“Um no, that’s a bit full on,” I said. “You need to speak to him.”
“Yeah, I mean I kind of tried to.” He hung his head, whining softly. “I mentioned how good it had been seeing his dick driving in and out of Rosalie and I was about to say how much I’d wanted to put his dick in my mouth too, but-”
“You could just try saying, ‘hey Caleb, I think you’re hot, maybe we could go on a date sometime,’” I said with a laugh. “You don’t need to go from nought to blowjob.”
“Right…yeah, that makes sense,” he said thoughtfully. “I just get so excited.”
“It’s good you’re excited,” I said with a grin. “But you kinda need to figure out if he’s on the same page as you before you try to suck his dick.”
“Okay,” he said, nodding seriously.
“So what did you say when you tried to talk to him?” I asked.
“Well, I didn’t get far because I started telling him about this time on the moon which I was going to compare to the feeling of my dick against his ass cheeks to when-”
“Was it when you stuck it in that crater?” I pursed my lips and he nodded, giving me an innocent look.
“Yeah, then he punched me in the balls and shot out of the room,” he sighed. “It’s like he doesn’t even like me talking about the moon sometimes.”
“Literally no one enjoys that,” I said and he laughed like I was joking.
“So anyway, what do I do? Shall I get him a basket full of lube with a message that says ‘stick it in me?’”
“No,” I said firmly. “Definitely not that.”
He jumped up from the bed, starting to pace back and forth, pushing his hand into his hair.
“Is it just about sex or is it more than that?” I asked him and he paused, tipping his head back and howling.
I quickly cast a silencing bubble around us, knowing we weren’t supposed to be in here together and not wanting to bring a bunch of K.U.N.Ts down on our heads.
“No, fuck no,” he growled. “It’s like…when I was on the moon and I could see the earth, I thought about how sad it was that they’d never be together. The moon just watches the earth in all its gorgeous green and blue glory, but it can never, ever touch it. And it made me think of him.” He dropped his eyes. “Everything makes me think of him.”
My heart tugged and I reached out to catch his hand, making him look at me. “You need to tell him.”
He sighed. “It’s not that easy.” He hung his head. “As Heirs, we’re not even really supposed to get with anyone outside of our Orders long term. Plus, like, what would we do about producing Heirs ourselves? I guess we could use a surrogate and then our kids could be brothers and Heirs to both of our seats and that would actually work out just fine, so maybe that’s all cool... But regardless of that, if he doesn’t feel the same way it could break us. He’s my best friend, Darcy. I can’t lose him over this.”
I frowned, nodding in understanding as I released his hand. “Well, maybe I could try and feel him out for you?”
His eyes lit up and he bobbed on the balls of his feet as he nodded excitedly. “Yes!” He leapt on me, crushing me down onto the bed and I squealed as he licked my face and nuzzled my hair.
“Yes, yes, yes!” he cried, leaning back to grin down at me with his head cocked to one side. “Just keep it subtle.”
“I’ll be the most subtle, now shut your eyes and get up because I think you just dislodged my towel,” I said and he chuckled.
“I’ve seen it all now, babe. Lucky I’ve got a new crush. But if he turns me down maybe we can pity fuck each other back to normality?” he suggested like he genuinely meant it.
“In your dreams, Capella.” I shoved him back and he jumped up with his eyes shut as I tucked my towel back into place before I got up.
My Atlas buzzed and I swiped it up, hoping to find a message from Darius. He’d gone AWOL all of last night. According to Caleb, Lionel had summoned him home – and by home I meant mine and Tory’s goddamn palace – and we hadn’t heard from him since. I’d brought a bunch of my stuff back to the academy before Lionel had taken over, but the rest of it was in the Queen’s quarters in the palace, and I couldn’t see how I’d be getting it back anytime soon.
Seth pressed close behind me as he read the message over my shoulder and I frowned as I realised it was from my brother.
Gabriel:
Meet me beyond the fence. Bring the mutt.
P.S. Delete all correspondence between us from now on.
