I lost my grip on one of my daggers while I was unable to swing my arm to use the other and I yelled in pain as more teeth sank into my leg.
I thrust my hand into the soil, conjuring earth magic to bind to my will as I filled the space around me with razor sharp stones and blasted them away from my body with a surge of power.
The corpses were ripped away from me and I grunted out a curse as I began to shove the soil aside so that I could climb out of the grave and get back to the fight. But as I started to make my way up to the surface, I found two white paws tearing at the soil as Seth dug for me from above.
The dirt parted and I came face to face with Seth's Wolfy snout, his tongue swiping straight up the centre of my face a moment before he shifted back into his Fae form and heaved me to my feet.
"Shit man, for a second there I thought you were a goner." He gave me a shake like he was making sure I was definitely okay before turning and ripping the skull from his ass cheek where it was still clinging on by the teeth.
I grabbed the skull and hurled it as hard as I could towards the fence where those Reaper Hounds were waiting, hoping it cleared it and they could finish the thing off for me.
“Sorry about that,” I laughed. “And you didn’t need to worry. It's harder than that to kill me," I promised him before slapping my hand over the bleeding wound on his ass and healing it for him.
"It had better be," Seth snarled, shifting back into a Wolf again and racing back up the hill towards the fight.
I paused, reaching out with my earth magic to hunt down the dagger I'd lost beneath the ground before flinging it back out of the dirt and catching it deftly. I shot up the hill to catch up with Seth then kept pace with him as he tore into more of the corpses with tooth and claw beside me.
Geraldine was standing on top of a stone sarcophagus whirling her flaming flail like a freaking baton of death as she crushed skulls and hollered to the moon.
"Come for me you ghastly cads!" she roared. "For I am true of heart and forged in steel! I wield a weapon created by the true queens of Solaria and none who stand against them shall ever succeed! They are the light of the rising sun and I am the shadow at their backs - you will never pass me!"
A flaming arrow shot past my ear and I whipped around to spot Max suspended on a tower of air magic as he took shot after shot with his bow, hitting the corpses dead in the centre of their chests where their hearts should have been. When they fell they didn't rise again and I guessed that made sense. Magic resided in the heart after all so that must have been where they were drawing their power from.
I grinned as I leapt onto Seth's furry back before launching myself at the closest corpse and slamming my dagger down into its chest. Brittle bones snapped, sinew parted and the light went out of its undead eyes before it crumpled to the ground at my feet.
Seth howled in excitement as he charged into the thick of the fight, bowling into the crowd of corpses trying to climb up to Geraldine and knocking a group of them flying before he pounced on them one after another, crushing their chests with his huge, flaming paws.
Darius and Tory were fighting further up the hill, him swinging the huge double headed axe with all the power of his Order and carving the undead apart while she sent spears of Phoenix fire flying at targets further away from them.
I spotted a group of the undead charging up the path Orion and Darcy had taken and I sped around the gravestones to intercept them.
I charged straight towards them with a snarl of bloodlust and my daggers raised but one of them sent a blast of air magic crashing into me before I could cut them down and I was thrown away again.
This graveyard was the most prestigious in all of Solaria and the corpses here had all been powerful Fae once upon a time. Hell, I was probably fighting against my great, great grandpa in amongst the masses and all of them had clearly held onto that strength in death.
There was a reason why most Fae were cremated upon death. Our magic stayed in our bones and it was all too tempting for grave robbers to come and steal bones to be used in dark magic. Hence the insane security around this place. Of course, it would have just made sense to cremate all Fae, but powerful assholes like my family always liked to do things the hard way just to prove they could.
I shot back into the fight with a snarl of determination as the group of undead continued to charge up the path, seeming to know exactly where they were going as they raced after Darcy and Orion, leaving the rest of our group behind to fight the others.
But I wasn't going to let them catch up to them. They needed to get the star and my job here was clear cut. Those creatures had to be stopped.
I holstered one of my blades and tugged the earth beneath their feet into my control, bucking it wildly and sending them all flying as I sprinted into their midst.
My blade found a home in the hearts of three of them before they even realised I was there then another wild blast of air magic crashed into me, hurling me away again.
I hit the ground hard, tumbling downhill then leaping to my feet again as I shot back towards the dead.
A wall of fire bloomed into existence before me and I dove behind a tall gravestone to take cover before lifting a hand and fighting to gain control over the Element.
The fire was wild and cast without purpose beyond getting in my way and I managed to steal control of it quickly, turning it to my will and stoking the flames as they whirled all around me in a burning vortex.
I built the flames higher and higher then launched them down the path, ripping through the corpses and sending them all crashing to the ground before shooting over to them once more and driving my blades through their hearts one after another.
The moment they were all incapacitated, I whirled around and shot back towards the others, the sound of a pained howl cutting through the air and urging me to move even faster.
I found Seth backed up against an imposing stone mausoleum, fighting like mad against at least twenty of the undead creations as they teamed up to try and take him down. They were too close to him for me to cast fire at them so I used earth instead, ripping the dirt out from beneath their feet and causing a group of them to fall to their knees.
