Zodiac Academy 3: The Reckoning

TORY HAD COME TO my room just after five am, murmuring sleepily about how Darius had seemed pissy at Caleb and she didn’t want to go back to Ignis House before curling up in my bed and falling asleep. 

Although I was concerned about how much time she was spending with one of the Heirs, I hadn’t voiced it. I simply double checked the door was locked and slid in beside her without comment. Tory could run circles around that douche and I knew he’d never get into her heart enough to hurt her. She was used to keeping her emotions separate from sex. Unlike me, who apparently slept with a guy one time and let him claim a piece of my heart already.

Since sharing a sofa bed in Chicago, sleeping next to my sister had become something of a comfort to me. And I had the feeling she felt the same way. Maybe that was why we ended up in each other’s rooms so regularly. When we were together, we were safe. Tory had been my only constant in life and no matter where we were or whatever happened to us, I knew I always had her. 

I remembered dressing up as warrior princesses as kids, building a fort out of blankets and pillows then using sticks as swords to fight off our imagined enemies. Nowadays that game was a little too real. We were Solarian princesses with actual enemies who possessed sharp claws and teeth. But they were worse than just beasts, their tongues spun words that were either as sharp as knives or as sweet as honey. 

I’d come to feel sorry for Seth in the past few days and Tory was drawn to Caleb whether she liked to admit it or not. Maybe Darius too. And as much as I wanted to despise them to my core, the Heirs weren’t just black and white. But I couldn’t imagine a time when we could ever make amends. They’d wronged us too deeply, left wounds which we were still struggling to heal. But every day felt like I was rising from that pain, growing beyond it into something powerful, something strong enough to face them.

I shifted closer to my sister as warmth built around us in our cocoon of safety. After she’d told me about the shadows which had tried to claim her, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I wanted to confront Orion about dark magic, to demand he tell me more just so I could try and understand why he wielded it. But the reaction he’d had after we caught them in the cave made me think he wasn’t going to open up about it anytime soon. Not that that was going to stop me from trying.

I willed myself to drift off, wanting to get a decent rest before my Fire Trial later today but my mind wasn’t cooperating.

I swear the temperature is dropping. It’s freaking freezing in here.

I started shivering, drawing the cover tighter around us as the chill inched in.

BOOM. Thunder cracked so loudly I was certain it came from inside my actual room. Lightning flashed and I screamed as a single dark cloud illuminated on my ceiling before rain poured from it in torrents.

“Shit!” I sprang out of bed, immediately stubbing my toe on my nightstand and pain made more curses pour from my lips.

“Ohmagod.” Tory leapt out of bed as I held my foot, hissing between my teeth. “What’s happening?”

“Hell Week,” I groaned. “I’d bet my life on it.”

Screams sounded through the tower and I hopped toward the door, unlocking it and wrenching it open. Freshmen were stumbling into the hallway, soaking wet and furious.

Tory and I hurried out to join them in our pyjamas and the pain finally eased from my toe.

Two dark figures appeared at the end of the corridor, cast in shadow in the dimly lit hall and wearing the black cloaks of Hell Week but no masks.

“You have two minutes to get to the stairway,” Max’s booming voice filled the air. “If you don’t bring shoes, you’ll regret it. The rainstorms won’t stop until you’re all out so if anyone’s hiding, I suggest they get the fuck out now.”

Diego crept out of his room in a raincoat done up to his chin. Tory nudged me and I found she’d grabbed shoes and coats for us and we quickly put them on.

“Everyone out!” Seth barked. “Move move move!”

I shared a do we really have to do this? look with Tory before heading after the rest of the freshmen, a yawn pulling at my mouth. Diego moved to my side, swearing loudly in Spanish as we headed toward Seth and Max.

As we passed between them, they moved in close, trapping Tory and I as Diego slipped away ahead of us.

Max’s hand curled around my wrist and squeezed so tight I winced.

“Hey!” I gasped, trying to tug free of him. “Be afraid, little Vegas,” he purred. “Be very afraid.”

“Run,” Seth hissed and the two of them released us. 

We darted away and they chased after us, corralling us to the top of the staircase. My brows lifted as I found the stairs entirely encased in ice, shimmering like glass as it created a perfectly smooth slide down the huge spiralling steps.

All of the air freshmen were gathered at the top, looking around nervously and Seth didn’t give them a second’s warning as he blasted air at their backs. Ten fell down at once, screaming as they skidded over the ice at a furious pace. Then another ten, then another.

I spotted Kylie in the next line up, looking to Seth pleadingly before he threw out a palm and mercilessly sent her tumbling down the slide with another group.

When only eight freshmen remained as well as us, Seth pushed Diego over the edge followed by the other seven. He caught my arm, tugging me into his chest while Max took hold of Tory. I opened my mouth to speak, but Seth darted forward, dragging me back against his body and launching himself down the slide.

