Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne

by Caroline Peckham

  The price was too high. But I would pay it twice over for her.

  I closed my eyes and thought of her as I placed my bleeding hand upon the surface of the glowing stone again, the magic in it calling to me as I made the only choice I could. It was a sacrifice I wished I didn't have to make with every single part of my soul. But I'd known that I would give my life for my girl for a long time now. So it really wasn't a choice at all.

  "Blood of the oathbreaker," the voice came again, rich with even more power now as the energy in the cavern made my entire body tingle. "Descendant of the deceiver. Son of the destroyer. Do you offer your life in payment for the breaking of the bonds?"

  My hand trembled where it pressed to the stone and I closed my eyes against the golden glow emanating from it as I filled my mind with images of the girl I'd gladly give it all up for, silently apologising to her for being so selfish in making this choice. Even though I knew there was no other choice that I could make.

  There was no me without her. And I'd have given my life for hers even if I had to die right now. I'd make this year count. I'd make up for every awful thing I'd ever done to her and I'd destroy my father to make certain that she would be safe from his tyranny when I was gone.

  In the end there was only her for me. I'd inked it onto my skin and it was branded on my heart. She owned me entirely and I was never going to make any other choice.

  "I accept your terms," I growled in a deep voice that echoed with finality. "And I offer my life in payment."

  F ire blazed all around me as I stood before Lionel, gritting my teeth in desperation while I tried to stop myself from attacking Caleb. But it was no use, the bond forced me into action no matter how hard I fought it.

  I held an air shield tight around myself and Lionel and the thump of my pulse in my ears was enough to make my head spin.

  Caleb shot to my right with a determined yell and I lifted my hands to blast him with water magic, but just as the power reached my fingertips, an enormous blast of energy almost knocked me from my feet.

  I staggered back a step as I sucked in a sharp breath, my magic pulsing through my skin in an unfamiliar wave of motion, feeling like sunlight against my flesh in the brightest summer's day and an echo of something dark and forgotten brushing up against my soul.

  My left arm burned in a way that sent shivers of pleasure racing through my skin and as I looked down at it, I found the Aries mark Lionel had branded me with fading as the shackles within my mind began to fall away.

  I sucked in an astonished breath as my power surged within me and I swung my head around to look at the man who had stolen my crown.

  The shield I was using to protect us disbanded as the compulsion to protect him left me. Lionel grabbed my wrist, shouting something I couldn't make out as I narrowed my eyes on him, finally feeling nothing at all but hatred for this monster who had imprisoned and tortured me.

  From the corner of my eye, I noticed a blur of motion shooting towards me, taking advantage of me dropping my shield for the first time and I gasped as a sharp prick smacked against my arm.

  Caleb was gone as fast as he'd appeared, but the effects of the antidote he'd just given me sped through my body like wildfire as my Phoenix woke up and fire danced within my soul.

  "What the hell have you done?" Lionel bellowed, his grip on me tightening as he felt the bond between us falling apart too.

  But he clearly hadn't figured out that that was what was happening yet, and this single moment was the only one I needed.

  With a roar of fury, my Phoenix form burst from my skin and I was swathed in flames which burned hotter than the surface of the sun as I shifted.

  Lionel screamed as his hand was engulfed in the flames where he held me and a blast of air magic slammed into my chest so hard that I was thrown clean out of the royal box and down to the pit far below us.

  The stench of burning flesh stayed with me as I fell, his magic driving against me so powerfully that I slammed down onto the sand within the pit before I could even try and fight it off.

  The sand felt as hard as rocks as I hit it and my wings were crushed beneath me as my flames flared around me, agony ricocheting through my spine.

  I gasped against the pain in my body, healing myself of the worst of it as I found myself in the thick of the battle taking place down here, though none of the Nymphs had turned their attention on me yet.

