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The protective bubble released, and Zora heaved in a lungful of air, but before she could expel it in a harangue, Capricorn said, “How do you like the view?”

Zora glared. “What the fuck just happened?”

“Tower got tired of your disbelief and gave you the proof you demanded.”

“Where are we?” Zora glanced at her feet, standing on solid stone.

“The very top of Tower.”

“How did we get here? It’s like we turned into ghosts and zipped through solid walls.”

“Floors and ceilings actually, and we didn’t lose our corporeal bodies so much as Tower encased us in a cocoon that could pass through solid substance. And, yes, I know that’s supposed to be impossible. However, as I’ve been trying to explain, Tower can do things. Things science can’t explain.”

“Says you,” Zora muttered, looking around. “How high are we?”

“Thousands of feet. You’d have to ask Aquarius exactly how high. I’ve never cared. As a matter of fact, this is my first time being up here. I’ve never had the inclination to climb that many stairs.”

Zora eyed the smooth stone surface inlaid with symbols. “More Zodiac shit.”

“Well, it is our home.”

“Built by who?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I would imagine the Astraeus had a hand in it, but I couldn’t tell for sure. Tower has existed since the first Zodiac Warrior transformed. It’s our home. Our refuge.”

“It’s not run by a supercomputer, is it?” A soft statement.

“No. Like our constellations, Tower appears to be imbued by some otherworldly presence. It provides for us. Food, shelter, clothing, furniture, hobbies. The only thing it struggles with are complex machines and electronics.”

She pursed her lips. “So you don’t have any here?”

“We do. However, those are usually procured and transported here rather than brought into existence by Tower.”

“It conjures stuff out of nothing?” Zora asked, only to exclaim, “Wait, was that fried chicken I ate magically made?”

“I don’t know. Tower doesn’t explain how it provides. For all I know, some of its levels could be filled with animals and crops.”

“Aren’t you curious?”

“Not really. My job is to protect the planet from threats. Tower’s is to ensure we’re taken care of when not on missions.”

Zora wandered from him to the edge and peered over, briefly, before recoiling. “Fucking hell, I can see clouds way below us.”

“I told you, Tower is tall.”

“There’s tall, and then there’s impossible.”

“Impossible by your scientific standards. Tower operates on a whole other level.” He paused before querying, “Now do you believe?”

She exhaled loudly. “Yes, and no. While my eyes can see, my mind is struggling to make sense of it.”

“Why does it need to make sense?”

“Because.” He thought she’d leave it at that, but she slowly added, “Because I like my life to have a sense of order, and before you ask, there’s a reason for that. My father left when I was young, meaning my mama had to raise me alone. Being poor meant we moved, a lot. Apartment to apartment. Some better than others, depending on how Mama’s job was doing. Our fridge and cupboards rarely held more than a day or two worth of food. Every day I had to wonder if I’d have enough to eat. A place to sleep. It left its mark. Turned me into a person who likes order. Stability. Who needs to understand what’s going on around me so I don’t feel overwhelmed or taken by surprise.”

In other words, a shitty and erratic childhood left her with control issues. “Hate to break it to you, Beauty, but some things can’t be explained by science or logic. And forget order. The world has more secrets than you can imagine. Creatures that shouldn’t exist outside of horror movies. Cursed objects. Aliens?—”

“Aliens?”