A scream tore from my throat as we skated down it at high speed, round and round all the way to the bottom. Seth clutched me tighter as we reached the end and I yelled in alarm as we were plunged into a huge pool of ice-cold water which filled the atrium. 

My heart nearly stopped as I sank into the freezing depths, kicking hard to escape Seth’s iron hold. We breached the surface where freshmen were coughing and spluttering as they tread water. I turned to look for Tory just as Seth cast air at the door, sending it flying open so we spilled out of the tower onto the grass beyond. He never let go of me as we skidded across the ground, then hauled me to my feet. His eyes locked with mine and my heart thudded harder at the sight of his impenetrable expression.

“Where are you t-taking us?” I asked through chattering teeth.

His lips were tight and I hoped this was part of the Hell Week act as he prodded me in the ribs to get me to start walking. 

“That way,” he murmured in my ear but I turned, searching for Tory, relieved when I saw her darting away from Max to join Diego.

I ducked away from Seth to meet them, shivering as the cold air beat around us.

Seth and Max stayed at the back of the group, herding us across the plains of Air Territory like cattle. I noticed Seth casting air around him and Max to dry out their clothes and frowned as I tried to ignite enough heat in my body to do the same, but the air that twisted between my fingers was cold and useless.

My teeth chattered louder as we reached The Wailing Wood and I tried to draw fire into my blood as Tory had taught me. I managed to chase off the deepest bite of the cold, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

As we headed under the orange glow of the lamps, a large group became visible up ahead. The freshmen were gathered on the path, all of them from fire, earth and water, their clothes as soaked as ours.

“That’s the last of them!” Seth called out and Caleb appeared, shoving freshmen aside as he walked toward us. I instinctively searched for the final Heir but he was nowhere to be seen.

“Keep walking!” Caleb hollered, moving toward us as the rest of the freshmen hurried on.

We stepped forward to follow but Caleb barred our way, his jaw locked tight and his black cloak fluttering around him in the breeze.

“I’m not sure I’m into the Count Dracula look,” Tory joked and I raised a brow hopefully, waiting to see if Caleb’s furious mask might crack. But it seemed they were all playing up to the Hell Week bullshit tonight.

“Move,” Caleb growled, jerking his head toward the rest of the freshmen.

Tory rolled her eyes, stepping past him and I glanced over my shoulder as Seth and Max moved up behind us. Caleb waited then fell into step with them like three horsemen of the apocalypse – but where’s the fourth?!

Seth started howling and the noise sent a shiver racing up my spine. We quickened our pace to join the end of the queue of freshmen and I hunted for our friends amongst the masses.

We soon arrived in The Howling Meadow, moving into the long grass and huddling close for warmth.

“This is bullshit,” I whispered, shifting even closer to Tory to share body heat.

Seth, Caleb and Max remained on the verge of the trees and everyone turned to them expectantly, the sound of my chattering teeth drilling into my skull.

“Welcome to the nine circles of hell,” Max announced, raising his hands into the air. Lights swirled into existence in huge rings, spreading away from him, floating out across campus and expanding into enormous circles of colour. The smallest ring encased our group in a glimmering green and the next one ringed the edge of the meadow in blue, then more and more colours reached out into the darkness.

“If you’re going to survive the next hour, you need to make it beyond the ninth circle,” Caleb said with a glimmer in his gaze. “You are all soaking wet, but the pools you were dunked in wasn’t water. It was Faesine.”

A collective gasp of horror sounded around us and Tory and I looked to each other in confusion.

Seth smiled darkly as he gazed between the two of us, picking up from Caleb. “For those of you who don’t know, Faesine is a highly flammable substance. It’s entirely odourless except to one creature who can smell it a mile away.”

The three Heirs parted and a deep growl sounded from the trees which sounded like it belonged to a damn dinosaur. Two reptilian eyes appeared between the boughs then Darius’s enormous golden form stepped form the darkness, towering over the Heirs. He raised his huge head of shining scales, roaring to the sky and fear drove a blade into my heart.

“This is a joke right?” Diego called, his tone panicked.

“The only joke here is pathetic Orderless unFae like you. You’re an insult to our school.” Max spat on the floor, but his eyes were on us like those words hadn’t been for Diego at all.

I reached for Tory’s hand without hesitation and our magic rushed to meet each other’s. I relaxed a little as the flow of our power expanded between us. This is just a Hell Week stunt. Just a game.

“In case you don’t believe us about the Faesine…” Seth took his shirt off, tossing it to the ground and stepping back. Darius release a spurt of fire at it and a huge hole exploded into the ground as the substance reacted, causing a green blaze to burn where it had been.