  I cursed as I scrambled to my feet, and a charred, blackened hand fell from my wrist where his fingers had still been curled around me, thumping down onto the sand. A wild and savage smile filled my lips as I looked up at Lionel where he stood screaming down at me from the royal box, a blistered stump where his right hand should have been and his face filled with utter panic as he spotted the charred lump of flesh before me.

  He threw a blast of magic at me, but I was far faster as he struggled to wield his Element single handed through the blinding pain of that injury and his attack ricocheted off of my air shield without effect.

  Magic surged in my veins as I looked up at him, seeing my chance to end this once and for all and the flames coating my body built up all around me in a blazing inferno, gathering in my palms as I prepared to destroy him.

  But before I could obliterate him, a woman clad in shadow leapt between us, shrieking my name in fury as she spotted me and yanking on the shadows which were latched to my soul, fighting to force me under their control once more.

  But I was done being a plaything for the shadows and that motherfucking Dragon bastard. And as the shadows reared up within my veins and she tried to force me to fall still under her command, the Phoenix within me flared brighter and brighter. My entire soul was forged in fire and as I gave myself to the heat of the flames, they chased beneath my skin, hunting down the dark power which never should have been mine in the first place. The flames burned through the shadows one after another, freeing me from each and every one of their shackles until every single scrap of darkness within me was banished.

  I gasped as the last of them was burned from my soul, standing taller as the weight of them released me and I was finally returned to myself.

  I was free.

  My smile widened and the shadow bitch screamed furiously as she realised what I’d done, shooting towards me with her fangs bared like she was planning on ripping me apart with her fucking teeth.

  I threw a blast of Phoenix fire at her, forcing her to halt her advance as she called on more and more shadows to defend herself. But she didn’t stop there. Darkness billowed from her body in a cascade of endless shadows, coiling around her and crackling with dark power which seemed to suck all of the joy out of the air and sent the rebels closest to her falling to their knees in the sand as they screamed in agony.

  I looked all around for and sign of Darcy or my friends, but my attention was caught on the Shadow Princess again as she managed to fight off my flames and draw even more dark magic to herself.

  The cloud of black smoke began to whirl around her in a maelstrom which only built higher and higher as she smiled wickedly, preparing to destroy us all with the full force of her power.

  "Get my hand!" Lionel bellowed as he threw a blast of magic at Caleb who was fighting him once more, managing to knock him back far enough to offer up a chance for him to escape.

  Lionel cast a blaze of fire behind him to keep Caleb back and leapt from the royal box, casting air to propel him towards me as I threw my flames towards the shadow bitch, trying to break through the shadows before she could do whatever the fuck it was she was building up to.

  But fuck that. Lionel wasn't going to be healing from that wound if I could help it. I’d promised to pay him back in blood and flesh for all of the agony he’d gifted me and this was just the beginning.

  With a surge of Phoenix fire which burned its way right through my soul, I blasted the blackened hand which lay on the sand with the full force of my gifts, obliterating it with a yell of fury and bathing in the agonised roar Lionel released as he saw what I
had done.

  Reattaching and healing a limb was possible. But growing a new one? No fucking chance.

  The shadow bitch screamed so loudly that I swear the entire sky almost tore apart as she threw shadows away from her in a deadly arc that slammed into the rebels, causing everyone they hit to shriek in agony.

  An earth shattering roar broke through the clouds overhead and I couldn’t help but look up as the Storm Dragon swooped towards us, lightning crashing from him in an enormous blast that threw Lionel back towards the swirling shadows that engulfed the far side of the amphitheatre.

  Dante swung around to chase after him, but the horned Nymph leapt at him from the stands, its probes slashing down his leg and tearing through scales and flesh as the Dragon roared in agony and wheeled away through the sky.

  I’d lost sight of Lionel in the shadows and I threw a wild blast of fire magic towards the Nymph, forcing it away from me as I turned to try and get my bearings.

  I threw a shield up over myself and turned desperately, searching for my sister amongst the carnage, knowing in my soul that if we were going to have any chance of surviving this then it needed to be together.

