Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne

by Caroline Peckham

  I groaned, rubbing my eyes. “It doesn’t matter, it didn’t mean anything.”

  He gasped, sitting upright and knocking my hand away from my face. “Holy fuck, I didn’t think anything actually happened, I was just testing you! Tell me everything.”

  “You asshole.” I punched his arm and he laughed, grabbing my wrist and grinning like a maniac. I sighed dramatically, giving in as I tugged my arm out of his grip. “Fine. It was just one stupid kiss that’s all.” Tory was the only one I’d confided in about it and the only one I normally would. So this was a stretch for me.

  His eyes lit up like I’d just told him Christmas was coming early and I frowned in confusion.

  “Why do you look so damn happy about it?” I asked.

  “It’s just exciting,” he said with a shrug, but I wasn’t buying it.

  “Seth,” I warned and he sighed, dropping down to sit beside me and rest his head against mine.

  “Fine, I want you two to get back together. Is that a crime?”

  I wheeled on him, surprised that he was echoing what my sister had said. “You what?”

  He shrugged innocently. “You’re fucking made for each other, and come on, it’s been months since he was gone and you’re not over him. Not even one percent over him,” he implored and I hated him calling me out like that. It put me on the defensive and I spluttered a non response while he just gave me a patient look that said he was waiting for me to admit it. Goddammit he was annoying sometimes.

  “Even if I wasn’t over him, which I am, I could never be with him after what he did,” I said, but even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t entirely true anymore. Since Orion had explained himself, I kept running over his words in my mind. They were too sincere, too fucking sweet.

  “You mean when he sacrificed himself for you so you might have a chance to take down Lionel? So that you wouldn’t lose everything including your place at the one academy capable of training up a Fae of your power level and giving you a real chance for the throne? By the stars, what an asshole,” he growled mockingly and I pursed my lips. “No, you’re right, Darcy. I won’t stand for it. How dare he throw himself into the most dangerous place in Solaria and face months of hell in Darkmore because of how much he loves you? How fucking dare he.”

  “Stop it,” I snipped, but he just kept going.

  “How dare he ruin himself as far as any Fae can possibly ruin themselves for you.”

  “I didn’t ask him to,” I said heatedly. “I never wanted him to.”

  “I know,” he said, his smile falling away as he took my hand and squeezed. “And you have a right to be mad at him for that. But not forever, babe.”

  A lump burned my throat as emotion welled up in me. I dropped his gaze, unable to face the blazing truth in his eyes. “It’s all so messed up.”

  “But it’s not unfixable,” he urged. “Look, I love hanging out with you, Darcy. Staying here with you feeds my inner Wolfiness, but I’m only here because I can feel your pain. Not in the way Max can, but…” He reached out, brushing his knuckles across my collar bone with a dark frown. “It’s instinct, I guess. I just know you’re hurting. And that hasn’t changed since he left. Even since Tory came back, I know you’re happier but it’s not enough. And if I’m honest, I don’t think it’s going to change unless you two fix this.”

  “I don’t know if it can be repaired, Seth,” I said, the pain in me splitting open like a sealed box cracking in my chest.

  He cupped my cheek, giving me an intent look. “If you both want it enough, it can be.”

  I ripped my gaze from his, not wanting to face what he was asking of me. But I knew I needed to. I just wasn’t sure I could ever let go of this hurt Orion had left in me. I couldn’t see a reality in which I could trust him again, and if I couldn’t trust him, then there was no hope for us.

  ***

  I sat in my last class of the day, scowling at Highspell as she handed out fat chocolate brownies to the ‘higher’ Orders at the front of the room, spending particular time chatting with the boys and casually running her fingers through their hair. Her skirt was almost short enough to see her snake hole and she made a point of bending over in front of any guy she took a liking too.

  I felt sorry for Tory having to sit up there and pretend she was a slave to the shadows. She was probably working to restraining herself from tit punching Highspell right about now. As amazing as it was to know she was mostly free of Lionel’s control, it sucked that I couldn’t spend more time with her. We had to always be careful in case anyone suspected anything. And as much as I missed her, I wasn’t going to risk Lionel finding out she was no longer a walking zombie.