Seth unbuckled his pants. “You will run. We’ll ensure that you do.” The second he finished stripping, he leapt forward, bursting into his enormous wolf form and baring his teeth at us. The crowd flinched back as he snapped his powerful jaws and Darius stepped out of the trees.

Seth moved toward Max, dropping down to let him climb onto his back and the Water Heir held on with one hand while raising the other. Air danced around him and leaves spun in the breeze as the vortex grew, warning us that this game was about to begin.

Caleb set his feet like he was preparing to run at us, his fangs snapping out and a low snarl emanating from him.

“Holy shit,” Tory breathed and I clutched her hand tighter.

“There’s no rules about not fighting back,” I whispered and Caleb’s eyes flipped to me, a warning blazing in them. Oh crap.

“Three!” Max cried. “Two!”

Darius lunged forward, taking off into the sky with several powerful wingbeats. His huge form shadowed the moon as he soared high above us, turning sharply and releasing an explosion of fire from his mouth.

“One!” Max roared and we ran like hell.

Every freshman in the meadow split apart, pouring into the trees through the coloured rings of light, racing for the opposite side of the field, casting domes of air and water around themselves for protection.

Tory and I darted for the nearest trees, a blaze of fire tearing overhead as Darius unleashed his power. The earth was torn up behind us as Dragon Fire split it apart and the heat washed over my back, spreading adrenaline into my limbs.

We’d passed through the first two rings already and I could see the next one way off through the trees, the purple light calling us on as we ran as hard as we possibly could.

A baying howl rang out behind us and heavy paws crashed through the undergrowth following the path we’d just trodden.

Water magic crashed to the ground in front of us, freezing instantly into a sheet of ice. We were running too fast to stop and we both threw out our free hands to cast fire.

“Wait – no fire!” I screamed at the last second, remembering the Faesine. My feet hit the slippery surface and I skidded into Tory, taking her to the ground. I groaned as we untangled ourselves as quickly as we could, trying to ignore the bruising in my limbs. Tory turned to melt the ice with water and I threw out my hands, casting a wall of earth as Seth leapt into the air, his teeth bared and Max yelling a battle cry from his back.

A crash and a yelp sounded as they collided with it and a laugh bubbled from my throat as Tory caught my hand, yanking me upright. We sprinted on, the sound of screaming freshmen carrying all across the woodland. The darkness was thick, but if we kept our eye on the purple ring, we wouldn’t lose our way.

We finally darted through it and I panted as we increased our pace, racing through the trees and tearing toward the yellow ring further off at the edge of the forest.

Two freshmen screamed close to our right, then another to our left, the sound of falling bodies making fear slice into my flesh. A huge shadow sailed overhead but I refused to look up, keeping my gaze firmly on that ring.

Three down, six to go.

A rush of air warned us a second before Caleb appeared, shooting vines from his hands and tangling us up in them. We crashed to the ground and he leered over us with a satisfied smirk, raising his hands and making the vines tighten and tighten.

I cried out in pain as thorns grew along the edges and drew blood.

“What the hell, Caleb?” Tory spat then yelped as more thorns dug in to her.

“Just a little prank. Can’t you handle the heat, sweetheart?”

The roar of a Dragon echoed in the distance and panic crawled under my flesh. Caleb looked up, his eyes horribly dark as he seemed to be waiting for something. Then he sprang over us and darted off into the trees.

I hunted for Tory’s hand, clawing through the mud as I fought against the vines and she did the same. Our fingers met and earth magic burst from our bodies at the same moment, withering the vines so they became brittle and we hurriedly broke free of them, rising to our feet.

“Why’d he run off?” I asked, wiping my muddy hands off on my thighs. Despite the cold, I was so full of adrenaline I could hardly feel it now. But that might have been because I was frozen into numbness.

“No idea,” she said and her breath fogged before her. “Let’s move. Get this bullshit over with before he decides to come back.”

Screams rang out up ahead and we darted away from them, speeding on toward the edge of the wood. We broke free of the trees the same moment we passed through the yellow ring and found ourselves in Earth Territory. Hills spread out ahead of us and the next ring was half way across the exposed plain of land.

A rush of paws sounded behind us and a flash of white fur made my pulse elevate. Seth tore away from us and screams called out in the direction he took.

“Let’s run for it,” I breathed and Tory nodded, wordlessly casting a shield of air around as we sprinted out across the grass.

Other freshmen burst from the trees, evidently having been waiting for someone to break away first. Nearly thirty others sprinted across the grass and terror shredded my heart as Darius soared overhead. He swooped low, releasing hellfire down on the freshmen. I blinked against the burning light, tossing a desperate glance over my shoulder in fear of him actually setting someone ablaze. He circled a group of five, setting the grass alight around them so they were penned in within it. He turned, banking hard and capturing another group within a fiery circle.