Seth took the opening to slash his claws through the chests of several of them, incapacitating them for good, but it gave three of them the opportunity to leap onto his back.
I cursed as Seth howled in pain, kicking and thrashing as he tried to dislodge them and they sank their teeth into his flesh.
I raced forward, driving my blade into three corpses in quick succession before an enormous blast of fire magic tore through all of us from one of them and knocked me off of my feet.
I threw my hands up, controlling the Element with my own power and keeping it away from me but I'd lost track of Seth and as he howled in agony, my heart damn near ripped right out of my chest.
I released a roar of rage as I threw all of my power into forcing the flames into my grasp, seeking out the shape of Seth's body amongst the corpses and drawing the fire away from him as fast as I could. Then I made the fire burn hotter and hotter as I used it to rip through every single skeletal body around us, the heat of the flames almost unbearable as it pressed in on me. But I didn't stop, raising them higher and higher as fury tore through my flesh that was so potent, it stole all thoughts and focus from me. And the sole desire left to me was to protect Seth from any more harm that could be aimed his way.
The flames burned white hot and furious as they devoured the corpses and I was left panting and almost tapped out by the time I guttered the flames.
Seth was back in his Fae form, lying in a ring of green grass surrounded by charred and blackened soot in every direction for as far as I could see and I shot to his side in the blink of an eye.
I dropped down beside him, cringing at the burned and blistered flesh coating his body as a pained howl escaped him and I snatched his hand into mine.
My magic connected to his as easily as breathing, the power of a tornado crashing th
rough my veins and the heavy weight of his earth magic merging with mine like they were one and the same and had always been destined to join this way.
Healing magic sped from my body into his and he groaned as I pushed it in faster and faster, urging every burn and blister to heal as fast as possible while he crushed my fingers with a death grip.
The moment he was healed, I released his hand, gripping his face between my palms and kissing his forehead before pulling him against me.
"Fucking hell, Seth, don't ever do that to me again," I growled as my heart beat out of rhythm and I had to blink repeatedly to force the image of his burned body from my mind.
"So long as you don't do it to me, we have a deal," he laughed and I could have fucking kissed him to hear his teasing tone again.
His arms wound tight around my waist as he held me close for a moment before I shot to my feet and hauled him up with me.
My hands were trembling with the lack of magic in my veins and my fangs snapped out as my gaze caught on the thumping pulse at the base of his throat.
"Stop eye fucking my neck and just bite me already, Cal," Seth said, his earthy brown eyes tempting me closer as he lifted his chin. "We have a fight to win and I've been running beneath the full moon all night. My magic will be replenished in five seconds flat once I shift again so stop holding out on me and do it."
He reached out to grip the front of my shirt and tugged me towards him forcefully and I smirked as I lunged for his neck.
The groan that escaped his lips as I bit him had my hands locking around his waist. I pushed him back against the smoke stained wall of the mausoleum and the taste of his power on my lips sent a shiver of pleasure tracking down my spine.
His fist tightened in my shirt as he tugged me as close as possible and I drank deeply as my fingers dug into his flesh and I clung onto the fact that he was here, solid and present with me just like he should be.
I drew back when I'd had enough, the stubble on my jaw grazing against his and my chest rose and fell heavily as I looked into his eyes again, the moon reflected in his dark pupils as if it was watching me too.
"Cal," Seth rasped, his mouth so close to mine that I felt the movement of my name on his lips.
"Yeah?"
"I..."
He still held my shirt tightly like he thought I might run if he let go and I hadn't released my grip on his waist, my thumbs shifting over the hard curves of his abs as I adjusted my hold on him.
My heart was pounding to this deep and rhythmic beat that seemed to want me to stay right where I was and for a moment, I had the insane idea to just lean forward and-
A scream of pain ripped through the air from the others back at the fight and Max roared so loudly that I felt his fear and rage as his gifts sent a flood of his emotions tearing out over the entire graveyard.
"Geraldine," I gasped, turning from Seth and shooting away to help her.
But as I raced back into the battle, my gut plummeted with disappointment and I couldn't help but wonder, what would have happened if I'd spent a few more moments alone in my best friend's company?
I jogged after Orion through the graves surrounding the huge stone mausoleum at the heart of the cemetery. Statues of the star signs stood around it and we moved past a creepy looking Capricorn ram as we examined the large stone sarcophaguses circling it. A rattling came from within them that said the dead were trying to get out, but I guessed they couldn’t lift the stone lids. The shouts and cries carrying from our friends said they were still facing them. So we needed to hurry our asses up.
“Are we close?” I whispered.
“I don’t know,” Orion murmured.
“Didn’t you ever visit his grave?” I asked in confusion.
“No, I thought he was cremated,” he said, his brow pulling down.
“Oh…well, they’re all Capricorns here,” I said and he frowned at the nearest stone coffins.
“They must be laid out by star signs,” he said, grabbing me and I cursed as he whipped me into his arms again, racing around the mausoleum at high speed. He planted me down beside a large statue of a set of weighing scales and I shoved out of his arms.