  There was one thing keeping my spirits high today though, it was another full moon at last. And Orion would be able to read more of his father’s diary. Maybe my mother had seen more of what we needed to do to face Lionel.

  I tried to cast a levitation spell on the three kilo weight sitting on my desk and it raised up a few inches before I let it tumble back onto my desk again. Highspell didn’t let us have anything above five kilos for this, while the front of the class were already lifting up to fifty. She’d vaguely given an explanation to the whole class of how to cast the spell then spent the rest of the time moving between the ‘higher’ Orders and showing them how to do it in more detail. And everyone back here was unsurprisingly failing this subject hard.

  My Atlas buzzed and I took it out. Highspell rarely paid any attention to any of us in the back rows, so I didn’t bother to hide it as I found a message from Darius. Of course, if she did decide to look this way, she’d punish the hell out of me for it. But I didn’t give a damn.

  Darius:

  Can you go to Lance’s tonight? He might need help and I’m busy.

  My heart missed a full beat.

  Darcy:

  Busy doing what?

  Darius:

  Stuff and things. Be there by seven, shrew.

  I shot him a gif of an angry Minotaur shouting ‘NO!’ and he replied with one of a shrew running away from a torrent of Dragon fire.

  I pursed my lips, wondering where the hell he’d found such a gif before tossing him one back of a Calonian Octopus Shifter with Fae hands on the end of every tentacle putting its middle fingers up.

  Darius:

  Have fun!

  “Asshole,” I muttered.

  Right, well if I was going, I definitely needed a buffer. I wasn’t gonna spend an evening alone with a guy I craved like a drug and who was just as bad for me. So I shot a message to the group chat asking for help.

  Max:

  No can do, little Vega, Gerry’s sneaking over to my place tonight.

  Darcy:

  How did you pull that off??

  Max:

  I stole all the bagels from the school supply and stashed them in my room. If she wants breakfast tomorrow, she has to come. Literally.

  I snorted a laugh but it fell dead as Seth’s reply came in next.

  Seth:

  Can’t come tonight. Cal’s hunting me.

  Caleb:

  I am?

  Seth:

  Yup. *crossing swords emoji*

  Seth:

  Shit that was meant to be a battle axe emoji.

  Caleb:

  …

  Seth:

  Anyways, sorry babe, we’re out. Good luck, let us know all the juicy deets…about the diary.

  I gritted my jaw in annoyance, looking over to Tory, but I knew she couldn’t join me. She only went home to Lionel at the weekends and there was no way I was going to make her head back to the palace any more than she had to.

  My Atlas buzzed and I found a message from the only other person I could have called on.

  Gabriel:

  No can do, I’m heading home for the night for Faetalian Tuesdays. I’m cooking. I’ll freeze you some!

  Great. It looked like it was on me.

  It wasn’t like I didn’t want to see Orion. Hell, that was all I wanted to do. But b
eing in a house alone with him seemed like a terrible idea. Especially since we’d kissed. I’d worked really hard convincing myself it meant nothing, and I didn’t want to be proven wrong.

  I moved my thumb onto the new number in my contacts for Orion, his name saved as Starboy just like it used to be to hide the fact that we were talking. I guessed some things never changed. I hadn’t messaged him once since I’d gotten his number, but I figured it was only right to tell him I’d be showing up later.

  Darcy:

  Hey, I’ll be over at 7. Darius thought it would be best if someone is there with you.

  P.S. Full moon woo!

  Full. Moon. Woo??

  God why would I say that?

  Three little dots appeared to let me know he was typing a reply and I couldn’t believe how much that made my heart backflip.

  Starboy:

  And Darius thought the best someone would be you?

  P.S. I think you’re spending too much time with Werewolves for the moon to get you that excited…

  I rolled my eyes, but I was also struggling to flatten my grin as I replied.