It’s just a game. Nothing to worry about. And I sure as hell want to win it!

Tory’s hand slipped from mine as we ran so fast it became impossible to hold on to each other. We practically dove through the next ring, setting our eye on the second to last one in the distance. We were tearing toward the Pitball Stadium now and the orange ring blazed before it, encouraging us onward. Darius’s roars fell away behind us and I gasped for breath, slowing just a little because of the searing stitch in my side.

Tory pulled me along, more used to running than I was and I made a mental promise to myself that I’d start joining her on those daily runs.

We charged through the orange ring and spotted the final one just beyond the stadium, the shimmering silver colour calling us on. No other students were behind us and the world seemed to fall eerily quiet as we raced past the stadium to where a thick cluster of trees grouped around the back of it.

We were so close, just a hundred feet. A laugh escaped my throat as we charged through it, running into a circular clearing at the heart of the trees and resting our hands on our knees as we dragged in air.

“Holy…hell,” I panted, my lungs burning and my muscles aching.

“We won,” Tory said breathlessly, laughing and standing up straight.

I sighed happily as I looked around at the copse we’d run into, lunging forward to hug her with an excited squeal.

“Winner winner chicken dinner,” Caleb’s voice made me freeze as he appeared out of the trees to our right and I released Tory with a lump in my throat. Seth appeared in sweatpants on the opposite side of the clearing and Max moved out of the trees across from him. The cracking of a twig made me lurch around and Darius appeared in sweatpants, his expression darker than I’d ever seen it. We were penned in and I had the awful feeling it was intentional.

“No one else made it to the final ring,” Darius announced to the others. “Anyone who made it beyond the trees got cordoned in by my fire.”

“Not many got out of the wood,” Caleb said with a dark smile.

“Well we won your game,” I tried with a shrug. “Guess we’ll be going…”

Tory shifted closer and we turned to face Caleb – the safest bet – walking in his direction.

He cocked his head as we approached and fire blazed to life in his hands. “Careful, Vegas. You wouldn’t want to go up in flames.”

“Yeah, I’m sure the press would love to hear about how the four of you barbecued us in the woods.” Tory rolled her eyes. “Fun’s over, Caleb. I’m dog tired and I wanna go back to bed.”

Caleb didn’t smile, his eyes sliding over my sister in a way that unsettled me. He extinguished the fire in his palms, flicking his hand and the earth trembled beneath our feet. Slabs of dirt shot up underneath us, making us stumble back to the centre of the circle. The four heirs closed in as one and real fear inched into my gut.

Seth raised a hand, knocking Tory and I into Darius with a gust of air.

Darius wrapped his arms around us, igniting flames in his palms so we had to shrink back into his body to keep away from them. “Accidents happen at Zodiac all the time…”

“Come on man, they know we didn’t actually coat them in Faesine. I only put it on my shirt to freak them out,” Seth said, his eyes locked on me.

“Seth!” Max threw a punch into his arm and he lurched away with a whine.

Relief filled me over the Faesine but it was short-lived as Darius shoved us at Max with a blast of water and I spluttered, clutching onto Max’s arm and preparing to fight back. Max snared us in shackles of ice which encased our whole hands. Panic seized me as I tried to burn my way through them but Max’s power was fierce, halting my magic where it pressed against my palms.

I waited for his Siren gifts to push into us too with dread writhing in my gut, but it never came. Tory locked eyes with him, a threat in her gaze. She’d reveal his darkest secret if he broke his side of the bargain and used his Siren powers against us, and it looked like he wasn’t going to risk it.

“You can go back to bed, little Vegas. You just have to beg,” Max said with a sneer. “I want you on your knees telling us how we’re all your kings and how you’re so sorry for ever showing your faces in Solaria. And once we’re satisfied, you can go.” 

“We’ll never beg you,” Tory spat.

My heart lurched as Max shoved us forward with a gust of air, forcing us down to our knees in the mud. Darius took out his Atlas, aiming it at us with a wicked cruelty in his eyes. “Give us a good show for FaeBook. Let’s remind the school who you are; a couple of rats who crawled out of the cesspit of the mortal world and tried to rise above their station.”

A deep determination filled me and I clenched my jaw, silently vowing that those words would not pass my lips. I glanced at Tory, finding the same resolve in her eyes and she lifted her chin in defiance.

“Beg,” Max growled, his voice thick with Coercion which rammed against my mental shield. I flinched under the force of it, refusing to let it in.

Seth growled, pacing back and forth on the verge of the circle. 

“She’s not hurt,” Max spat at him and Seth nodded, but his expression remained taut.

Caleb stepped forward, tilting Tory’s chin up to face the camera. “Say it, sweetheart,” he tried to Coerce her and she blinked hard, pressing her lips together as she fought against his power.