“Quit doing that with no warning,” I hissed, but my point was lost a little as my foot skidded down a muddy bank.
I was about to cast air to push at my back when he threw out a hand at lightning speed to catch me. He yanked me back against his chest and I tilted my chin up with a scowl.
“Stop it,” I snapped.
“I’m never not going to catch you,” he growled and I pulled away from him, rounding into the group of graves beyond the statue and hunting for Orion’s name.
“I would have caught myself,” I said firmly.
“Sure you would.”
His eyes slid over my head and I opened my mouth to rebuke him but he blurted, “That’s it,” and rushed past me.
I twisted around, spotting him running toward a huge stone tomb standing under an arching willow tree. The name Lancelot was etched beside a Libra symbol above a round stone door.
“How do you know?” I asked as we stopped in front of it.
“Because my dad used to call me that,” he said then brushed his fingers over two small holes in the centre of the door, overlapping like an infinity symbol.
I took the rings from my hand with a buzz of excitement in my veins and stepped forward, pushing the first into the deeper hole then the other into the one that overlapped it.
There was no sound of the door unlocking and I glanced at Orion in concern as he pushed against it, but it didn’t budge. He ran his fingers over the stone, his eyes shutting in concentration and I glanced over my shoulder anxiously, hoping the others were okay.
“What’s wrong? How do we get in?” I asked and he sighed, opening his eyes.
“It’s bound with blood magic. But it doesn’t just want my blood…” His fingers moved across the stone, brushing the rings. “It wants a Vega’s too.”
“Do you think my mother saw this? Us standing here together?” I asked in shock.
He swallowed, glancing at me. “Looks like it.” He held the draining dagger up to his palm, slicing it open and pressing his hand against the stone.
I took the dagger from him, feeling the call of the shadows within it. But I knew what I was doing, and my Phoenix wouldn’t allow any of that darkness into me again anyway. I cut my palm open and Orion’s fangs snapped out as he watched, a low groan leaving him.
I arched a brow at him then placed my hand on the door beside his, my breaths coming quicker in anticipation. It threw me for a loop knowing my mother had seen us together and had told Orion’s father. Did they think we were allies, or did they know we’d been more than that?
A heavy grinding of stone sounded from within the tomb and the circular door swung inward. Magic washed over me from inside and I felt something calling to me, begging me to come closer. I gasped, rushing into the tomb, needing to reach whatever it was and Orion was right at my side as he hunted for it too. It pulsed like a second heart beating close by, one that ached to be in my hands.
The door twisted shut with a loud thunk that made my bones rattle and my magic inside me fell still, blanketed by some power and not allowing me to access it.
“Oh shit,” I breathed, casting a red and blue flame with my Phoenix fire in the corner of the tomb and my gaze fell on a huge sarcophagus ahead of us.
The effigy of a man was carved into the stone lid, holding a sword against his chest which had all the constellations etched into its surface. His eyes were closed like he was in an eternal sleep and I was struck with recognition at how much he resembled his son.
Orion shot forward and lifted the lid, carrying it with the strength of his Order and placing it against the wall. A corpse lay inside which was nothing but bones and Orion moved to look down at his father with an ache in his eyes that hurt me.
“Hey, Dad,” he murmured.
“I’m sorry,” I said gently, moving closer to look down
into the coffin.
“Don’t be,” he sighed. “He died a long time ago.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s not sad anymore,” I said with a frown, moving to his side and brushing my fingers against his arm. He glanced at me and our eyes met, the air thickening between us.
He reached down into the coffin, carefully checking around the body. I moved along the edge of it, hunting the dark space, urging Phoenix flames in my hands to see by.
“It’s not here,” Orion growled.
“It must be,” I insisted, starting to move around the tomb, searching everywhere.
Orion shot around too, checking anywhere that could hide a compartment, but there was nothing, just four cold stone walls.
“Why would the diary lead you here if it’s gone?” I asked in frustration, carefully searching around the body again. “Could someone have gotten here before us?”
“There’s no way,” he growled fiercely. “How could they have gotten through that door?”
I shook my head, confused and furious as I continued hunting, but there was no compartment or hatch or anything. It was just an empty tomb and the sarcophagus.
“There has to be something we’re missing,” I said stubbornly, looking to Orion but he didn’t have an answer. “Maybe you needed to come here with Tory…”
“No,” Orion growled. “It was meant to be you, I’m sure of it.”
“Why?” I balked, moving to the door and pressing my hands against it, shoving with all my strength, but without my air magic I had no chance of opening it. Shit, how the hell do we get out? “It could be her. Or both of us, or-”
“It’s you,” he snapped. “It’s me and you, that was how this was meant to be.”
“Says the guy who abandoned me,” I scoffed. “We clearly weren’t meant to be anything.”
“I didn’t abandon you,” he said in disbelief, shooting to my side as he shoved the door too, adding the power of his Order, but it wouldn’t give. Shit.
“Right,” I said bitterly. “You just thought heading off to Darkmore and leaving me to pick up the pieces of our ruined relationship was a great way to show your support for me?”
Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne Page 46