“Are you fucking kidding me?” Caleb barked.
“Pipe down, Mr Altair. Flexibility is an important part of any sport,” Washer said. “Now hurry along and get those legs in the air girls.”
I dropped down into the mud with a huff, stretching my leg up as far as I could over my head and Seth bent over me to push it further, keeping his weight off of me so this didn’t get super weird. Although, I was pretty sure this was already in that territory.
Geraldine lay in the mud beside me with both of her legs stretched over her head with no freaking bother. “Come on then you wet willy, help me stretch out my quads,” she demanded, lifting her head up to shout at Max between her thighs. He smirked and dropped his weight onto her, gripping her ankles and driving them into the mud above her head as his crotch ground against hers. Jesus.
I looked up at Seth with a snort and he sniggered at his friend.
“Push the girls harder, boys!” Washer called. “Use your weight to get a nice deep stretch. You’re not using your weight, Mr Capella.” A torrent of water hit Seth in the back and he was knocked over me, his heavy body falling onto mine. I hissed as he forced my leg to go far further than it wanted to and I was drenched in the icy flow of water too.
“Ow ow ow,” I pushed him back and his hand slipped in the mud as he tried to get up.
“I’m gonna kill him,” Seth growled, turning his head to bare his teeth at Washer as he managed to raise himself off of me.
“Less of the attitude, Capella, or you’ll lose your extra credit for this term,” Washer warned.
“Fucking asshole,” he snarled, turning back to face me. “Sorry, babe, you’re gonna have to take one for the team.”
I growled, shoving his chest. “Just let me swap legs, this one’s officially broken.”
He laughed, kneeling back and letting me swap out before pressing his weight down on me again, but not much. He cast a subtle silencing bubble around us, his eyes darting over to Caleb who was further down the line.
“So…have you spoken to Cal again?” he whispered as my ankle went over my head and I winced.
“Yeah, but whenever I try to steer the conversation toward you, he changes the subject. I dunno how to break him,” I said with a frown.
“I swear he feels something,” he murmured.
We’d been over every detail since the graveyard incident, of how Caleb had saved his life then leaned in, gazed at Seth’s mouth and almost seemed like he was gonna kiss him.
Seth had acted it out moment by moment so I had a pretty good visual, though the Wolf had a tendency to dramatize things which meant I couldn’t be entirely sure how accurate his account was. But there must have been some truth to it.
“Maybe you just need to ask him,” I suggested, knowing I was sounding like a broken record by now, but really, what other option did he have?
“Or maybe we need to make him jealous. Watch his reaction,” he demanded, dropping the silencing bubble before I could agree then grabbing my wrists and pinning them above my head with one hand.
“Hey,” I hissed.
“Max, take a picture of us.” Seth wrangled his Atlas out of his pocket, tossing it to his friend who was now rocking his hips back and forth while Geraldine held onto his head and shouted wild encouragements to him. He looked like he was having the time of his life.
Seth’s Atlas fell into the mud and Max looked over at us in a daze. “What?”
“Get a photo,” Seth snapped.
“I don’t want a photo,” I yanked at my wrists, opening my palms and readying to blast him off of me with air if he didn’t obey.
Max laughed, snatching up the Atlas and snapped a photo just as Seth leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.
“Ah!” I released a storm of air, forcing him off of me and sending him flying away into the mud with a hard thwack.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, sitting up with a snarl before pushing to my feet. “What the hell, Seth?”
He got up, clutching his stomach as he laughed and I charged him down, using my earth magic to pelt huge balls of mud at him. The first one slapped him right in the face, killing his laugh dead, but he threw up an air shield before I could land the second one.
The earth quaked beneath my feet as I prepared to bury him, but Caleb suddenly shot between us and Washer started blowing his whistle.
“What’s going on?” Caleb demanded of me, like it was my damn fault Seth didn’t have any boundaries. But I had to admit, maybe Caleb did look kind of jealous.