Max gripped my hair, tugging to make me to look up at him and I battled a wince as pain flared through my scalp. “Beg me.”

His magic pushed at my will, making the words rise to my lips. A weight of pressure mounted against my mind and drove needles into my skull. Part of me wanted to beg and beg until he ended this suffering but I managed to hold out through sheer willpower.

Darius stepped closer, angling the camera down at us, a furious snarl leaving his lips. “What the fuck?” he snapped at Caleb and Max.

Max huffed, leaning down so he was right in our faces. “BEG US!” he commanded, the fullness of his power nearly forcing me down the easier road. Seth barked, stepping toward me and Caleb shoved him back, wrapping his arms around him.

I just have to say the words and this pain will stop.

But if I do, I’ll never forgive myself. 

My skin tingled from the glassy ice encasing my hands and I drew heat to my palms once more, willing it to burn away Max’s magic with all my heart. Relief filled me as it turned to water and Tory’s fingers snared mine as she managed it too. I immediately interlocked them, a fiery blaze seeming to pass under our skin. It rushed through me, coating my veins like a barrier and I gasped as the pressure of Max’s Coercion started to fade.

“You can’t stand there, you’re in shot.” Darius kicked mud at Max and he backed up with a huff. The wall of fire passing between Tory and I grew hotter, forcing his will from our bodies entirely.

“Earth,” Tory whispered and I nodded to her, understanding that the word was for me. 

“What?” Darius snarled, his eyes suddenly dropping to our hands as he realised we were free.

Anticipation clutched my heart as I slammed my free hand to the mud at the same time as Tory, throwing my power into the soil and asking it to do what I bid.

A powerful tremor gripped the ground and the Heirs stumbled backwards in surprise. With our combined magic wielding the earth beneath us, it was easier than ever before. A surge of tremendous power sped from our skin and a shockwave exploded out from us, knocking the four of them from their feet.

We were up in a heartbeat, leaping over Max and sprinting out of the copse. Adrenaline coursed through my blood and made my pulse rocket. Shouts of pure rage sounded behind us and we cast a fierce air shield just as vines swung at us from above, wielded by someone’s earth magic.

They crashed against our shield and I ducked instinctively, but they didn’t make it through. We pressed our advantage, speeding across Earth Territory as fast as we could. The freshmen had escaped from the rings of fire Darius had cast, the grass smoldering and charred where they’d been.

We raced to The Orb, blood pounding in my ears and making me lightheaded as we finally stumbled inside, muddy and exhausted. The rest of the freshmen were gathered there as well as most of the A.S.S.

“There they are!” cried a freshman girl with pigtails. “I saw them get through the final ring – they did it!”

The Heirs burst through the doors behind us with furious expressions, halting as the entire A.S.S stood up, their hands raised as they started clapping.

“To the only freshmen to make it through the ninth ring of hell!” Geraldine cried and a grin spread across my face as I looked to the Heirs, daring them to deny it.

Their eyes burned into our backs as we walked over to join our friends, showered in compliments as we went. Rage burned so hot from Darius, I felt the heat of it rolling up my spine. But I didn’t care how angry they were that they’d failed their sad plans of soiling what little reputation we had. We’d fought the Heirs and won. And that felt incredible.

***

A yawn tore its way out of my throat as I arrived in Fire Territory for our trial, exhausted after the morning we’d had. I’d studied hard last night, practising all the fire magic I knew and refusing to let any other distractions in, but my mind was currently full of the Hell Week prank we’d endured. But that was the idea. To make the trials even harder to complete. The only thing that mattered was getting through my exam, so I had to focus.

I’d managed to avoid Orion since our argument and was on a solid streak which I didn’t plan on breaking until after we’d passed The Reckoning. The problem was, the time apart from Orion was telling me something that scared me; I cared for him. A lot. And knowing things between us were in stormy, shark-infested water, was akin to slowly pushing a blunt object into my heart.

I’d tried and failed to talk to Diego about his uncle a bunch of times since Orion had asked, but I had a plan. On Sunday, everyone would be heading to the Fairy Fair in Tucana and I was going to ask Diego to go with me. He couldn’t avoid me if we spent the whole evening together alone. 

“Hey,” I said, smiling as I met Tory and Sofia outside their House, their clothes changed from the muddy, wet attire we’d been left in earlier this morning. Other freshmen were peeling away from the door, heading in the direction of the Fire Arena. “You guys ready?”

Sofia nodded a little nervously but Tory smiled.

“Yep. Let’s do this.” My sister had a spark in her eyes that ignited a fire in my chest. After fighting off the Heirs, I was on a high which I hoped would carry me through the day and it looked like Tory was still riding it too. We were half way through the trials already and I was ready to cross another one off the list.

