t have that kind of technology.”
“You’re right, we don’t. The portal system uses magic to move things, including people.” Easier than explaining that the mystical force of the Astraeus—the entities that lived within the Zodiac constellation stars—powered the arches.
