Kyran led everyone (including Ellie) through the castle gates. The walls inside were made of cobblestone, decorated with the occasional plant painting. The floor was covered by purple carpets with red fringed edges. Kyran led them around the castle and Jacquie wondered how Kyran knew his way around. When the hall split into different directions, Kyran spoke.

"We should split up. Kirna, Johnathan, and Daniel should go left. Riordan, Maize, Erik, and Robin, go right. Jacquie and I will go straight."

Following Kyran's instructions, the gang split up. As soon as they were completely alone, Kyran spoke.

"Jacquie?"

"Yeah?" she said.

"I was thinking," he began, "That sand thing you did back there. There's no way you should have been able to do that. Before you get offended, it's not what you did, it's how you did it."

"What do you mean?"

"What Riordan said did happen. Your eyes shone and your hair floated and everything. But it wasn't supposed to do that."

"So you're saying my necklace doesn't have powers?"

"No, not that. Your eyes glowed. Only Cenatarians are able to do that. So," Kyran said, turning to her. "Are you from here? Or maybe your parents?"

"I don't think I'm from here," Jacquie said. "And my parents would have told me if they were from another dimension by now." But now that Jacquie was thinking about it, she felt a sinking feeling creeping up her back.

"Yeah," Kyran said. "I thought it was a crazy idea, anyway. Plus, you would have had some sort of power before all of this."

Jacquie felt a dagger of guilt stab her. Should I tell him? she thought.

Yes, there needs to be nothing kept apart.

"I did have powers, actually," she said.

Kyran stopped with his back turned to her.

"What?" he said, disbelievingly.

Jacquie repeated it. "I do actually have powers. Do have powers, I mean. I can see the future. Actually, one of my first visions was of us going through that portal. Of course, flashes of orange strangers probably wouldn't make sense to a five-year-old, would it?"

Kyran still didn't face her.

"Ursacanus," he said.

"What?" Jacquie said.

"Ursacanus," he now facing her. The whites of his eyes were pale red, but he wasn't crying.

"I thought I could trust you. You know, that you wouldn't have any big secrets, because this has happened to me before. And it hurts, Jacquie. I wanted to depend on you, and you wouldn't do this again. I guess I was wrong," he said turning away from her.

Oh no, what have I done, Jacquie thought.

"Kyran―" Jacquie said tentatively.

He put up his hand. "Let's just keep going." He started to walk away.

Jacquie just followed him and kept quiet, feeling sadness dragging her down.

For what felt like centuries, they kept walking. Jacquie tried desperately to read his mind, but she couldn't-- no matter how hard she tried. Maybe he was blocking her somehow.

The hall opened into a large room. Woven tapestries hung down from the walls, depicting stories Jacquie felt slightly familiar with. Two other paths led into the room. But in the center of the room was the thing that she and her friends had spent the past few days searching for.

The zodiac.