We soon arrived at the towering Arena, joining the line of fire freshmen who were on their way in. A strange noise reached my ears, playing on repeat up ahead. A girlish giggle then a splash. Giggle, splash, giggle, splash. What the hell?

Some of the freshmen started laughing as they emerged in the Arena and Tory and I pushed forward to see what the source of the noise was.

On the far side of the Arena, filling the crescent stone seats that rose up to the roof were the Heirs and their fan club. Geraldine and the A.S.S had the remaining seats, seeming oddly quiet as we arrived. Their eyes were all on something above our heads and I turned to look back at the wall which towered above the archway we’d arrived through.

Projected there was a two second clip which alternated between the moment Tory dove into that swimming pool and Seth cut off my hair. The giggle evidently belonged to Kylie who’d been filming me from the bushes. Shock gripped my heart as the two most painful moments we’d experienced in this place bounced back and forth like some sick action replay. 

I was hot all over as I turned away from it, moving closer to Tory as we marched on through the sand.

“I wanna destroy them,” Tory said under her breath and I nodded.

“This is because we beat them this morning,” I breathed, trying not to let them see me shaken as jeers called out from the Heirs’ nasty friendship group of mindless sheep.

Professor Pyro ushered us toward the changing rooms to follow the other freshmen, but we stood firm. We’d made a decision last night and we weren’t going to back out on it. Sofia cast a worried glance back at us, but I gave her a comforting smile and she headed away.

“We’re not going to wear the protective suits, Professor,” Tory said, giving her a stare that dared her to try and force us.

She looked between us in surprise. “Well I suppose that’s up to you, but the school won’t be liable if you burn yourselves.”

“We won’t,” we said in unison then shared a grin over our twin moment.

“Off you go then, line up over there.” She pointed to a shimmering golden line of magic that extended right through the centre of the Arena.

We headed that way, standing side by side and facing the opposite wall. Nova was sitting at a table with a female professor with silver hair, the chair beside her empty and waiting for Pyro.

The stands were buzzing with noise, drawing my attention to the Heirs once more. Seth was giving me a glare that spoke of absolute rage and I frowned at him, confused by the sheer hatred I saw pulsing in his gaze. I mean, sure he disliked me. But he hadn’t exactly been acting his usual callous self lately. Not since he’d made me his Omega. 

I turned to Tory as more freshmen appeared, lining up beside us in their skin-tight silver suits. “Do you get the feeling Seth is extra pissy today?”

She glanced over her shoulder, giving him a sweeping look then turning back to me. “He looks like someone took a shit on his grandma.”

“Like we did you mean,” I muttered and she shrugged.

“Maybe he’s just playing up to his pathetic friends.”

 “True,” I said, but I still had a niggling feeling that that wasn’t quite it.

Pyro moved to stand in front of us, giving us a tense look as she waved a hand to draw silence from the crowd. All that remained in the quiet was the giggle, splash, giggle, splash of that godforsaken video. FML. Are the teachers really going to leave that playing?

Pyro didn’t seem to notice it, smiling at us all. “Your Fire Trial will shortly begin. You will be required to walk across a narrow bridge from one side of the arena to the other while casting a shape out of fire approximately ten inches in diameter.”

“You can just cast my dick then, Tory!” Caleb cried out and she scowled at him.

Darius shot him a glare that could have murdered a small village and all of their farm animals.

“Yes well, I’d prefer if the object were more sanitary, but you may cast whatever you please,” Pyro said, looking a little flustered. She ran a hand over her hair then smiled again. “You will be graded on the complexity, clarity and the length of time you keep the magic in form. If you lose focus, simply recast the object and continue. You will have just twenty minutes for this trial. Good luck.” She raised a hand and a timer appeared above us made of fire then she turned and headed off to take her seat at the table.

“Where’s the bridge?” Tory murmured and the second she said it, the ground parted right down the golden line, splitting into two crescents and drawing us backwards. Below it was a fiery pit of hell that made me want to hurl. Lava spewed up ten feet below us and twenty narrow metal bridges stretched between the continually extending gap.

“Oh my god,” I breathed as the ground slid to a halt and we were left on one side of the blazing inferno. It was fifty feet across, the heat of the lava already raising the temperature in my blood and sparking a flare of power under my skin.

“Begin!” Pyro cried and the clock started counting down.

Tory and I moved to the nearest bridge and I tried to avoid looking at the terrifying sight below as I decided what to cast. I spotted Sofia moving to a bridge a few over from ours, her face fixed in concentration as she cast a diamond above her hand. Tory flexed her fingers and a fireball burst to life in her palm, shifting and moulding until a small motorbike hovered above it. She grew it to the required size, her brows pinching together.

“Be careful,” I said, my heart stammering as she stepped onto the bridge. It was barely wider than her shoe.

