Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne

by Caroline Peckham

  “Any chance you want to help me with another spell?” I asked, hoping we could focus on that for a while and stay away from uncomfortable territory like us.

  “Sure,” he said, sipping his coffee and watching me over it. “What has Honey Highbitch failed to teach you this time?”

  “Levitation,” I sighed. “I can do small objects, but she won’t let me practise on anything bigger than five kilos in class because the students at the back of class aren’t ‘capable’. But even when I’ve tried on my own, I can’t seem to grasp it. Tory said she’d talk me through what the bitch showed her when we get a chance, but it’s hard to find the time together when she’s pretending to be shadow controlled all the time.”

  He frowned angrily at that, placing his coffee down on a table and beckoning me over. “Come here.”

  I placed my mug down too, walking over and the scent of cinnamon carried from his flesh, making my mouth water. I missed that scent more with every passing day. One time, Max had found me sobbing in my room at the palace in a heap of Orion’s clothes which I’d made Darius give me. His scent had finally left them and I knew that was it. The last time I’d ever smell him. But now it turned out I’d been wrong. And I wasn’t sure which fate was worse. Having him this close knowing I could never have him, or never being near to him again.

  “Turn around,” he instructed and I did so as he moved up close behind me. He lifted my right hand, angling it toward the couch and his breath against my shoulder was definitely not distracting. “Levitation is a mind game. You can only lift five kilos because you believe you can only lift five kilos. Highspell is holding you back on purpose by teaching this spell that way,” he said in a furious tone.

  A growl of anger left me as I absorbed that.

  “Do you really believe a Vega princess can only lift five kilos?” he asked in my ear, making goosebumps rush down my arms.

  “No,” I said in realisation, raising my chin.

  “You could lift a mountain, Blue,” he murmured and I felt his belief in those words trickle into me too.

  He angled my hand towards the couch then released it, letting me do the work. I brought my thumb in against my palm as I urged magic to the edges of my flesh and focused on the furniture in front of me. I let Orion’s belief in me and my belief in myself fill me up to the brim, leaving no room for doubt.

  I can do this.

  The magic left me in a wave and I yanked back on it as it met the couch, keeping the power attached to me the way I’d learned so I could control it. The whole thing lifted a foot off the floor and I gasped in excitement, magic tumbling out of me and all the furniture in the room started lifting up to join the couch. The bed, the coffee table, even the pictures on the walls. Everything in the room was floating and it was easy, easier than forcing myself to lift a tiny weight one at a time and fear that was all I would ever be able to manage. This was how my magic was meant to be cast. Freely with complete, utter belief behind it.

  I twisted around with a laugh, throwing my arms around Orion’s neck and he pulled me tight against him. My heart tried to beat its way out of my chest as I was reminded of what it was like to be held by him again and it was nearly impossible to pull away. But I did. I backed up, turning around and lowering everything back to its place.

  “You didn’t answer my question earlier,” Orion said darkly and I moved to sit down on the couch, picking up my coffee and frowning over at him.

  “What question?”

  He rubbed his hand across the thick stubble on his jaw, dropping into a chair opposite me. “About the Wolf sleeping in your bed.”

  My gut clenched and I stole a few extra seconds drinking my coffee before I answered. “Who told you that?”

  “Does it matter?” he shot back.

  “Fucking Darius,” I muttered.

  “You said you weren’t together,” he said and I sighed, not wanting to get into an argument again.

  “We’re not. He just sleeps in with me sometimes,” I said like it was so simple, but it probably didn’t sound that way.

  “And kisses you on the Pitball field?” he snarled and my jaw literally dropped.

  “How the hell do you know about that?” I gasped, but his teeth snapped together. Goddammit Darius. “He kissed me because he was trying to-” I stopped myself there, not wanting to give away Seth’s secret about Caleb. “He just wanted to make someone jealous, that’s all.”

  His jaw ticked as he rested his elbows on his knees. “Do you really have to lie to me?”

  “I’m not lying,” I said in disbelief, my tone getting harsher as I failed to keep myself calm.

  “You lied about us, so why not him?” he threw at me and outrage hit me like a punch to the chest.

  “I had to lie about us,” I snarled and he blew out a breath.

  “For fuck’s sake, that came out wrong. I mean, you have reasons to lie about him too. There’s a law banning Fae of different Orders from dating, your sister might disapprove and-”

  I pushed out of my seat in fury. “I’m going to say this one last time, Lance. And if you don’t believe me then that’s your problem. But I am not with Seth Capella. And I wouldn’t make the mistake of lying to my sister ever again.”

  My Atlas started ringing before he could respond and I took it out, finding Gabriel calling. I answered, holding it to my ear as I rose from my seat as my stomach dipped.

  “Hey, everything okay?” I asked, concerned he might have seen something bad.

  “All good, Darcy, can you put me on speaker? Lance needs to hear this too.”

  Damn psychic. I wondered how much he saw of me sometimes. Could he just figure out wherever I was by turning his mind to me? Probably.