“He kissed me,” I growled, pointing an accusing finger over Caleb’s shoulder at the mutt.
Caleb whipped around to look at him and I couldn’t see his expression as Seth shrugged innocently.
“She was begging for it,” Seth said with a smirk. “She kept saying ‘oh you’re getting me so wet, drag me back to your Wolf den and put it in my ass’.”
An earthquake split away from me as I snarled and the ground tore in two. I’m gonna kill him.
Seth rose himself up on a cloud of air as Caleb jumped out of the way of the hole opening up in the ground.
“That’s enough!” Washer called. “I know this new Order law is causing a lot of sexual frustration, Miss Vega, but we must all try to restrain ourselves. I can always help syphon off some of that rampant energy if you need an outlet.”
I shuddered, rounding on Washer as Seth and Caleb did too.
“Why are you such a damn pervert?” I snapped at him before I could stop myself and Washer’s mouth dropped open.
“I do beg your pardon, Miss Vega?” Washer held a hand to his heart, looking utterly offended.
“No, she’s right,” Seth snarled. “If you talk to her like that again, I’ll deal with your ass myself.”
“I don’t need your help,” I tossed at Seth, but I guessed his solidarity was sort of sweet.
“Oh-ho!” Washer gasped. “You’ll deal with my ass will you, Mr Capella?” he asked, making it sound like a completely different kind of threat and I grimaced.
“I’m gonna get you fired if you don’t back down, you old creep,” Darius barked, walking over with Max at his back, water streaming from their hair and making their uniforms cling to their muscular bodies. I’d noticed he’d point blank refused to take part in the stretching shit and I knew that was because of Tory. He didn’t let any of the fangirls even get close to him these days and there was something stupid cute about that.
Caleb laughed obnoxiously and Washer looked between us all in shock then took a step back, chuckling nervously.
“I meant no harm. You’ve got the wrong end of the stick,” he simpered, cowering under the gaze of all of us.
“Good,” Darius growled. “Then in the words of Lance Orion, the best damn Pitball coach this team has ever had by the way, class is fucking dismissed.”
We all turned away from Washer, heading to the locker rooms and Geraldine guffawed as she came prancing along beside me.
“That’ll show that brackish ballbag where to stuff his stationary,” she said with another loud laugh and I grinned.
“I don’t think he’ll ever stop being creepy though,” I said as we headed inside and I urged my Phoenix fire into my veins to warm me through.
We split away from the boys, walking into the girls’ changing room and we were soon showered and dressed in warm clothes and I adjusted the necklace holding the Imperial Star over my shirt carefully. I put on the Gemini bracelet my brother had gifted me too, liking the way it made me feel closer to him.
I’d wanted to go flying with him and Tory tonight, but the weather was only getting worse. When I checked my Atlas, I found a text from my brother saying there were storms all across the kingdom, but the sun would be out tomorrow so we should go then instead.
I pulled a navy hoody on over my sports bra, leaving the zip open as I dried out my hair. The last of the other girls filed out of the room and I looked over to Geraldine who was putting on makeup in the mirror.
; “Going somewhere tonight?” I asked curiously.
“Justin and I are meeting up for a late supper,” she said, powdering her nose.
“Oh, like a date?” I asked curiously and she shook her head.
“Oh no my sweet Darcy, I do not date. I spread my lady seed as far and wide as I can until my days of unshackled courtship come to a close. My marriage to Justin, the little worm, will be the end of it, but sometimes…”
“What?” I asked as she sighed heavily, her shoulders heaving and dropping.
She glanced at me with emotion glazing her eyes and I rested a hand on her shoulder as my heart tugged.
“Well, lately,” she lowered her voice. “My Lady Petunia craves to have her garden watered by one single devilish dandelion.”
“Max?” I whispered, excitement running through me. I knew Geraldine’s political stance was holding her back from giving herself to Max, but I wished it didn’t have to. They were polar opposites but somehow they found a balance between them that just worked.