I swallowed hard, moving forward and raising my hand. I cast an intricate flower above my palm, painting on as many details as I could as I focused. Without the protective suit, the fire seemed to move to my will so much easier, like it was an extension of my flesh.

I steeled myself as I stepped out onto the bridge, carefully placing one foot in front of the other. The blazing heat around me did nothing but fill me with energy and a tingling sensation in my shoulder blades made me wonder if my Order form was simmering under my skin, drawn to the inferno. Maybe I really am a Dragon.

Tory was just a foot ahead of me and students moved in my periphery. I caught sight of Sofia’s magic flittering away in her hand before she quickly recast it and my heart panged for her. I drew more energy to the flower hovering above my palm, making the petals fall away like embers and Geraldine cheered.

A smile pulled at my lips, but it was short lived as a huge spray of fire exploded up from the lava to my right. Then on my left too. Pockets of pure magma burst into the air and flames roared so keenly they nearly licked my skin.

A scream caught my ear, but I couldn’t look to see what had happened as a collective gasp sounded from the audience.

I set my eye on Tory’s back and didn’t stop moving.

The Heirs were suspiciously quiet but Marguerite led a cheer, seeming to grow more and more agitated every time she belted it out, like us not being burned alive at that current moment was irritating her. “Let the Vegas burn! Let the Vegas burn! Let the Vegas burn!”

The bridge beneath me trembled violently and I released a gasp at the same time Tory did. Either side of me, the other platforms were beginning to shake too. With every passing second, the tremors grew stronger and fear took root in my chest.

“Look forward!” Tory called to me anxiously. I was unsure on my feet at the best of times, let alone on a tiny bridge above a pit of goddamn lava.

Heat seared my eyes as I clenched my teeth, trying to keep my balance, but as I took another step I lost it. A swooping sensation accompanied my scream. My flower fizzled away to nothing as I fell, reaching out desperately to catch myself. 

I caught the bridge at the last second, dangling off it, fire spewing below me and flaring against the soles of my shoes.

Panic dug into me. If I used any magic other than fire to get up, I’d fail this exam. But if I didn’t, I might fall. The violent tremor finally stopped and I released a slow breath as I tried to haul myself up.

Tory dropped down to help me, her motorbike evaporating. My heart jolted as she caught my hand and pulled me to my feet. We steadied ourselves by resting our hands on each other’s shoulders and her gaze burrowed into mine as she checked I was okay. Marguerite’s chant had died away and one glance that way showed me the Heirs were on their feet. Darius’s hands were raised, but he dropped them the second I met his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I said to my sister, furious with myself.

“Don’t be. I’d never leave you.”

“I wouldn’t leave you either.” I squeezed her arm then braced her as she turned around. We recast our fire shapes and continued on. We’d fallen behind a lot of the students, but a quick look told me plenty were going even slower than us, their magic stuttering out over and over again. One girl had resorted to shimmying along on her butt, not even casting magic as she focused on just getting the hell across.

Pitchy screams made my heart lurch and I glanced to my right as a fierce blue light bloomed in my periphery. A raging hot fireball hurtled through the air on a magical rope like a wrecking ball, swinging across the centre of the Arena. I caught hold of Tory’s shirt in a moment of sheer panic, tugging her back a step as the blazing ball swept past us. The second it hit its highest point it started rushing back again.

“Go go go,” I urged and we ran forward as fast as we could.

Heat scorched the back of my neck as it swung by once more and I took a breath to try and steady my heart. Miraculously, we’d both managed to keep our fire casts in place, but nearly half the other students had lost focus and dropped theirs. I caught sight of Sofia recasting hers and a couple in the audience who must have been her parents cried out in encouragement.

We were over half way and one look at the timer told me we were still making good time. Pockets of fire lit up ahead on the bridge itself and yelps sounded around us as people were burned by the flash fires. They sizzled out as quickly as they came, reigniting in completely random spots so we had no chance of predicting them.

Students were slowing to a halt as they tried to figure out how to cross this next obstacle. Those who’d gotten halfway even had to retreat as they were burned.

“Shit,” Tory cursed. “Let’s just go for it.”

“Do it,” I agreed, my heart jack-hammering in my chest.

She started moving forward as fast as was sensible and I hurried to follow.

Fire flashed between us and I waited for it to vanish before darting past the blackened spot. We managed to avoid the fires by luck alone for several seconds, but our luck ran out.

At the same moment, fire blazed beneath our feet. I flinched but no pain came; the flames singed the bottoms of my leggings but I was somehow completely fine. I looked up in confusion, finding Tory glancing back at me with the exact same expression on her face.

Muttering broke out amongst the crowd and I felt the judges eyes on us like a row of hawks.

“Keep going,” I said, flustered and confused as we moved on.