  Darcy:

  He’s busy doing ‘stuff and things’ apparently which I’m gonna assume means counting out his gold and checking all the locks on his doors to make sure no one ever steals it.

  So I guess you’re stuck with me.

  P.S. No more time than I do with Sirens, Vampires, Cerberuses and Dragons.

  Starboy:

  I can think of worse fates.

  P.S. They don’t sleep in your bed though, do they?

  My heart lurched into my throat as I stared at those words. How the hell did he know Seth slept in my bed? Had Darius told him?

  “Miss Vega!” Highspell shrieked and I looked up in surprise, finding her storming toward me like a bat out of hell. Her eyes turned to green slits and the necklace around her throat glowed brighter as she closed in on me. “How dare you disrespect me in my own classroom?” she hissed and I tucked my Atlas into my pocket.

  “I don’t need to disrespect you, miss, you manage that all on your own,” I said lightly, poking the beast.

  Tory met my eye across the room, a grin tugging up the corner of her mouth ever so slightly. I noticed her fingers flicking under her seat and Highspell suddenly tripped over like a whip of air had caught her legs, sending her tumbling to the floor ass over tit. Everyone roared with laughter including me. Yes, Tor.

  The bell rang for the end of the lesson and I sprang out of my seat, leaping over Highspell as she struggled to get up and running for the door.

  “Darcy Vega stop this instant!” she roared and I knew I’d pay for it tomorrow but I didn’t care.

  Tonight was the full moon and I was not getting landed in detention. I laughed as I ran full pelt down the corridor and ice suddenly blasted over my head. Oh shit!

  “Stop this second or you’ll regret it!” Highspell screamed and I spotted Caleb walking up the stairs ahead of me.

  “Cal! Zoom me out of here!” I called and he didn’t even question it, shooting towards me and throwing me over his shoulder, laughing as Highspell came racing toward us on her high heels.

  Caleb flipped her the bird then shot away at high speed, shooting across campus and making my head spin. We both cracked up as he placed me down and I realised I was beyond the outer fence.

  “You’d better keep running, sweetheart. She’s gonna have every K.U.N.T. in school hunting for you.” He smirked, taking out a pouch of stardust and tossing it to me.

  “Thanks.” I grinned. “What about you?”

  “She’s got a thing for me.” He winked then stepped back through the fence. “I’ll just flirt my way out of trouble. Oh, and I’ll slip her a memory potion to get you off the hook too. See you later.” He shot away and I was left smiling as I took a pinch of stardust between my fingers. It really paid off being the Heirs’ friend these days.

  My mouth grew dry and I looked down at my school uniform with a frown. Not exactly the outfit of dreams for tonight. But I didn’t really have much choice now.

  I threw the stardust over my head and pictured the woodland outside the palace as I was tugged away through the stars.

  I landed in the mud – without a single stumble thank you very much - and started jogging down to the tree where I could access the passage into the palace. I never stardusted too close to it just in case someone happened to be out here when I showed up. I didn’t think it was likely, but I was always cautious just in case.

  I headed up to the gnarled tree, my breath fogging before me in the cool air as I pressed my hand to the Hydra mark and it shone beneath my palm.

  I thought of my father with an ache in my soul, wishing I could have had a chance to know him. But more than that, I wished he could have been saved from what Lionel had done to him. It haunted me knowing his fate. I just hoped he’d known happiness alongside my mother at least.

  I walked down the stairs the roots formed, descending into the tunnel below before they retracted and the lasting light of the day vanished. I took out my Atlas, figuring I should give Orion a head’s up that I was early, but found I had no signal. I swore under my breath as I tucked my Atlas away and cast a Faelight to see by as I jogged along, willing heat into my veins to fight away the cold.

  When I reached the hatch, I cracked it open and peeked out with my heart pounding. The sound of the shower running reached me and I climbed up, gently dropping the hatch back into place and moving into the living room. The door to the bathroom was half open and my pulse went haywire at the sight of Orion in the shower. His back was to me and water rushed down his broad shoulders and the muscles tapering at the base of his spine before washing over his ass.