She nodded, sucking her lower lip then suddenly fell to her knees and wailed. “Oh, my Queen, I have wronged you by that admission! He is an Heir – a ghastly Heir! And I would never align myself with such a lout! Never!”
“It’s okay, Geraldine.” I drew her to her feet as she released a croaking sob. “Max is a good guy. Screw politics. If you like him, then go for it. Tory and Darius are meant for each other, so why not you and Max?”
“Oh my lady, if only it were so simple. And my lady Tory and her Darry man are an exception chosen by the stars themselves. He will eventually inevitably bend the knee when she puts a pin in his astoundingly large head.” She sniffed and I really hated that politics had to mean so much to her and that she wholeheartedly believed some pre-arranged engagement had to be stuck to. I didn’t care who she dated. Alright, I wouldn’t be thrilled if she joined the Clara party and started dating Lionel and calling him Daddy, but pretty much anyone else in Solaria was fair game. Except Orion. Nope, go away unwanted thought.
The door pushed open and Seth came walking in like he owned the world in just a pair of sweatpants with a bag slung over his shoulder. “Wanna walk back to Aer Tower with me, Darcy?” he asked. “The guys have gone.”
I looked to Geraldine and she nodded, waving me away as she turned to the mirror to reapply her makeup. “I’ll see you in the morrow. I shall have a feast of buttery bagels ready in the Hollow at dawn.”
“You don’t have to,” I said like always, but she waved me off again, because she always would. She was too damn good of a friend.
I headed out of the door with Seth, walking through the quiet halls together, relishing breaking Lionel’s little Orderist law. Ever since Orion had helped me with my illusion spells, I was getting seriously good at them. I could make myself look like a fluffy grey Werewolf padding along at Seth’s side whenever I liked, so hanging out with him and the other Heirs around campus had become a little easier.
“I wanna go for a run before we head back, I thought you might like the ride?” Seth asked and I scowled.
“I’m still pissed at you,” I reminded him.
“Oh right,” he said, cocking his head to one side and giving me a puppyish look. “Forgive me, babe. I just wanted to make Cal jealous. And did you see him run over? I think it might have worked.”
“I don’t think you should play games like that,” I said, clapping him in the ear. “It’s not cool.”
He whined low in his throat. “But jealousy is so fucking efficient at making people show their real feelings,” he reasoned.
“True, but it’s also game playing. Caleb doesn’t deserve that,” I pushed and he considered my words before nodding.
“Dammit, you’re right. Why are you always right?”
I laughed, tossing my hair jokingly. “It’s because I’m one of the true queens.”
He growled and I grinned, but he didn’t bite the bait. We all avoided the fact that we’d have to fight for the throne one day. It was simpler that way. Besides, with Lionel in power, that future seemed so far off and impossible it was easy to forget we might all clash again eventually.
We reached the exit and Seth pulled off his sweatpants, putting them in his gym bag which I took from him, hooking it over my shoulder. He opened the door, leaping out of it and shifted into his huge Wolf form.
I jogged forward to climb on his back, quickly casting an illusion over myself so no one would see anything but swathes of white fur in my place. Then I cast an air shield around us to keep us dry and he took off across the wet grass, his nose in the air as he breathed in the scents of the evening.
I clung to his fur, keeping low on his body as he ran faster and faster, tearing past the Earth Observatory and circling around to The Wailing Wood. The darkness was thicker between the trees and there were other Orders out too, creeping amongst the shadows.
Seth raced on through the wood, weaving between the large boughs and making my heart leap with exhilaration. We soon arrived at Aer Tower and he slowed his pace, padding up to the door while I raised a hand to cast air at the Elemental symbol above it. Seth nosed the door open and started running up the stairs, knocking people aside as he took several steps at a time.