My heart juddered and I looked to Seth whose brows had arched. Maybe Gabriel was going to give us the antidote for Tory at last. He might have seen a chance to inject her with it. He’d been holding the damn thing hostage since our failed attempt, saying he was waiting for the right opportunity, and I was losing my mind with impatience.
“Let’s go,” I insisted, moving to my closet and taking out some jeans and a sports bra, darting into the bathroom to pull them on. I grabbed a sweater and tied it around my waist before heading to the window.
“Race you there,” I said with a smirk.
“Wait,” Seth said then stripped out of his clothes, tossing them to me. “Carry these, wench.”
“Hey!” I snapped as he howled a laugh, turning and shoving out the door.
I released a laugh as I pushed the window open, leaping out of it and my heart soared before my wings tore from my back in a fiery blaze. Heat rushed through my limbs as I flew across campus, sweeping over The Wailing Wood, the leaves gold and amber on the trees. A white Wolf dove out of the door at the bottom of Aer Tower, knocking a bunch of freshmen on their asses as he bounded along beneath me. He howled to the sky and I echoed the sound, crying it back to him mockingly as I flapped my wings and took the lead, keeping his clothes bundled in my arms. I had half the mind to let them fly to the wind, but I also didn’t want to spend the morning with his naked ass.
I landed in a group of trees close to the fence, making sure no one was watching before dissolving my wings and pulling on my sweater as I jogged toward the outer perimeter. I slipped through the secret gap in the fence and Seth’s wet nose bumped into the back of my head as he arrived too. He shifted into his Fae form and I tossed his clothes to him, smiling smugly.
“I win,” I announced as he pulled them on.
“Try racing me on foot next time,” he challenged. “You won’t beat me then, little bird.”
“I’m good,” I said lightly and he shoved me playfully. I shoved him back and the two of us started fighting just as Gabriel popped out of the atmosphere and tossed a handful of stardust into the air. My hand was still locked in Seth’s hair when I was dragged into the stars and the air was crushed from my lungs. I gasped at the suddenness of it and took in the whirlpool of endless beauty around me as I was transported across the world.
I landed heavily, losing my grip on Seth’s hair and my ass hit the ground, making me huff out a breath.
Seth laughed at me and Gabriel slapped him with his wing as he swept past him and pulled me to my feet.
“How very princessly of you,” Seth taunted as I brushed the dirt off my ass.
“I’m the Savage Princess remember?” I lunged at him, but Gabriel looped an arm around my waist and pushed me back with a serious look that made me fall still with worry.
“What is it?” I asked, taking in the group of trees surrounding us, but I didn’t recognise this place. “Is it Tory, is she okay? Has something happened?”
“Tory’s fine,” he said firmly. “Well, if you can call being shadow possessed and Guardian bonded to Lionel Acrux fine, but you know what I mean.”
I released a breath of relief. “Can we try to give her the antidote again yet, is it time?”
“No, but soon,” he promised and my heart pounded wildly as I clutched his arm. “I’ve seen that we need to trap her to be able to make this work so I’m working on getting us a Nymph cage from some of my friends in Alestria.”
“Will that hold her?” I asked.
“Those cages are rare as shit,” Seth said. “Who the hell are your friends?”
“Yeah, they’re rare, but I can get one. And it’ll hold her,” Gabriel said, not answering his question. But he’d told me all about the people he knew back home who were gang members and criminals. I was pretty sure he could get his hands on anything if he wanted to.
“So if this isn’t about Tory, what is it, Gabriel?” I asked as Seth moved closer with a frown.
“It’s Lance,” he said and my heart beat even faster, the world seeming to darken around me.
“What’s happened?” I demanded, panic flashing through me.
“He’s out of prison,” he said evenly and my lips parted, no words coming to me as that statement sucker punched me in the gut.
“What do you mean he’s out?” I gasped.
“He’s not free,” he said grimly. “Lionel Acrux has him on house arrest.”
I took a steadying breath as I tried to wrap my mind around that. “Why? How? When?”
