The pier was no longer a place of peace. The discovery of the shifted lanterns had turned it into a crime scene, a silent witness to betrayal. Cancer and Scorpio stood together, their bond steady, but suspicion hung heavy in the air.
Leo's golden aura flared as he confronted the circle. "Enough whispers! We must name the traitor. The lanterns were moved deliberately. Who among us was near the pier that night?"
Aries stepped forward, fire sparking in his eyes. "You accuse too quickly, Leo. Pride blinds you. Let Cancer and Scorpio finish their hunt before you cast blame."
Leo's jaw tightened. "Then let them speak. Who lit the path?"
Virgo's voice was sharp, her eyes cold. "Pisces was near the shore. Aquarius lingered by the waves. Both had opportunity. Cancer, Scorpio—what did you find?"
Scorpio's gaze was piercing. "We found scratches on the pier. Lanterns dragged, not carried. Whoever moved them wanted secrecy, not spectacle."
Cancer's voice trembled. "And we found wax—melted, as if someone lit a lantern and left it burning as a signal."
The circle gasped.
Sagittarius strummed his guitar, his melody uneasy. "Signals are not accidents. Someone wanted to guide the phantoms. But who among us speaks in symbols? Who hides meaning in light?"
Aquarius tilted his head, his voice distant. "Perhaps one of us who values freedom. Perhaps betrayal was not malice, but escape."
Scorpio's tone was sharp. "Escape or malice, it endangered us all. That is betrayal."
Libra raised her arms, her voice calm but strained. "Balance! Do not accuse blindly. If you name the wrong soul, the circle will fracture beyond repair."
Cancer's tears shimmered. "Then let us uncover the truth, not with anger, but with love."
That night, Cancer and Scorpio searched deeper. At the edge of the pier, hidden beneath the boards, they found a mask—woven of reeds, painted with ash.
Scorpio lifted it, his voice low. "This was worn by the one who moved the lanterns. They hid their face, even from the stars."
Cancer's heart tightened. "Then the betrayer walks among us, masked not only in shadow, but in trust."
Scorpio's grip on the mask was fierce. "We will find them. And when we do, the circle will see that love does not falter in betrayal."