‘The very second she made that choice,’ smiled Leo. ‘Look for yourself.’

Aphrodite gently pulled at the collar of Virgo’s T-shirt, clearly terrified of what she might not find. But as she revealed Virgo’s neck, there, sparkling around it, was a crystal heart in a flame.

The kardia of a Constellation.

Zeus gasped along with his children as the realization dawned. Even Elliot raised his tear-soaked face.

‘So,’ he sniffed. ‘You’re saying that Virgo was immortal when the blast hit her?’

‘Absolutely,’ smiled Sagittarius. ‘She’s one of us.’

‘So why hasn’t she woken up?’ said Zeus quietly, looking at the grey figure on the ground. He didn’t dare hope that Virgo might actually be . . .

‘Well, of course we had to file the relevant paperwork,’ huffed Taurus. ‘And do you think anyone could lay their hands on Form x40gjeigArtichokebum-fluff: Reinstating a Kardia After an Act of Selfless Heroism – on a Monday? But we found it eventually. In the tumble dryer – no idea why.’

‘In fact,’ said Scorpio, looking at his watch, ‘I would anticipate it coming into effect any time—’

‘Oh, my Gods!’ cried Aphrodite. ‘Her hair!’

They all stared at Virgo’s long brown hair, not daring to breathe lest their eyes were deceiving them.

‘It’s . . . it’s changing colour!’ Elliot gasped.

He was right. At the very tip of her long tresses, a small silver gleam sparkled. It worked its way up a single thread of hair until it reached the crown of her head. The gleam flourished, growing in magnitude until it became a bright star glowing over Virgo’s head.

‘Virgo!’ cried Elliot, shaking her body. ‘Can you hear me?’

The star expanded and brightened, forcing everyone to step back from the dazzling silver glow surrounding their friend. Suddenly, it shot out a sparkling beam, immediately transforming the rest of Virgo’s brown hair into the iridescent silver it had once been.

‘I don’t . . . I can’t . . .’ Zeus muttered, holding his daughters to him as tears traced the lines on his face.

The star shone over them all, lighting the evening with its boundless glow, growing bigger and more glorious with every passing heartbeat. Just as it reached its zenith, it sucked all its light back into itself, trembling with the weight of its own luminescence. And then, in a blaze of light, it exploded into a shower of stars – all over Virgo.

‘Virgo?’ Elliot cried again. ‘Virgo – are you OK?’

For a moment, Virgo lay utterly still.

And then, with a gasping breath, she spluttered back to life.

‘VIRGO!’

Zeus wiped away the flowing tears as his children embraced their revived friend. He walked over to Pisces and quietly offered his hand.

‘Thank you,’ he said, cupping Pisces’s fin.

‘You’re welcome.’ Pisces nodded. ‘Your Majesty.’

Zeus looked back at the happy, tearful group of people he loved.

‘How are you feeling?’ Athene asked, her dark eyes full of concern.