  I hit the speaker button, lowering the Atlas from my ear and Orion frowned curiously.

  “I’ve had a vision,” Gabriel said, sounding excited. “It’s an opportunity. One we really mustn’t miss.”

  “What is it, Noxy?” Orion rose from his chair, moving to stand in front of me so the Atlas was held between us.

  “Lionel’s hosting a party at the palace on Christmas Eve,” he said. “And there’s going to be a chance for me to get inside and use the chair in the Royal Seer’s Chamber that night. The stars are going to grant me this one opportunity to use it even though I don’t officially hold that title.”

  I sucked in a breath. “That’s great.”

  “Yeah,” Gabriel said. “And I think we might have another opportunity at the same time too...”

  “Like what?” Orion asked.

  “Stella’s going to be at the party, which means you two could try and get onto her property. I can’t see how that might go unfortunately, she still has Nymphs stationed there and they’re keeping it concealed from me with the shadows.”

  “Why us?” I asked, glancing at Orion then back to my Atlas.

  “Because you’re the only two who won’t be invited to the party. Besides, you can break the wards, Orio, and Darcy, you know where to look for Diego’s hat.”

  My heart beat harder and adrenaline coursed through my veins as I accepted he was right. “Okay. Shit, let’s do it.” I looked up at Orion with a grin and he smirked back at me.

  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Gabriel said. “The moon’s up.”

  He hung up and I turned to look out the window, my smile widening as moonlight spilled across the patio.

  “Fuck yes.” Orion shot away, grabbing the diary from his nightstand drawer and I jogged to the door, sliding it open just before Orion ran past me, catching my hand and towing me after him at speed.

  He planted me in a seat at a patio table and dropped down beside me, placing the diary in front of us. I started casting a concealment spell around us and Orion helped until we were totally hidden then he threw me an addictive kind of smile.

  He opened the diary and the moon bathed the pages. Light shimmered across it and words appeared in dark, swirling handwriting.

  “Is that the Imperial Star?” I breathe
d, pointing to the image at the base of the first page as I raised a hand to brush my fingers over the necklace and Orion whipped around to look at me.

  “You can see the words?” he asked in surprise.

  “Yeah, can’t you?” I frowned.

  “I can,” he said. “But Darius couldn’t.”

  “Oh,” I breathed. “Well…the tomb let us both in. So maybe it’s a Vega and Orion thing.”

  “Yeah…actually, my father’s note said the diary would be unreadable to the disloyal. He must have meant loyalty to the royals,” he murmured with a small smirk as he surveyed me for a second before looking back to the diary and turning the page. I guessed that was proof he was loyal to me and Tory. Did that mean he no longer backed Darius and the other Heirs? He’d encouraged me before, but seeing this truth laid out for me made my heart squeeze with emotion.

  I leaned close to him to read the next entry, our shoulders pressing together.

  Congratulations, my son.

  If all has gone to plan, you passed the test we laid for you in the tomb. Merissa Vega assured me you would protect her daughter no matter what spell you were under. Pride doesn’t come close to what I feel toward you right now. If you have gained the Imperial Star, then I know you are the man I hoped you would become.

  Now, the star must remain hidden. Only your most loyal of friends can know its location. A star cannot be seen by Seers or divined by the arcane arts. So long as you protect the knowledge of its location, it can never be discovered by Lionel Acrux.

  This brings me onto your next task. You must reform the Zodiac Guild. Choose those strong of heart, mind and soul to swear an oath to protect the Vega royals. They will need a strong following to help them ascend, Fae who they can trust with their lives. Choose wisely.

  To bind new members to the Guild, you will need the Chalice of Flames, an item that has long been in my possession.

  Spill your blood beneath the light of the full moon to summon the chalice.

  Orion flipped the page over and the image of a beautiful chalice was drawn there with a postscript beneath it.

  The Chalice of Flames holds an ancient Phoenix flame within its core. It is indestructible, cannot be tarnished and must be protected by the Master of the Zodiac Guild. All who drink the royal elixir from this cup and speak the words inscribed upon its surface will be bound to the Guild, sworn in to protect the Vega line.

  Orion placed his thumb in his mouth, cutting it open on his fang and holding it up to the moonlight bathing us. Light glittered across his palm and a shimmering silver chalice appeared in his grip, making my lips part in awe. The words inscribed on it were written in what looked like Latin and I had no idea what they meant, but I could feel the power of this object practically calling to me.

  “Can I hold it?” I breathed and Orion passed it to me without hesitation. The metal was warm, kissing my palm and I gasped at the feel of the flame curling within it, sensing some long lost connection to the Phoenix who’d placed it there.

  “It’s beautiful,” I sighed, passing it back to Orion and he placed it down in front of us as he started reading the next page. I leaned forward to do the same.

  The elixir of the royals is laid out on the following page. It will take six weeks to brew, and during this time, you have the sole responsibility of ensuring the Imperial Star is protected. Merissa informs me that with the help of a dear friend, you will see the way to keep it safe until the Guild can be reformed and your allies can help protect its location.