There were posters on the wall warning of some sort of wild monster man that Kylie keep harping on about it, saying it had attacked her one night a few weeks ago. I guessed it was just a way to try and get attention, but it hadn’t worked. The only Fae who gave her any notice these days were the others K.U.N.T.s. And even they didn’t spend actual quality time with her. But whenever I felt remotely sorry for her sitting on her own pining for a friend, I vividly remembered her up on that stand in court, telling the whole kingdom that she had been the one to catch Orion and I. I would never forgive her for that. And if she spent the rest of her time at Zodiac alone because of it, then she was getting off lightly.
Seth slowed as he reached the corridor that led to my room, waiting for the students around us to file away before charging down it. I slipped off of his back, unlocking the door and turning to say goodnight but he pushed into my room.
“Damn Wolf,” I muttered as I followed him inside, shutting the door and locking it tight before casting a silencing bubble around us.
Seth shifted back into his Fae form and I tossed him his bag. He took out some boxers, pulling them on before throwing himself onto my bed and making himself comfy. He didn’t always stay here, but I had to admit I slept better when he did. With Tory having to pretend she was still controlled by the shadows, I couldn’t stay with her unless we slept at King’s Hollow. And without company, I barely got a couple hours sleep. So as weird as this was, I also wasn’t going to make him leave.
I kicked my shoes off, grabbing an elastic from my nightstand and pulling my hair up into a ponytail then dropping down beside him on the bed.
“Don’t you miss your pack when you stay here?” I asked as I hooked an Astrology textbook out from under my pillow and propped it up on my knees.
Professor Zenith wanted us all to study the Seventh House for a pop quiz she was throwing tomorrow. We’d been studying it all week, and as it was ruled by Libra and Venus (Orion’s star sign and the damn love planet) I was constantly reminded of him. The Seventh House’s other name was the House of Partnership too so that was just a bundle of coincidences I didn’t need right now.
“Not really,” he said, looking guilty as he rolled toward me and rested his head on my arm. “Do you wanna know something I’ve only told the Heirs?”
“Always.” I placed my book down, looking to him curiously.
He glanced up at me with a slanted grin. “They’re my real pack. The ones I count on over anyone else. The ones I’m there for before anyone among my Wolves. I know it’s fucked up, and I do love my pack. But they’re not family. The Heirs are. And so are you now. Your sister is too…though I don’t think she likes me that much.”
“Well you keep bringing her snacks and then stealing them back.”
“That kinda sounds like you just stole their food.”
“Trust me. They loved it. Tory does too,” he insisted.
“Err, no. Tory is like a bear when it comes to food. She doesn’t share often and she definitely doesn’t like it being stolen from her,” I said and he just scoffed.
“She loves it,” he insisted even though I knew for a fact he was wrong. “But aside from that, she still doesn’t seem to wanna snuggle with me much, so there must be something else holding her back.”
“Well, you peed on her that time,” I pointed out. “People don’t just get over being peed on.”
“Yeah…” he said, a soft Wolfy whimper escaping him and I took pity on him as I went on.
“She doesn’t hate you anymore. She just needs to get to know you better,” I said and he chuckled in a low tone.
“Maybe I need to work on that,” he replied, shoving my Astrology book aside so he could curl up against me better, yawning like a tired pup.
I’d never had a pet dog, but I imagined it was kinda like this. Which was totally weird, but there was something about him lying on me or the way he did with the Heirs that just seemed natural. It was the way of his kind and he had such a soothing aura when he wasn’t being an asshole. Which these days tended to be pretty often. At least to those in his inner circle. I’d never really imagined there could be this much good in the guy I’d once hated with all my heart.
“So, are we ever gonna talk about what happened between you and Orion in that tomb?” he asked out of the blue and my heart jolted.
“What?” I blurted, heat rushing up to my cheeks. “Nothing happened.” Great, that sounded really convincing.
“Pfft, you came outta there looking guilty and confused as fuck. I know something happened,” he insisted. “I just assumed you might bring it up eventually, but apparently you still don’t trust me.”
Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne Page 59