“Yesterday, and I don’t know why yet but I’m sure it isn’t good. Darius is with him now. And Lionel has headed into Celestia for a couple of days, so we have some time to go to him. I need to speak with Lance, but I can’t do that without your help.”
“What do you mean see him? Where?” My mind whirled and Seth whimpered, pressing close against me as he sensed my anxiety over all of this.
“Lance is being held at the palace,” Gabriel explained, running a hand through his ebony hair. “I’ve seen a way to get to him, but I need you to come with me. Will you help me?”
I hesitated, still unsure of what this all meant, but I had to help him if he needed me. “Of course. What do I need to do?”
“Follow me,” Gabriel said, his wings tumbling away and leaving a single black feather floating down in the breeze behind him. He took his shirt from where it was stuffed in the back of his jeans and pulled it on, covering the artwork of tattoos on his body.
Me and Seth headed after him through the trees, walking down a hill and heading across the gold and orange leaves beneath our feet. Fall was well underway and it wouldn’t be long before the lasting kiss of warmth in the air was gone.
The trees grew tighter together until the morning light was blocked out and the shadows between the trunks thickened. We stepped into a hollow where an ancient tree stood at the heart of it, the bark knotted and gnarled, huge roots spreading out beneath it.
There was a symbol etched into the bark of a Hydra and Gabriel took my hand, guiding me toward it. “Place your palm on the mark.”
I glanced at him in confusion then reached out and did as he asked, spreading my hand over the rough bark. A tingle of magical energy licked my flesh and the mark suddenly lit up in a white glow.
“There are passages running all beneath the Palace of Souls,” Gabriel explained at last. “Only those of royal blood can access them.”
“Why can’t you open them then?” I asked, stepping back.
“Because your royal blood comes from your father,” he said and I nodded, biting my lip as the mark suddenly split apart and the roots rearranged beneath it to form a stairway leading down into the dark.
“Holy shit,” Seth breathed. “This is awesome. But why the fuck am I even here?”
I looked to Gabriel for an explanation, but he just smiled like a mysterious bastard and headed down the steps. I’d grown pretty used to Gabriel evading explanations about the things he did, but it was still frustrating sometimes.
I shrugged at Seth and he moved behind me as we followed Gabriel who’d cast a Faelight to see by. As we reached a damp tunnel far below ground, the sound of the roots retreating made me turn back and my heart thudded harder as the ground closed up above us once more, leaving us down here in the dark.
Gabriel directed his floating orb of light toward the wall, pointing out another Hydra symbol there. “You can get out again just as easily.”
I nodded, examining the old mark and wondering if my father had once used this passage. Had he stood right here where I was now, with all his plans for the future? Had my mother come here with him? How long had she known they were going to die?
The gifts of a Seer had to be a curse in that way. Surely they’d see their death coming long before it ever passed.
We followed Gabriel into the dark, our footsteps the only sound between us as we moved along the narrow passage.
We eventually reached a fork in the path and Gabriel turned right without even hesitating, leading us along until the floor beneath us began to rise.
I tried not to freak out over the fact that at the end of this tunnel was Orion. Which I sort of managed, mostly because I was still processing that shit. I needed to get my game face on because I was wholly unprepared for seeing him again.
“Why would Lionel get him out of prison?” I asked Gabriel.
“You won’t like it,” he said darkly.
“When do I like anything Lionel does?” I said coldly as worry splintered through my chest.
“Touché,” Gabriel said. “Unfortunately, Lionel apparently now has his own Seer. And he’s using the Royal Seer’s Chamber. Because of him, Lionel now knows about Orion’s diary.”
“What?” I gasped, horror filling me. “But when you tried to use the chamber during the summer, it wouldn’t work for you. How can-”
“Because Vard has been appointed the position by Lionel - who is the King whether we like it or not. And that means the chamber is his to use until you and Tory can dethrone him.”
“And this Vard dude is as powerful as you?” I questioned, my gut knotting with anxiety at the thought of that because if that was the case then I didn’t know how we would ever be able to strike at Lionel without him knowing we were coming.