  I smiled, thinking of Gabriel and feeling closer to my mother than I ever had before. Knowing that she’d seen us gave me some comfort, like we held a connection to each other. That Tory and I hadn’t just been strangers to her in our adult lives. She’d known us to some extent through her visions. And I wished I’d known her too.

  Your final task is the greatest of all. You must ensure the Vega twins are crowned. They must become true Queens so that they are able to wield the Imperial Star. Meanwhile, you must safeguard the knowledge in this diary. Each spell the star can cast is accessed by a powerful word. Words which are contained within these pages. You must memorise each one, ensure the Vegas know them by heart and never, ever forget them. You must not try to use them on the Imperial Star yourself or allow the Vegas to attempt it before they are crowned, for only a reigning sovereign can wield the Imperial Star. All others will perish if they attempt it.

  Orion turned the page and a word ran across the centre of it in curling script.

  Immunisia

  Immunity.

  This spell grants lifelong immunity to all illnesses.

  “Holy shit,” Orion breathed and I turned to him with laughter bubbling in my chest.

  “This is crazy.”

  His eyes met mine and his fingers brushed my hand on the table, sending a line of fire through my body. “You’re gonna need to polish your crown, Blue,” he teased.

  I breathed a laugh, leaning a little closer and whispering, “I need to take it back from a Dragon king first.”

  C hristmas Eve had crept up on us before we knew it and I’d spent the day in the Palace of Souls with Lionel, trying to hide my nerves about what we were planning to do tonight.

  Gabriel was confident that everything was coming together despite all the reasons we had to fear this going wrong and he was certain that we would have a decent shot at sneaking him into the palace during the party.

  Then we just had to get him to the Royal Seer’s Chamber and sit his ass on the chair so that the stars could gift him with the vision they’d promised. Why they had to be dicks about it and insist on him coming to the palace was beyond me, but he seemed to think it was perfectly acceptable for the twinkly bastards to set a challenge if we wanted to be rewarded with knowledge from the heavens.

  I personally thought they were just being vindictive little assholes, but maybe I was just a salty bitch over the way they’d repeatedly fucked up my life.

  I also had no idea why the stars had decided to allow him to make use of it tonight after months of him trying while I was trapped in Lionel's grasp – maybe they just didn’t like me very much - but I did trust that he knew what he was talking about. And hopefully this would be the key to us moving forward with our plans against the so-called king so I was more than willing to run with it.

  Over the past month we’d all been helping gather the ingredients Orion needed for the royal elixir to initiate members to the Zodiac Guild. It was complicated as shit and the bubbling potion in his closet which gave off a weird almond smell apparently needed a full week in darkness now before we could add the next ingredient. Which was something called rothium grass and it only grew on one special mountain which had apparently been blessed by some old Vega prince hundreds of years ago. Frankly, the whole Guild thing kinda made me uncomfortable. But maybe that was because I was assuming all royalists were like those in the A.S.S. who liked to stare at me and my sister, taking photos on their Atlases when they thought we weren’t looking. I didn’t want people swearing shit to me and making promises on the damn stars which they couldn’t take back. Maybe it wasn’t like that though. Because I couldn’t picture Orion suddenly waiting on me hand and foot and bursting into song when I entered a room. He might for Darcy though…

  Damn, I forgot to dick kick him today.

  The dress I'd been given to wear to the ball tonight was golden and shimmered as the light touched it, looking like a spill of liquid metal over my curves as it fell to my feet. My arms were bare and the neckline plunging which would have left me cold in the current weather aside from the fact that I could use my fire magic to keep me warm.

  Lionel had managed to force entry into the grand hall - which my father had apparently used for trials during his reign - and had chosen to hold this party there. No one dared ask why we weren't using the extravagant ballroom and it was a matter of quiet joy that I knew the palace still wouldn't open all of its doors to him.

  I'd already silently suffered through the recep
tion line where Lionel made every guest at the party file past him and bow while he sat on the throne. He kept a host of Nymphs at our backs the entire time just so that he could boast about his control over them, but everyone who came had eyed them warily.

  The Nymphs had stayed in their shifted forms the entire time, standing stoic and statuesque at our backs, but the whole thing had left me fighting to stave off a shudder. I didn't trust them. Even though I knew Clara had full control over them, that didn't stop me from expecting them to attack at any moment. Knowing Diego had been good only eased my fears like one percent. Because of all the Nymphs I’d come into contact with, he was the single one who hadn’t looked hungry to eat my magic, and who had tried to help us. So I was assuming he was an anomaly. Oh Diego.

  Clara was in her element tonight, prancing around on Lionel's arm, cooing and clucking about how sad she supposedly was over Catalina's death while making less than subtle hints about her desire to be Lionel’s new queen.

  I stayed silent, only responding to anyone who addressed me directly and ignoring all the suspicious looks I was drawing. People didn’t know what to make of me anyway so they never really had anything to say.

  The Heirs and their parents were here tonight too and I'd caught their gazes more than once, taking some comfort in knowing that I had friends here even if I couldn't speak with them.