  I spotted her blue hair first as she finished a Nymph with a roar of fury and she turned to look at me as if she'd felt my gaze on her.

  I shifted back into my Fae form as we started running to meet each other and my heart ached with the need to be reunited with my other half. If our power merged then I was certain that there was nothing in this world that could stop us. Not evil Dragons or psychotic, shadow wielding bitches.

  This fight wasn't over. But we were going to end it together.

  I ran to my sister, our hands clasping together and she looked to me, realising something was wrong as my Phoenix didn’t immediately rush to meet hers, the lasting power of the curse making me feel exhausted and weak. Confusion rushed through me as I found her eyes clear, bright and green, the black Star Crossed ring around them gone.

  “What-” I started but a huge navy Dragon landed beside me with a guttural roar and electricity sparked off of his skin as he wheeled his head around to look at us.

  “Dante,” Tory gasped, running to him and healing a jagged wound on his leg.

  “Lance!” I called and he shot to my side in a flash, looking at me in dismay as he lowered the sword in his grip.

  “We have to go,” he said urgently. “The Nymph army is here, we’re all going to die if we stay. You have to call a retreat before we’re overrun.”

  “Me?” I scoffed.

  “Yes. This is your army. They’ll only listen to you or Tory,” he said firmly, his eyes flaring with how much he believed that. I wasn’t so sure, but I guessed it was worth a try. I didn’t want anyone else dying today.

  He reached out to cast a spell over my throat and I shared a look with Tory who nodded her agreement.

  I tipped my head back to shout, the sound amplified tenfold by his magic. “Retreat!”

  Hamish howled up in the stands, calling his friends after him as he led the way through a hole carved into the side of the amphitheatre as they turned from the fight and fled.

  “My ladies, you must both leave this instant!” Geraldine came running forward with Max beside her and Seth shifting back into his Fae form at their heels.

  Shadows swirled out all around the stadium as Lavinia tore through the retreating rebels, cutting them down with her ferocious power which seemed stronger than ever before, making the ground shake beneath our feet.

  Lionel suddenly took off into the sky in his Dragon form, clutching one stumpy front leg to his chest as a hoard of Dragons leapt after him, shifting and protecting him as they flew over the crowd, releasing jets of fire from their lungs.

  Orion threw up a shield and I pushed my magic out from me with an effort that made my legs quake, helping him protect us as Max, Seth and Tory all added their power too. Caleb shot out of the shadows towards us and we let him in just before the shield closed up entirely.

  “Where the hell is Darius?” Tory demanded as Orion hunted for him in the stands.

  “He’s not here. He went somewhere with Gabriel,” Seth said, casting some earth magic over his legs to cover his junk up with a pair of leaf pants.

  “Come fair warriors, we must retreat so that we can live to fight another day!” Geraldine demanded.

  Xavier whinnied at us from the sky as he swept overhead, his wings beating furiously, his horn bloodied and his eyes fierce.

  Dante growled an order at us, jerking his head at his back, telling us to get on. We scrambled up onto his back and Orion clutched me against his chest as I wrapped my arms around Tory in front of me.

  Dante took off into the sky while we all continued to shield him and I gazed down at the carnage below in complete despair. The amphitheatre was burning and the rebels were running for their lives. Rosalie Oscura howled as she led her Wolves away across the palace grounds with a huge golden Lion racing amongst the pack and a group of people clinging to his back.

  Shadows consumed the entire stadium below in a display of power so immense it sent fear spilling into my chest.

  “What has Darius done?” Orion questioned heavily, leaning forward to show me his left arm where the Leo mark no longer shone.

  I gasped, clinging onto him and my sister tighter than before.

  “I have no idea,” Tory answered, showing us the bare patch of skin on her arm where Lionel’s star sign had once been branded too. Hopeful tears filled my eyes as I prayed some good had come from this day.