“No fucking way, he’s not as powerful as me. But with the use of the chamber, he’ll be able to see more than we’d like. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that I’m watching everyone carefully though. He won’t get around me.”
“So has Lionel taken the diary?” Seth asked, his own panic clear. We’d been pinning our hopes on that diary. What were we going to do without it?
“No, it seems it is still in Lance’s possession, but I don’t know the details. The shadows conceal Lionel’s plans to me because he is with Clara so much, but I’ve seen enough to know that we’ll be safe to visit Lance and that he may have some answers for us.”
“Okay,” I said heavily, my gut clenching as this news settled over me. My pulse was thumping so loudly in my ears that it was hard to hear anything else.
We reached a set of stone steps and Gabriel cast a silencing bubble around us as we climbed them. A crack of light appeared around a wooden hatch in the ceiling and as we reached the top of the steps, we had to hunch over beneath the low ceiling. Gabriel and Seth practically had to crouch with how tall they were.
“There, Darcy,” Gabriel said, pointing to the Hydra mark engraved on the hatch. I swallowed my nerves, reaching up and pressing my palm to it.
The mark gleamed and a click sounded the hatch unlocking. I pushed it, using my air magic to swing it open. Well, it’s probably best to get this over with sooner rather than later.
I cast air magic under my feet, propelling myself up into a white kitchenette with blue flowers on the tiles and sunlight streaming in the window. Seth and Gabriel climbed up behind me as I turned toward a large lounge in tones of cream and sandy brown, the whole place gleaming. There were beautiful paintings on the walls of exotic beaches and cliffs and the floor was blue and shimmered like the ocean.
Orion was lying in a huge bed at the far end of the space and Darius was spooning him, the two of them looking freaking serene as they slept. It would have been funny if it wasn’t so sad. The damn Guardian bond tying them together had been driving Darius insane these past months. He didn’t feel everything the way Orion did as I understood it, but he always pined for him. As I gazed at the two of them, I had the sudden urge to crawl in there and curl up with t
hem. Yeah, because that would be a totally sane thing to do.
My gaze tracked over Orion’s face and my heart ached with a need it was never going to have fulfilled again. Lock it down right now.
Gabriel dissolved the silencing bubble, opening his mouth to wake them, but Seth sprinted across the room, diving on top of them before he could.
Darius roared almost as loud as if he was in his Order form and Orion threw Seth away with the strength of his Order, sending him flying onto the floor with a hard thud. My lips popped open as Seth leapt to his feet again, wheezing as he healed himself then jumping on Darius and starting to lick him.
Orion shot out of bed and his eyes suddenly fell on me, his naked chest heaving. His abs were taut and gleaming and his shoulders were even more built than they’d been before. Holy shit.
I forced my eyes up to his face, taking in his beard and unruly hair, not entirely hating the wolverine look, but I did miss his dimple. Gah. My heart was fit to bursting as the temperature in the room seemed to rocket up fifty degrees. He darted towards me and Gabriel in a blur and I gasped as he grabbed my hand, tugging me into the arc of his body with his eyes blazing like he was gonna hug me or something crazy. I sent fire magic bursting through my veins and he hissed as I burned his fingers, making him let go of me before I quickly backed up. His brows knitted together and he mumbled something about instincts before he lunged at Gabriel instead, the two of them embracing hard.
“How did you get in here?” Orion demanded.
“The King’s passages,” Gabriel answered as he released him. “Darcy can open them.”
“That’s enough,” Darius snapped and my eyes flicked over to where he’d pinned Seth to the bed by the throat, Seth’s tongue lolling out his mouth as he panted. “No more licks.”
He released him and Seth whined in disappointment, but didn’t lunge at Darius again as he started wiping the slobber from his face.
Orion folded his arms over his bare chest which I still absolutely wasn’t checking out. “So is this some sort of rescue mission because I’m afraid I’m going fucking nowhere.” He lifted his wrists and my heart stumbled at the sight of the black rings wrapped around each one like tattoos. “These stop me from going beyond the boundary of shadows Clara has cast around the palace.”
Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne Page 20