“Oh.” Now he felt dumb because even he would have recognized the parallel lines with the little half circle on top as the sigil for Libra.
“Hands out,” she ordered.
He obeyed but grimaced as she shook the fine dirt over the gouges. “I still can’t believe this cures.”
“Think of it more as speeding up the healing process. This powder is imbued with the power of your Astraeus. As its Avatar, you already have a connection, making it easy for it to give your body a boost.”
“For someone who says she doesn’t have anything to do with the warriors, you know a lot.”
“Blame my curiosity. When I first arrived, I wanted to know everything. How Tower worked. The link between the Astraeus and the Zodiac warriors.”
“And you did that without interacting with them?”
“The library is well stocked with all the information I need.”
His lips quirked. “Seems like it might have been faster just to ask someone.”
“People’s observations are usually clouded by emotion. I wanted a more scientific base.”
He turned his hands over, noticing the hot and cold burn, but, unlike the previous day, he didn’t pass out. “I take it you’ve studied this dust.”
“Yes. I’ve taken small samples from each jar to see what makes it special.”
“And?”
“Nothing. Not a single test I ran showed it as anything more than dirt.”
“Guess there isn’t a test for magic.”
“Not yet,” she muttered. “Now that you’re in the healing phase, I should return to my lab and ensure the subject hasn’t managed another escape.”
“I’m surprised Tower didn’t warn you before you entered the lab and confronted it.”
“Me, too. I have to wonder if Tower, like the Astraeus, has a blind spot where these aliens are concerned.”
His brow crinkled. “I don’t understand. How could it not see it?”
“You weren’t here for the asteroid incident.”
“The one recently in the news?”
She nodded. “Usually the Astraeus, via their avatars, destroy them well before they’re a threat to Earth, but somehow they couldn’t detect this asteroid, which, as it turns out, was because it was, in actuality, an alien ship. Anyhow, they couldn’t act against it until the warriors recreated some ancient device. We were very lucky it worked, or we wouldn’t likely be talking right now.”
“Can this device help Tower? That is, assuming it can’t see these creatures.”
“Maybe.” She frowned. “The Antikythera mechanism was originally designed for mapping constellations and planets, so I’m not sure how we could adapt it.”
“How would you find out if Tower can see them or not?”
“By asking.” She tilted her face. “Tower, did you know about the alien loose in my lab?”
The lights in the room flicked on and off twice.
“Tower says no, which answers the question. I’ll have to let the Zodiac leader know. Tower’s inability to detect these creatures will hamper its ability to protect the inhabitants.”
A loud rumbling had Grayson’s mouth rounding in embarrassment. “Is it normal for healing to make me so hungry?”
“Yes. Your body is working to repair at a rapid rate, depleting your stores. If you feel well enough, you should head to the dining room for sustenance.”