  I remained stock still, not daring to breathe as he carved his fingers through his hair.

  I should move.

  I should do anything but stand here and just stare.

  Heat burned a path through my body until I felt like I was melting. I forced myself to take a step away, but the floorboard creaked beneath my foot. His head whipped around and I nearly swallowed my own tongue as he met my gaze. Shit shit no shit.

  I panicked, all rational thought going out of my head as I fled. It was stupid and childish but I didn’t give a damn because I just needed to get back into the tunnel and leave, come back later if I had to, but right now I just had to embrace my inner coward and run like a maniac to escape.

  I almost made it to the hatch when Orion shot in front of me with a towel wrapped loosely around his waist, his naked body dripping water as he smirked at me. Fucking smirked. My heart collided with my throat and I folded my arms as I tried to regain some composure, but I was pretty sure I’d lost that the moment I’d freaked out and acted like the house was burning down.

  “Where are you running off to, Blue?” he asked, his eyes glittering darkly and everything tightened between my thighs. Why had he started calling me that again? Why did I like it so much?

  “I’m early,” I stated the obvious, because that was an awesome idea obviously.

  “I see that,” he said, his fangs glinting at me and I wondered if that little chase had woken his Vampire up. Despite all the recent evidence to the contrary, I wasn’t, in fact, prey. And I needed to remind him of that fast.

  “Were you spying on me?” he asked, amusement written into his features and I pressed my shoulders back.

  “No. But maybe you shouldn’t shower with the door open, idiot. I wasn’t planning on seeing the crack of dawn twice today,” I tossed at him.

  He barked a laugh and it was so damn infectious that a smile hooked up the corner of my mouth. His dimple dented his right cheek and I had the urge to reach out and run my thumb over it. An urge I quickly squashed.

  He took a step toward me and I fought to keep my eyes on his face as his gleaming abs begged for my attention. “Don’t leave,” he said in a low growl which made my toes scrunch up in my shoes. “I’ll get dressed.”

  He shot away across the room and I
glanced over my shoulder as he dropped his towel by a set of drawers beside the large bed. I snapped my head around again fast enough to give myself whiplash. “Are you quite done being naked?”

  “So long as you’re quite done with it,” he said teasingly and pockets of heat burst in my cheeks.

  “I was done a long time ago, Lance,” I said lightly, though I was probably way past looking innocent at this point. I really should have texted before I went into the tunnel. My Horoscope had warned me about making rash decisions today. ‘Think before you act, Gemini’. Well that advice had gone to the dogs.

  He shot past me into the kitchenette in some grey sweatpants and a white wifebeater, starting to make coffee.

  “The moon won’t rise for another couple of hours,” he said, glancing at me. “Why are you early?”

  He sounded kind of pleased that I was and the idea of that warmed me through. “Let’s just say I’m on the run.”

  “From who?” he asked with a low laugh.

  “Highspell,” I said, wrinkling my nose.

  “Well you can hide out here away from that witch anytime you like,” he muttered, brewing the coffee and handing me a mug. It had a little ray of sunshine peeping through a cloud on it and I wondered if the set had been my mother’s.

  “Thanks.” I blew on my coffee for something to occupy myself with, but despite me walking in on him butt naked, this somehow didn’t feel as awkward as the last couple of times I’d been here.

  And this time I at least had some idea of what to say to keep the conversation moving. Which was kinda sad seeing as we’d never had trouble talking before. But opening up to him was difficult now and I wasn’t sure I wanted it to become easy again. Tory and Seth had planted a seed in my head about Orion though and it just kept growing a little bigger each day. With all I knew about his reasons for what he’d done, how could I stay angry at him forever? Especially after everything he’d been through since. He’d been punished plenty for it. But the idea of forgiving him opened up more questions I wasn’t ready to face. Even if I admitted that I still loved him, what then? He wanted me to move on. He didn’t see a future for us. He’d made that clear enough. Ergh, what a mess.