When fire flared at my feet again and the same thing happened, we both quickened our pace, throwing caution to the wind. I didn’t know what it meant, but I sure as hell was gonna take advantage of it. 

We soon took the lead, hurrying toward the end of the bridge and I couldn’t believe we’d almost made it through the trial.

A huge door made entirely of fire bloomed at the very end of the bridge. Our final challenge. One other student reached the end a few platforms across. She reached out to touch the door, then yanked her hand back as it burned her.

“Can we get rid of it?” I suggested to Tory.

“Maybe, but…” She reached out and I felt everyone in the Arena staring as she pushed her fingers into the fire. She turned her hand side to side and my lips parted.

“Leap of faith?” she asked.

“Okay but be safe.” I bit into my lower lip.

Tory raised her hand as the motorbike remained firmly above it then leapt forward, landing on the other side of the door. I didn’t wait for my rational side to kick in, I darted forward and jumped after her. 

Heat washed over me. My clothes singed, but nothing else. I landed beside Tory and we dropped the fire casts in our hands, falling into each other’s arms as we cheered.

Geraldine’s side of the crowd went crazy, but as I looked to the Heirs, I saw something in their eyes I never thought I’d seen in them before. Fear. Darius’s gaze shifted between us and laughter built in my throat. If we really were impervious to fire, he couldn’t use it against us. And as a Dragon Shifter, that had to suck.

I started laughing and Tory joined me as she flipped them the finger.

The four of them stood, marching out of the crowd and leaving the Arena so fast, I was certain they were going to discuss this turn of events. But I didn’t care. We’d completed our third trial and discovered how strong we really were in the process.

***

We headed to The Orb for an evening of celebrating with the A.S.S and to top off one of the best days ever, Geraldine taught us a spell to boobytrap a huge tower of cupcakes on our table. When Max predictably came over to steal one, the entire pile exploded in his face, coating him head to toe in frosting. By the time I headed back to Aer Tower with Diego at my side, a permanent smile was etched onto my face.

Principal Nova had sent Tory and I an email stating that she expected us to emerge as a rare kind of Dragon any day now. Though she’d not heard of any kind that were impervious to fire so she was hopeful that we would be a very rare breed.

I wasn’t sure I was ready to shift into a creature that size, but I imagined it was something I’d get used to in time. Especially if it meant the Heirs no longer screwed with us.

As I rounded into eleventh floor with Diego, I caught his arm before he headed to his room. “Diego, the Fairy Fair is on Sunday.”

“I know,” he said sullenly. “Sofia is going…”

“Yeah.” I frowned. “So I thought maybe you might wanna go with me? Could be fun?”

His eyes brightened. “Oh, yeah. That sounds great, chica.”

“Good.” I grinned and he pulled me into a hug where we clashed heads and I awkwardly patted his back then stepped away. “Night then.” I slipped away to my room and pushed the key into the lock. Except it was already unlocked.

My heart stammered as I pushed the door open, finding Seth Capella lying on my bed.

“What the hell?” I demanded, stepping into the room. “Get out.”

He sat up, his eyes frighteningly dark as he rose to his feet. What was with him today?

My blood chilled as he stalked toward me and I almost backed up into the corridor to escape. But this was my room and he was the one trespassing.

“Fire doesn’t burn you,” he stated, cocking his head with a wolfish look that said he was on the hunt for his next kill. “But I bet vines can choke you. And air can suffocate you.” He toyed with both Elements, one in each hand.

“What’s up with you?” I breathed, conjuring an air shield to protect myself.

He licked his lips, stepping closer then suddenly slapped on a smile which was somehow more terrifying. “Nothing little Omega. Are you going to challenge me soon?”

“Challenge you?”

“Yeah that’s the only way you can get out of my pack. So challenge me, babe. I’m hungry for the fight. Don’t keep me waiting too long.” He walked out of the door and I leaned back against the wall, waiting for my heart to settle before quickly shutting and locking it.

Why is he so damn angry?

A thought entered my mind which held me hostage with terror for one long moment.

My eyes whipped to the desk and I hurried forward, pulling the top drawer open with a pang of absolute dread. He hasn’t found it, please tell me he hasn’t found it.

Horror filled me. It was gone. 

I almost went into complete panic mode when I spotted it peeping it out behind my desk lamp. My heart lurched as I grabbed it, clenching my fist around it.

I didn’t leave it there. Did I?

I tried to recall the last time I’d moved it, but between my Elemental Trials and daily Hell Week pranks, my mind drew a blank. I must have moved it. Seth would have killed me if he’d found it. 

I breathed a sigh, stuffing it into my top drawer and letting my worries ebb away. Seth was just being his usual unpredictable self. One minute he was all over me and the next he was trying to destroy my life and make me renounce my claim like a jackass. His moods changed like the wind and hell if I was gonna let him rattle me.