  A flare of power rushed through the handprint Lavinia had left on my bicep and I held in a gasp as I clutched it, biting my lip as the ominous feeling of the curse radiated through me.

  Orion pressed his mouth to my temple then spoke in my ear. “Whatever she’s done, I’ll do everything in my power to fix it, Blue.” My heart squeezed as I leaned in to his touch, hardly able to believe we’d both gotten out of that pit alive.

  Lionel roared, wheeling through the sky as he spotted us and took chase with Lavinia riding on his back and an endless expanse of shadows billowed out around her.

  I swore as I threw all of my magic into our combined shield, ready to fight if I had to while praying we could outrun them.

  Xavier flew beside us, his wings beating furiously as he kept pace with Dante and stayed within the protection of our shield.

  Dragon fire spewed toward us as the Dragons loyal to him raced into formation at his back and we found ourselves fleeing from an entire army of them with only our combined shield standing between us and death.

  “Get beyond the palace wards!” Tory cried in encouragement as Dante raced through the sky and Dragon fire bled over our shield, making it quake and rattle as we fought to maintain it.

  The tingle of magic ran over us as we made it beyond the wards and I turned my head, seeing Caleb ready with a pouch of stardust.

  Caleb threw the stardust into the air ahead of us and Lionel roared angrily as Dante flew us into the particles and we were tugged away by the stars.

  Dante dropped several feet as we arrived in a different, blissfully silent sky somewhere far away from the palace and relief crashed through me as I clung to my sister and she gripped my hand tightly in return.

  We raced up into the clouds with Xavier flying alongside us and Dante released a mournful roar which I felt down to the pit of my soul.

  Tears blurred my vision for everyone lost today. And as we soared into the endless blue sky, I didn’t know where we were going, only that we couldn’t go back to Zodiac Academy. We couldn’t go anywhere that Lionel would find us. The Heirs had stood against him, we’d all shown our cards. And the Dragon King would have every loyal Fae and Nymph in Solaria hunting for us by nightfall.

  We were all fugitives now.

  And if any of us were ever caught, the price would be death.

  _______________________

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  __Author Note__

  Heeeeeey, how was that? Are you feeling calm and collected? Did you just release a big breath, look up to the sky and thank the stars for keeping all your faves alive? So far. When Caleb was tempting fate did you think he was about to become Vampire sushi? I hope you kept the faith. You know we’d never do you dirty like that…right?

  On a scale from stumble off of a kerb to faceplant off of a mega cliff of doom how did we do? Third floor splat onto concrete? Tripping over in front of all your peers and landing face first in a plate of Kipling cake? Somewhere in between?

  There was some fun in here though too, right? We honestly had a lot of fun writing some of the stuff in this one (and yeah okay we cried a bit writing others but that’s okay). Who wants to see a dijazzle in person? Did you die inside for poor Xavier when they all started falling on the floor? Do you think he should rock the banana piercing in future? That would have to win him some Dom points wouldn’t it?

  And we gave you a wedding too. Who doesn’t like a wedding? We knew you’d be hoping for one and you can’t say we didn’t deliver.

  See, we’re nice to you. So you can totally forgive us for a smidge of heartache, a curse or two, the shadow bitch, a couple of torture scenes, a little bit of emotional trauma, Catalina’s fucked up life, Lionel, the Daddy love, that Star Crossed thingy, Geraldine’s fiancé, Orion getting stabbed, Tory getting stabbed, Darius getting stabbed, Darcy getting stabbed… and Washer.

  Ahem.

  But on a slightly more serious note, we really do want to thank you so much for continuing down the fictional rabbit hole with us once again (I’m assuming this isn’t the first book you’ve read by us because choosing book 6 in a series would be a bit of a mind fuck but if you did then no judgement). The road to this place in our careers has been a seriously crazy ride and we couldn’t have gotten here without your support and continued love for our stories and each and every one of you means so much to us.