I Watch the Stars, But I Don’t Worship Them — A Guardian’s Confession

L N Bokete
5 days ago
3 min read

Everyone thinks the Zodiacs are the centre of the story.

Beautiful, broken, chosen.

Flames in human skin. Water in rage form. Love stories with extra sparkles and trauma.

But there’s another part.

Someone has to keep them alive.

Someone has to make sure they don’t burn the wrong things down — or drown themselves in their own chaos.

That someone is me.

My name is Tessa.

I’m a descendant of the now-nonexistent mortal line of the Zodiacs — from their father’s side. My cousins always say I look like their dad. Green eyes. Orange hair. And on Earth? I’m basically Gemini’s sister — just without the breezy, floaty “I’m the goddess of air” thing. Not her fault, I suppose. Air is kind of her whole deal.

I’m over five hundred years old.

I’m not immortal. But as a Guardian, their mother heeled me until Cancer came of age and now he heals me regularly to extend my life. As long as no one manages to fatally end me — violently, dramatically — I’ll live. For a while, at least.

And if I do die?

The Zodiacs lose their Earth Guardian. Their anchor. Their fail-safe.

Which is why I’m currently on a mission to find my replacements.

Yes — plural.

Three worthy humans who can form a network strong enough to hold the weight of guarding these divine disasters if I ever fall.

Being a Guardian isn’t glamorous. It’s not public. No one hands you a sash and a round of applause.

You wake up one day, and your ancestor — now a god — shows up with a woman made of stars and whispers through teeth:

“We’re giving you near-immortality to watch over our kids. Try not to die.”

I was a kid myself when it was passed to me by my great-great-uncle. I started with the fire signs and never looked back. I’ve had lovers. None worth mentioning. Maybe I could’ve had a kid of my own… but that would require an actual love life. And unfortunately for me, Pisces has taken that as her personal side quest.

While I search for potential Guardian initiates, she’s looking for three eligible bachelors to date me — to “preserve the father’s line,” as she puts it.

God forbid she consider my consent.

Let me be clear:

I’m not giving my body — or my legacy — to anyone who isn’t earth-shaking in character.

I’ve seen the worst of men. Sometimes I wonder if innocence was ever an option for me. If I ever had the luxury of it.

But the Zodiacs — especially Pisces — are out of touch with Earth things.

Pisces' company is on the verge of being fined by Earth tax agencies because she doesn’t file taxes. Why would she? There are no taxes on the god planes. Then there’s Leo, newly married to Mana — who’s now a god. So yes, that paperwork is a nightmare.

According to Gemini, their big brothers Aquarius and Libra have been up to no good in the outer realms, so family drama, what's new.

Meanwhile, I still have my day job:

Global Head of the Gods Division for the CIA.

It’s the reason Leo got placed in Onyano’s department. It’s also why I’m now moving his assignment over to Capricorn since Leo is on honeymoon… in another dimension.

I glance at my phone — a message from Mufaro: