Zodiac Academy 5: Cursed Fates

I stood outside the Earth Observatory with my nose in a large tome. Orion had leant me and Tory every book he’d found on Phoenixes and we’d been making our way through the collection, trying to hunt for clues on what other gifts we might hold. So far, we hadn’t discovered anything new, but as I turned the page there was a whole section on Phoenix fire and its effects on different materials.

“Hey look at this.” I swung the book around to show Tory and she lifted her eyes from her Atlas to glance over it.

“Great, we can melt shit,” she said with a smirk and I laughed, flipping the book back around.

“Not just melt shit, we can imbue our power within stuff too. Look.”

She moved to stand beside me and Diego and Sofia shuffled in close too, peering down at the page as I read a passage aloud.

“Some ancient objects such as the Quarrel Chalice and the Polar Crest of the Kestrian Dukes have been tested to discover the lingering power of Phoenix fire within them. The chalice, thought to be over three thousand years old, still flickers with Phoenix flames when filled with water and the Polar Crest is thought to shield its owner from mental invasion. These items have also shown little to no wear in all the years that they have existed. And after thorough testing, are thought to be indestructible.”

“Ooh,” Sofia cooed. “How does the magic work?”

“It doesn’t say.” I pouted, turning the page.

“Wait, what’s that?” Tory pushed the page back over, tapping a small annotation which must have been written by the previous owner. I squinted, bringing the page closer to try and read the scrawling handwriting.

“Heat with stardust. Permeate. Forge. Cool,” I whispered and glanced up excitedly.

“It’s instructions,” Diego said with a look of awe.

“Well whoever wrote it isn’t winning the instructions of the year awards,” Tory said. “Who needs an indestructible cup anyway?”

“Good point,” Diego said. “I could use some indestructible shoes though if you fancy making any of those?” He gestured to his black shoes which the soles were hanging off of.

“By the stars, Diego,” Sofia laughed, kneeling down to cast a fixing spell on them so they were as good as new. “Why don’t you just buy new ones?”

“Thanks.” He beamed as she rose to her feet. “My parents don’t um…well I think maybe they forgot to send money to my account this month. And the last one…”

Tyler suddenly pounced on Sofia from behind, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek as he slung his arm around her shoulders. “Did I just see you sucking off your ex, Sofia?”

Sofia elbowed him in the gut and he wheezed through his teeth. “I fixed his shoes, idiot.”

“Good, but if you’re into horsing around Diego, maybe the three of us can have some fun sometime?” Tyler offered and my lips popped open which was nothing in comparison to how far Diego’s jaw dropped.

“Don’t be an ass, Tyler.” Sofia rolled her eyes. “If we’re gonna do that again, let’s try to keep my ex out of it. No offence, Diego.”

“None taken,” Diego said, his cheeks turning beetroot as he glanced away from the two of them.

“Wait. Again?” Tory questioned Sofia with a grin on her face and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Sofia giggled, waving a hand as Tyler stuck his tongue into his cheek.

“It’s a Pegasus thing,” Sofia explained innocently.

“We’re still working out the lead stallion in our herd,” Tyler said like that made things clearer. “Once I win out, Sofia will wanna be all mine. But in the meantime…” He shrugged. “Stallions gotta do what they gotta do.”

“Which is what exactly?” Tory folded her arms, not letting them get away with it.

Sofia’s cheeks started taking the same route as Diego’s as she shoved Tyler playfully again.

“Don’t be shy, it’s just the way of our Order,” Tyler teased, his skin beginning to shimmer. “I’m quite enjoying working to impress you. Tell them.”

“Well…” Sofia tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. “In the herd we’ve formed, I can fly the fastest and my horn is way bigger and shiner than even Liselle’s and apparently that means I’m extra fertile so…the guys are kind of vying for my attention right now.”

“And I’m on par with Brutus and fucking Davros,” Tyler said with a shrug.

“But you’re a couple? Doesn’t that bother you?” I asked him.

“Nah,” Tyler said. “I plan on beating all their asses and becoming the Dom.”

“The Dom?” I frowned.

“The lead male,” he said proudly then nuzzled into Sofia. “What do you think, baby, am I gonna rule the herd one day?”

“Hm, well I think I’m doing such a good job on my own right now that maybe our herd doesn’t need a Dom,” she teased. “You might make a good sidekick though.”

“I kinda like being your Sub,” he whispered in her ear like we weren’t standing right there.

“Sofia, you’re like eighty percent more kinky than I would have pegged you for,” Tory laughed.

She giggled again, waving her hand to dismiss her but she was fooling no one now.

“Chop chop – into class, come on!” Professor Zenith called as she strode inside and we started filing into the building after her.

We took the large elevator up to the observatory on the top floor and I gazed up at the glittering star map above us. We grabbed seats near the back of the room in our usual routine. Zenith always tried to make us sit in the weird ass chairs positioned at the front of the auditorium just for us, but since Tory had been Star Crossed, she didn’t push the issue. She just sobbed whenever she saw Tory up close and ushered her to the back of the room like she was doing her the greatest kindness. Which in a way, she was. But the sobbing was uncalled for.

When everyone was settled in their seats, all eyes fell on Zenith as she rested her hands on the podium in the middle of the observatory. Her shoulders were shuddering and her head was bent over. I shot a frown at Tory just before Zenith sniffed loudly then turned her gaze to the stars above us. “Today we’ll be discussing…” She drew in a long breath like she was trying to keep her emotions in check. “Mate bonds,” she exhaled heavily and all eyes in the room swung towards Tory, making her shift uncomfortably in her seat and drawing a protective growl from my throat.

“In our previous classes, we have discussed such bonds as Nebula Allies, Astral Adversaries and…and…” her voice cracked and she released a mournful sob that echoed around the room. I glanced at Tory with an eye roll and she actually shot me an amused grin back.

“Nutcase,” I mouthed.

“Loony ass,” she agreed.

“Elysian Mates!” Zenith wailed. “And o-of course we all know the most t-terrible effects of r-refusing such a b-bond now m-more than ever.” She blew her nose loudly into a handkerchief and I pursed my lips. I mean really. Did she have to put on such a display and draw so much more attention to Tory than was necessary? “As you’ll remember from our previous classes,” she cleared her throat, her spine straightening as she continued as if she hadn’t just broken down in the middle of the classroom. “Elysian Mate bonds are the most rare of all the bonds. A bond from the stars is a gift indeed. To refute that gift…well, to refute it would be insanity.” She slammed her hand down on the podium, the sound making my heart jolt and Diego actually leapt in his seat beside me.

Zenith sniffed again, running a hand through her long, raven hair. “I can’t imagine the thought process of someone who would actually say no to such a blessed, divine gift from the stars themselves. Can you?” She rounded on the front row. “Can any of you tell me why someone would do such a thing? Commit such a travesty?”

“At least she’s subtle,” Tory breathed in my ear and I smothered my laugh under my hand.

Kylie’s arm shot into the air. “I know why, Professor.”

“You do, Miss Major?” Zenith asked with actual hope in her reddened eyes. “Then please enlighten me.”

“I think Darius Acrux would rather wake up next to a woman who looks like a Heptian Toad in their shifted form for the rest of his life rather than lay a finger on a filthy Vega. I can’t see the stupidity in that at all to be honest,” she said sweetly and I shot forward in my chair in a fit of rage for my sister, flicking my fingers and making her desk burst into flames. She screamed, leaping out of her seat and trying to steal the air from the flames with her magic, only resulting in fanning them so they flared in her face.

“I’ll help you, Kylie!” Tory raised a hand, casting a tsunami of water over her head to put it out and Kylie slammed down into her seat, absolutely drenched while the students beside her ran for their lives.

“That’s enough!” Zenith called out to the frantic classroom. “Miss Major, dry out your things,” she demanded. “And ten points from Aer for provoking the Vega girls.”

“Are you serious?!” Kylie balked, wringing out her sopping wet hair as she started using her magic to dry everything.

“It will be another ten if you don’t sit down and button your lip,” Zenith demanded and Kylie cursed under her breath as she dried her stuff out. Her friends slowly returned to the seats around her while me, Tory, Sofia, Tyler and Diego fell apart with silent laughter.

When Zenith had the class back under control, she gathered her notes then waved her hand and all of the chairs started reclining.

I relaxed back in my seat, sharing a final grin with Diego before turning my head to the glittering ceiling.

“There are more bonds in the world than just the Star Bonds. Bonds that are far more common and which most of you will likely encounter in your lifetime,” Zenith explained and the moon appeared above us, full and round and glowing. On the other side of the ceiling, the sun ignited as a deep orange and yellow orb. “The sun and moon rule all other bonds. Your Order is either that of night or day. Light or dark. For example, Werewolves are most famously known for their links to the moon as they draw their power from it too. But did you also know that Orders such as Vampires, Cerberuses, Minotaurs and Medusas are also ruled by the moon when it comes to Mate Bonds?”

My ears pricked up at that and I already had a thousand questions burning at the tip of my tongue.

“As for Orders ruled by the sun, well a few of them are Dragons, Nemean Lions, Harpies, and our very own recently arisen Phoenixes of course.” She started clapping, but no one joined in and she quickly kept talking. “But what does this mean for you all? Well, firstly you will find yourself attracted to those of similar power levels to yourself. Then, if you find a mate within your Order or another Order of the same inclination, you may be Moon Bonded or Sun Bonded if the stars deem it in your fate for you to be together.”

“What if you like someone from the opposite side? A moon ruled Order falling for a sun ruled Order?” Elijah called out and I bit my lip, wondering that very same thing. Were me and Orion destined to ever be mated somehow? I certainly couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. But I didn’t need the sun, the moon or the stars to tell me that.

“Well that is where things get interesting,” Zenith explained and the sun and moon moved across the sky, crossing over one another so they seemed to blaze as one entity. “You can be mated by both. It is what we term a Soluna Bond. Both celestial beings lend power to bind the mates together, but it is no more powerful than a regular Mate Bond.”

“What about a bond within Orders though?” Jillian called out. “As a Nemean Lioness, I’m planning on finding myself a King one day, but they usually have more than one mate.”

“Yes, many Orders have names for their own special kinds of pairings. The Moon and Sun Bonds are not quite so limiting as the Elysian bond- barring the famous exception we discussed a few weeks back. They can extend to polyamorous relationships as is common with Orders like the Nemean Lions. It doesn’t affect their way of pairing, if anything it compliments it.”

“What about the Werewolves?” Kylie asked. “I heard they pair off monogamously when they find their true mate.” There was a pout to her voice that made me roll my eyes. Maybe if she stopped chasing after Seth, he’d come around to the idea of the two of them again. But from the way he totally dismissed her these days, I had to doubt that thought.

“Yes, Werewolves are similar to the Pegasuses in that their pack will live polyamorously until the leader has found their mate. An Alpha Werewolf will seek other Alphas of the same power level, either in their Order or otherwise. The same goes for a Pegasus Dom – or Dominant. Once the leader has found their partner, the rest of the herd will then seek their mates until the unit is in harmony. It can take years for a pack or herd to find harmony however, especially as the groups grow or change,” Zenith explained. “If you happen to mate with someone of your Order, there will be a special name for that bond such as the Nemean Lions’ King and Queens, the Wolves’ Alphas, the Basilisks’ Cobras, the Pegasuses’ Dominants, the Vampires’ Count and Countess, the Dragons’ Idols. But no matter who you are mated with, you will still be bound by whichever entity rules each of your Orders, either Sun or Moon or both. Unless you have been chosen to be bonded by the stars of course,” her voice waivered on the word stars. “In which case this is the only bond that will matter, the only one which will present itself to you in your lifetime. The only chance for happiness…” She trailed off and I took Tory’s hand, squeezing. I knew she didn’t want people fawning over her, but her fingers held onto mine in the dark where no one could see. It was the only kind of comfort she could bear. The hidden kind.

“Now, I want you to all take out your Astrology 101 textbooks,” she instructed and the lights grew brighter as the chairs elevated us back upright. Tory released my hand and I flipped out the lap table, placing my Atlas down on it as I took out my Astrology book, noticing I had one new message waiting for me.

I picked it up as Zenith started explaining the exercise, my focus entirely lost as I subtly opened the message and read it.

Lance:

What lesson are you in? I’m supposed to be filing paperwork on the new security regulations for Nova, but I’ve got a certain Blue haired Fae on my mind…

Darcy:

Hmm, sounds like you need some help 😉

And I’m in Astrology. I just learned about Mate Bonds. Am I going to be your Countess?

I smirked as I pressed send and his reply came in lightning fast.

Lance:

If you wanna start biting me a little harder, you can definitely be my Countess…

Darcy:

Agreed.

Maybe I can come and meet you after class for a snack…

Lance:

I can’t wait that long and I’m gonna make a real mess of this paperwork if I keep messaging you.

Darcy:

Tut tut. Are you jerking off at your desk, sir!

Lance:

Well it’s difficult not to get distracted. I’ve got my eye on a beautiful Cardinal Magic hardback with a leather bookmark pushed between its supple pages. Is it cheating if I stick the tip in?

I burst out laughing and received looks from around the room as I fought away the blush burning into my cheeks.

“You’re so busted,” Tory taunted. “I know exactly what you’re doing.”

I bit down on my lip, showing her the text and she fell into silent giggles with me. She was the only one in the world I’d show that message to. And it felt so good to have a little moment of lightness with my sister again.

Zenith didn’t care if we howled to the moon in this class, she’d never reprimand us, despite the fact that she took house points from anyone else who rose their voice above a low chatter.

I glanced down at my Atlas again, finding another message waiting for me.

Lance:

Couldn’t do it, Blue. You’re the only first edition I want.

I poised my thumb to reply with a stupid smile on my face when an alarm blared around the room, the bell drilling into my ears.

“Oh my gracious!” Zenith gasped. “Everyone up, out out out!” She ushered us towards the elevator.

“What is it?” Jillian demanded as she nearly fell over Kylie’s bag in her haste to move.

“It’s the Nymph alarm, it must have been triggered by the wards at the outer perimeter!” Zenith wailed. “Everyone get outside and line up for the count. That’s it, hurry along now. Not to worry.”

I moved along the aisle, swinging my bag over my shoulder as I tucked my Atlas and textbook into it, my heart hammering to a wild beat.

We made it downstairs and spilled out onto the path beyond the observatory, crowding together against the wall.

Zenith pushed her way through the group, moving in front of us as she started counting heads. “Everyone  – stop moving! No – ah, please stop moving.”

“Make way!” Washer’s voice caught my ear and I turned as he raced down the path from the direction of Lunar Leisure in nothing but his speedos. He was dripping wet and the bulge in his tight budgie smugglers jostled from side to side as he raced towards us. He shoved through the crowd and I received a wet hand to the boob as he pushed me out of his way.

“Argh,” I exclaimed, stepping back as everyone got the message and gave him a wide berth. “Even in a crisis he still has time to be a pervert.” I lifted my hand to dry the wet hand mark he’d left on my shirt and Tory shuddered beside me.

We drifted to the back of the group and I spotted students standing outside the buildings nearby, getting rounded up by their teachers. Zenith finally managed to do the count then the bells stopped ringing around campus and her Atlas pinged. She took it out and her shoulders slumped dramatically.

“False alarm everyone,” she announced. “Looks like it was triggered accidentally. Back inside, come on, in you go.”

Relief washed through me as we started queuing towards the door at the back of the line. We soon made it inside and started moving towards the elevator as everyone grouped into it. A whoosh of air lifted my skirt up and arms surrounded me the same moment that a hand clamped over my mouth. The world blurred and a second later I found myself in a dark store cupboard, crushed against a trolley full of books as a hard chest pressed to my back. I didn’t even need to smell the cinnamon in the air to know who it was. His hand slid from my mouth and I laughed breathlessly.

“Are you crazy? What if Tory thinks I just got kidnapped? Or what if someone saw?” My heart thrummed madly and I couldn’t even focus on getting the answer to that question as Orion’s hard-on pressed into my ass.

“I left a post-it note on her arm and no one saw, I’m too fucking fast,” he said with a dark chuckle. “Now stop talking.” I reached behind me in the dark, but he caught my wrist to stop me touching him, evidently able to see in here when I couldn’t. The scent of new stationary and textbooks reached me in the small space and there was hardly any room to move.

“What happened to not being reckless?” I panted as the heat of his body called to me, sending a deep throb between my thighs.

“What happened to not talking?” he growled in his teacher voice and my pulse skyrocketed.

“You set off that alarm, didn’t you?” I said in realisation and he forced me harder against the trolley that was jammed against the wall, his breath burning hot on my ear.

“That’s it, Miss Vega, now you’re going to be punished for disobeying me.”

A tremor of excitement ran through me and I sucked my lower lip in anticipation of his so-called punishment. He kicked my legs wide, pushing my skirt up and running his palm over my ass as my heavy breaths filled the air.

“Do you think you’re going to enjoy it?” he asked and I nodded shamelessly as he trailed his fingers around to the front of my panties and pinched my clit through the material.

I gasped, resting my head back against his shoulder and his fangs grazed my throat as a primal growl rumbled through him.

“I can always surprise you,” he whispered against my skin and I tilted my head farther to the side, wanting the kiss of his teeth.

“Do it,” I said, mostly because I wanted to goad him into whatever surprise he had in mind.

He took his hand from under my skirt and returned it a moment later. I couldn’t see what he was doing, but when he pushed his hand into my panties, he had something cold and hard in his grip that grazed against my sensitive flesh and sent goosebumps fluttering across my body.

I gasped, pressing firmer back against him, but he didn’t budge an inch. “What’s that?” I asked.

“Do you know what a Delicia Crystal is, Blue?” he purred in my ear and I shook my head.

He grazed the crystal between the centre of my legs and pleasure skittered out from it in echoing waves. A moan left me and he’d barely even touched me. Ohmagod.

“It enhances pleasure,” he said in a dark tone before repeating the same movement and my legs trembled from the sweet bliss radiating over my skin from the crystal.

“Lance,” I begged and he pushed it inside me, grazing his thumb over my clit at the same time.

I cried out half a second after he cast a silencing bubble, my whole body flooding with waves of magnetic energy that all centred on that one object inside me. It was achingly smooth, but must have only been a few inches long. As good as it felt, I wanted more. I needed more.

I ground back against Orion and he groaned headily, stroking his thumb across that delicious spot once again as the crystal sent another current of pleasure twisting through me. He yanked my panties down and I kicked them off, moving my hand behind me and running it up the hardened bulge in his pants. “I need you.”

“Bend over,” he said in a gravelly voice.

I did as he asked, digging my teeth into my lower lip in anticipation as I rested my elbows on the books stacked on top of the trolley.

The sound of his zipper rolled down and he pulled the crystal free a second before he slammed himself inside me. His hand pressed down beside mine as he braced himself and I reared forward and bit into the back of it like I’d promised I would.

He slid the crystal higher onto that sweet spot and started pounding into me at a merciless pace as the magical item sent pleasure racing out from it in every direction. I was lost to the intensity of being claimed this way, my thoughts exploding and flashing with light.

Orion groaned with the feel of it too and I tasted his blood on my lips, the colliding sensations driving me wild. Everything was happening so fast, my mind was a blur and I was already collapsing into my downfall, shattering into a thousand pieces.

Pleasure ripped through me like a hurricane and I cried out as it continued on and on, the crystal amplifying it tenfold until I couldn’t think straight. My body no longer belonged to me, my muscles bunching of their own accord as I lost all control of myself to the invading, all-consuming pleasure. I was shaking and moaning as Orion clung to me hard enough to bruise my flesh. He finished with a powerful thrust and his fangs sank into my neck, a deep groan resounding through his body.

He took the crystal away and I sagged forward as my lungs laboured for air and I tried to regain control of my trembling body. It felt like I’d just survived an earthquake located solely between my legs.

“Was that better than the Cardinal Magic hardback?” I panted through a laugh and he pulled his fangs free of my neck, chuckling as he stepped back.

I turned around, leaning down to tug up my panties with flushed cheeks.

He rolled up his fly then his mouth pressed to mine in a long and deep kiss that had my toes curling all over again. “That was even better than the collector’s edition of Advanced Numerology, beautiful. And that little slut knows how to make my spine tingle.”

I slapped his chest with a wild laugh. “You’re one dirty, book talking Vampire, you know that?”

“I know that.” He kissed me again. “And you’re one sweet, bitey little Countess.” He flicked a switch and a lightbulb illuminated above us. His hair had fallen forward into his eyes and his shirt was untucked, his teacher look firmly ruffled. And I liked that a lot. Especially being the one who’d caused it.

He admired the bite mark on the back of his hand with a smirk. “Wish I could keep it.”

“New tattoo?” I suggested with a teasing grin and he actually looked like he was considering it for a second before I jabbed his arm. “Heal it, idiot.”

He sighed, rubbing his thumb across the mark until it was gone then reaching out to heal the little puncture wounds on my throat. “One day, Blue, I’m gonna wear your teeth marks wherever I go.”

“I’ll wear yours too, Lance.” I grinned. “Just three and a half more years to go.”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Are you sure I’m worth it?” He cocked his head to the side, a sudden vulnerability in his eyes and my heart slammed against my ribcage like it wanted to dive through the walls of my flesh and slap him for even questioning it.

“Every day.” I tapped him on the nose and his face split into a grin. “You should go. I’ll wait until you’re gone before I leave.”

“Alright.” He took hold of the door handle then smirked at me. “The crystal is in your blazer pocket by the way. In case you miss me.” He winked then shot out of the cupboard in a blur and the door swung slowly shut behind him.

I shook my head at him, trying to fight the endless grin on my face. Well dammit if I don’t miss him already.

***

I approached the Heirs in The Howling Meadow with Geraldine and Tory either side of me. The sun was beginning to set and the air held the hint of spring to it, calling to us on the breeze. Our Elemental Combat lessons weren’t getting any easier. Neither me, Tory or Geraldine had managed to put an Heir on their asses yet. And it was infuriating as hell. With each lesson, I’d hoped to get closer, but sometimes I took such a beating that I swear I wasn’t even scratching the surface of their defences. But I wasn’t deterred. Because one day, whether it would be tomorrow or next year or in five years, I was going to be skilled enough to knock the shit out of them, dammit.

We reached the boulders where they were gathered, the four of them shirtless and taking it in turns to brawl with each other with fists. Not a drop of magic in sight. I might have been spoken for, but I still couldn’t ignore the stacks of shredded muscle slamming into each other before me. And I was half a second away from calling Orion over to have a go when I remembered I was here for a reason and I probably couldn’t get away with asking for that.

“Seth!” I called and he turned towards me just as Darius took a swing at him, his fist slamming into his jaw and sending him flying into the dirt. Oh hell yes.

I smirked, wanting to bask in his loss, but he scrambled back to his knees running at Darius like a psycho and throwing his shoulder into his gut. They crashed to the ground with a tremor that rocked the earth beneath my feet and Orion appeared in a blur of movement, stopping at my side and blowing his coach whistle so loud I winced.

“Assholes! Despite the grunge hair Capella is sporting and the fucking worst mohawk of the century Rigel seems to think is cool, this is not a fucking mosh pit at some prissy indie rock gig. So get your asses up and start fighting like Fae or you’ll all be in detention for the rest of the week.”

I tried not to bat my lashes too hard at Orion, but holy hell when he used that voice and blew that whistle, and looked…mmm.

Tory elbowed me in the ribs with a restrained grin. “You look one second away from drooling.”

Geraldine was evidently close enough to hear as she started laughing and clutching her side, and Orion and Caleb snapped around to look at me in surprise.

“What?” I asked innocently, shooting Tory a glare and she bit her lip to stop herself from laughing too, although I’d seen her staring at the guys as well so she wasn’t exactly Miss Innocent right now.

“Oh give my queen a break!” Geraldine lamented. “There’s enough mammoth man muscle, tight peach-cupping shorts and tantalising testosterone in the air to bring even fine ladies such as us to our knees. But I for one, will not stand for such an advantage in our brawls.”

“I’m not putting my shirt back on, Gerry,” Max said with a smirk, folding his bulging arms across his chest. “Not unless you beg me.”

“By the gleam of my shiny waxed lady balls! Who said anything about putting your clothes on?” She laughed, taking hold of the hem of her shirt and whipping it off, revealing her huge breasts in a delicate blue bra with a seashell clasped at the base of her cleavage. Max’s eyes practically bugged out of his head as she directed him further into the field for a fight. “I challenge you to a duel, you mouth watering barnacle of a boy.”

“Barnacle?” he muttered, but didn’t seem too bothered about the rest of it as he jogged after her into the meadow.

Orion glanced at me with a sharp expression and I guessed he was pissed at me for staring. But if he’d actually seen inside my brain, he would have found a completely innocent scene where he stripped off and got down and dirty with the Heirs. Totally above board. I didn’t want anyone but my Vampire. But if he happened to tussle with a few muscular assholes, then far be it from me not to settle in for the show.

I noticed Mildred watching us from group two, pinning Jillian Minor down by the throat and baring her jutting teeth at us. Ever since she’d joined Zodiac, I swear all she did was look like she was about to shift into her Dragon form and eat someone. Or maybe she wouldn’t even shift and she’d just take a bite right out of one of us. Most likely Tory.

Smoke spewed from her nostrils and her moustache rippled in the breeze it caused. It might have been funny it if wasn’t weirdly terrifying.

“Come on then, babe,” Seth beckoned me over. “Let’s see how far up in the air I can throw you this time.”

My cheeks heated as I marched toward him with fierce strides. In the last lesson, he’d captured me in a tornado for like twenty goddamn minutes. I’d been so dizzy afterwards, I’d puked. And Kylie had captured it all on camera and plastered it all over FaeBook. Not my finest moment. But this time, I was determined to leave a mark on him at the very least.

Tory headed after Caleb for a spar and Darius moved to chat with Orion while they watched. My jaw was grinding as I took up a fighting stance across from Seth. His smug face had a date with the dirt and I was more than happy to be the damn taxi driver.

“You really hate me, don’t you?” he taunted, not even bothering to lower into the stance as he flexed his muscles, waiting for me to attack.

I didn’t answer, trying to focus on every cast I knew as he started to circle to the right, forcing me to move left.

He yawned provocatively then flexed his arms above his head, giving me an open target. If he was going to be an idiot about it, I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. I threw out my hand, releasing a powerful gust of air, but he blocked it with a flick of his wrist, sending it whooshing out into the field and knocking over several students in group four.

Seth dove into action, throwing out a palm and sending a spear of wood tearing through the air toward me. I cast fire, burning it into ash, but he kept throwing them, the spears flying forwards with a ferocity that should have terrified me. But I wasn’t afraid, I was furious.

I burned through every earth attack with yells of rage, keeping any of them from landing. But while he cast the onslaught of spears, a vine caught my leg, ripping me up into the air to dangle from it by one ankle.

He howled up at me and laughter carried from the surrounding crowd as people turned to watch. With a growl, I sent a tide of water crashing down toward him but it cascaded over a perfect dome of air above his head. I froze it in an instant and while he was blinded, I reared up toward my ankle and severed the vine with a flash of fire. I caught myself on the air, twisting around so I hit the ground on my feet, only stumbling a step before I launched my next attack at the frozen dome before me. I burned through it with a scream of rage and the dome dripped away to nothing on the floor, revealing an empty space where Seth had once stood.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I whipped around in alarm, meeting a powerful shot of air as it left Seth’s palm and crashed into my face. I hit the ground, tasting blood and failure on my tongue. He leapt on top of me with another howl, casting vines around my arms to pin me down while taking a solid hold of my throat to prove his point.

“Yield,” he growled and I clenched my jaw, refusing to say that fucking word for the thousandth time. He squeezed harder, his brows pinching together. “Darcy,” he demanded.

“Fine,” I spat. “I yield.”

He released me immediately, standing up and offering me his hand, but I smacked it away as I got to my feet and wiped the blood from my split lip. Marguerite, Kylie and their little gang jeered me from across the field and my cheeks burned as I strode away, needing to just cool off for a second.

I stalked away from the group and into the longer grass, rage clawing at my heart.

In a flash of movement, Orion appeared in front of me but I tried to shoulder my way past him, not wanting any pity. He caught my arm, whirling me around to face back the way I’d come and casting a silencing bubble around us.

“Breathe,” he demanded and I did. “Speak,” he commanded next.

“I hate him,” I snarled. “I know what he did for you and I know that confuses things, but it doesn’t make what he did before that okay. And I hate that I turn up here three times a week just to get put on my ass again and again and ag-”

“Calm down,” Orion growled and I looked up at him, heated anger invading every part of my body. His eyes softened into two obsidian pools and I found it slightly easier to keep breathing as I stayed locked in their gaze.

“I am calm,” I said, though I wasn’t.

“You want to run before you can walk,” he said, inching closer, but not enough so that it crossed any boundaries if anyone was looking. “You need to be more patient.”

“I’m trying,” I huffed. “But I feel like I’m getting nowhere.”

“Are you fucking with me? You moved up into the top combat class in your freshman year. Your only competitors are the Heirs now. You’re not giving yourself enough credit. The way you got out of that vine hold took real skill, Blue. Real fucking skill.” He fixed me with an intense look and I nodded, trying to accept that I was improving. But it was so hard when I rarely even landed a blow on the Heirs. And I really wanted to land a hit on that long haired jumped up Wolf boy.

“I just feel like I don’t even get close to taking him out.” I fixed my glare on Seth as he climbed to the top of a boulder, pounded his chest like a gorilla and howled to his pack who echoed it from within all the other groups.

Orion reached out to my busted lip, healing it quickly and wiping the blood away with his thumb. He placed it straight in his mouth, casually sweeping a hand through his hair at the same time like that was a perfectly normal thing to do. And I guessed he could get away with it as a Vampire. It was also weirdly hot as hell.

“Patience little predator,” he said with a smirk, dropping his hand to his side. “Your skill will get there. But that’s only half the fight.”

“What’s the other half?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Your prey,” he purred in a devilish tone that made a smile pull at the corner of my mouth. He gestured to Seth who was leaping from boulder to boulder now like he was invincible. “Knowing who you’re fighting is key when you’re dealing with powerful Fae. It’s not just a case of brute force. The devil is in the detail. And your pretty boy Werewolf prey has weaknesses. Find them,” he commanded.

Seth cupped his hands around his mouth at that moment and called out to us, “Hey sir! Why don’t you have a round with me while Darcy dries her tears?”

Orion moved a finger so subtly I almost missed it and a gust the strength of a hurricane sent Seth flying off of the boulders. He just caught himself with his own air magic before he faceplanted the ground.

“I’ll take that as a no!” he called as he got up, striding over to Darius and starting up a fight with him instead.

“Why’d you miss that opportunity?” I asked with a frown. “I could have used the inspiration.”

“No,” he growled in a serious tone, catching me in his gaze. “I could have smashed his head in the second Darius told him to back off of us, but I held back. Because you know what’s more satisfying to me than beating the living hell out of him, Blue?”

I shook my head, my throat too tight as I absorbed the passion in his expression.

“You doing it,” he breathed with a seductive grin. “He’s all yours, beautiful. I want you to make him scream. I’m gonna be right there with a fold-out chair and a bag of freshly popped popcorn to enjoy the show. But I won’t be the one breaking bones – and trust me I really want to be that guy, but not this time. Seth Capella has written his fate in the stars. She’s coming for him like a monster in the night. And her name is Darcy Vega.”

My heart shone, at least that was what it felt like. I wanted to throw my arms around him and thank him for being the best guy I’d ever known. But it wasn’t exactly good timing with the whole school watching. He had most definitely earned himself the best sex of his life tonight though. Which was gonna be hard to top, but I was happy to get imaginative.

“You’re actually a really good teacher,” I commented.

“She says like it’s a surprise,” he mocked and I laughed.

“Well, it just took me a while to realise that you’re not just a dick to everyone because you hate the world.”

He arched a brow. “Am I not?”

“No… you care Lance Orion.”

He held his heart like I’d mortally wounded him, stumbling back a step and my laughter grew. “Don’t insult me.”

“Alright, keep up your heartless act then, but I’ve got you pegged, Professor.”

He leaned in closer with his smile vanishing like a ghost in the night. “I’ll admit this one thing, I don’t always hate being a teacher.”

I gasped, acting as dramatically as he had, pressing the back of my hand to my forehead like I was going to faint.

“Don’t ever tell a soul,” he said intently and I laughed, miming locking my lips and throwing away the key. He nudged me to get me walking back towards the Heirs and my whole body felt lighter as I approached them.

I sighed as I headed back towards the Heirs, smiling as Geraldine yelled, “For the magnificent queens of Solaria!” and leapt onto Max’s back, her huge breasts slamming into his head as she flooded them both with a downpour of water.

“I love that girl,” Tory said as she jogged over to join me, her arms and throat lined with bruises. “Caleb,” she explained with a huff and Orion reached out to heal her.

She smiled at him in thanks and I glanced between the two of them with warmth in my soul. The fact that Tory had given him that little friendship bracelet – which he religiously wore every day without comment – was the cutest damn thing ever. I’d hugged her so tight when I’d found out about that she’d had to forcibly escape from me after five whole minutes of squish time.

I spent the next half an hour watching Seth fight and taking note every time one of the Heirs got him on his back. He led with his left foot, but his right hand was dominant when he cast. He was cocky, self-assured but there was weakness in that sometimes. Occasionally, he threw attacks which were too big, and so long as his opponent managed to shield against it, there was a small window of time where Seth had to take a second to recover. That window was gold.

“We’re gonna be stronger than them one day,” Tory said, lifting her chin. “It’s just a matter of time.”

I looked to her, that fact ringing truer in my skull than it ever had before. Her gaze hooked on mine and a moment passed between us where something just clicked together. Something so damn obvious it was strange to only realise it now. We’d decided to fight them. We weren’t just working our asses off to beat them one time in some Elemental Combat class. We wanted to keep beating them again and again. And that could only mean one thing.

“Do you want it?” I whispered, the air seeming to stir strangely like the stars were leaning in to listen. “Because I do. It feels so right.”

“Yeah,” she said, her lips parting in realisation. “I want it too. I really do, Darcy.”

“So let’s take it,” I said, surprising myself with the strength in my voice.

I could feel Orion’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t look away from my sister. This moment was ours. And it needed to be screamed from the nearest mountain. Or the top of the nearest boulder as the case may have been.

I snatched Tory’s hand into my grip and she ran with me as we raced towards the boulders and climbed up to the peak of the highest one.

“Listen up!” I yelled and the Heirs stopped fighting, frowning over at us.

Orion casually flicked his fingers in my direction and when I spoke again, my voice amplified over the entire meadow.

“You’ve seen us get beaten time and again,” I called and the Heirs laughed, smirking at us like we were about to embarrass ourselves. Geraldine thumped Max in the arm, giving us her full, undivided attention with her eyes glowing brightly. “But one day soon, we won’t be beat.”

“We’re the most powerful Fae in this kingdom!” Tory shouted, her voice filled with power as it was amplified by Orion’s magic and her hair swirling around her in a wild breeze, making her look fierce as hell. “And we may have been hurt, beaten, bruised, drowned.” She glared down at the Heirs. “But we’re never going to stay down.”

The Heirs shared anxious looks and my heart swelled as I met Orion’s gaze, his eyes brimming with pride. I loved him fiercely in that moment. Truly. Madly. Always.

“So we intend to claim our rightful place in the kingdom!” I announced. “Bring on the press, the photoshoots, the interviews, we’re ready to step out and be the real princesses that we are.”

Tory caught my hand and I lifted her arm into the air on instinct. “We’re going to fight for our throne!” she cried.

“And we’re going to win it!” I finished.

Geraldine broke down in tears, dropping to her knees in the dirt and clapping like mad. The rest of the A.S.S came swarming to the base of the boulders, jumping in the air and cheering like crazy. Gabriel clapped from across the field, a knowing smile on his face like he’d been waiting for this to happen today. And I guessed he had.

I let my gaze slide over to the Heirs again, eyeing Max’s sneer, Seth’s scowl, Caleb’s darkened gaze and the tight-jawed silence Darius was sporting. They said nothing to each other. And maybe that was because they knew this moment had been coming too. That they’d realised we couldn’t be beat. And one day in the future, we were going to face them one on one in a bid for our rightful place on the Solarian throne. It was written in the stars.

Orion blew his whistle to sound the end of the class and a wide smile split across my face. We climbed down into the sea of bodies, getting accosted by hugs and claps on the back. Geraldine waded her way toward us, dragging in ragged breaths like she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs between words, “My – queens – are – finally – ascending -” she managed to get out then dragged us into her arms, sobbing loudly for the whole world to hear. “I’m prouder than a pecan in a tin of raisin berries!” she wailed. “And I’m happier than a clam riding a sea turtle!”

Most of the students had already departed by the time the A.S.S. started dispersing. Everyone tried to lure us into a party, but my legs were numb and even Geraldine was fighting a yawn with every excited word she threw at us. Orion lingered behind us with Darius, talking to him in a silencing bubble as the other Heirs peeled away, Caleb, Seth and Max jogging off ahead of us with their back muscles flexing and Seth howling angrily at the sky.

“Well, this has been the most wonderific moment of my entire life. But I must call it a night as I am positively flamboozled,” Geraldine sighed, pulling her shirt on. “What a wild and wet evening it’s been. Good night my queens. I look forward to versing you in all the customs of the how to claim the throne. By the grandest grapes in Ginkleford, what dreams I’m going to dream tonight!” She waved flamboyantly and headed off down another path in the direction of Earth Territory with a skip in her step.

Darkness was starting to fall and the shadows were thick between the trees, but there were no shadows in my heart tonight, there was too much brightness in me to let them in.

Tory flung an arm over my shoulders and I leaned against her with a groan of exhaustion, but a smile still bit into my cheeks.

“I can’t believe this is only our first year,” I said.

“Yeah, but imagine us this time next year. We’ll be kicking ass. I’ll be eating breakfast off of Caleb’s washboard abs after I’ve knocked him out cold. Just because I can.”

“Is that your plan?” I teased with a laugh, but she didn’t return it and I felt the shadows in her for a moment, reaching out to try and join with mine. But they were buried so deep right now, there was almost none to find.

“Nah,” she said offhandedly and I wrapped my arm around her waist.

“I love you, Tor,” I breathed, just because sometimes people needed to hear that. And maybe I didn’t say it to her enough.

“Love you too, Darcy,” she whispered.

A shadow spilled onto the path ahead of us and the two of us cried out, throwing up our hands in defence as my heart lurched into my throat. A combo attack of water and air exploded from us and the figure tumbled through the air, slamming down onto their back several feet away. A hat laid on the ground just where they’d been and I swore as I realised who it was.

“Shit, Diego, don’t jump out on us like that!” Tory reprimanded as I scooped up his beanie and hurried forward to give it to him.

He was lying awkwardly on the ground, groaning as he rubbed the back of his head. “Lo siento chicas,” he wheezed as he sat upright and Orion appeared in a flash, jerking him to his feet by the collar of his shirt.

“You’re gonna get yourself killed diving into the path of two fucking Phoenixes, you fool,” he snapped.

Diego shrugged him off, taking his hat from me and yanking it on with a scowl. He seemed jittery, bouncing up and down on his heels as we gathered around him and Darius cast a Faelight, letting it float up above our heads and bathe us in a low amber light.

“What’s up with you, Duncan?” he demanded, narrowing his eyes as an angry heat spilled from his body, telling me exactly how he was feeling since we’d laid our claim.

Diego glanced between us all, his eyes settling on mine last and evidently whatever he found there was enough to make him speak. “My parents have added a memory to the web,” he breathed and Orion immediately cast a silencing bubble around us while Darius started casting some other spells which I guessed would deter anyone from coming this way.

“Show it to us,” Tory said immediately and Diego nodded, rolling up his sleeves and extending his arms into the middle of the circle.

I took his hand while Orion gripped his forearm and Darius and Tory took hold of his other arm.

Darkness pushed beneath my eyes, thicker than should have been possible as I was yanked away into the abyss. The shadows started whispering, calling me into their depths as I sank deeper and deeper, Diego’s presence guiding me into the very base of them.

The strange, white cloud appeared ahead of us and memories crackled amongst it, flashing and flickering in and out of focus. A memory grew brighter and brighter within them all and I gasped as I was sucked right into it like before.

My lungs compressed at the sight waiting for me.

Clara stood on a hill in a blood red dress with Lionel at her side in a black cloak. Around them stood hundreds upon hundreds of Nymphs in their monstrous forms, all the way down the hill, their heads bowed, a low and raspy chant leaving them, dragging its way through my ears.

“You will hunt the land on my command!” Clara called. “You will leave no stone unturned in your search. For the High Lord Lionel Acrux. Your king. Who will do right by you when you do right by him.” The shadows poured out from her in every direction, seeming to tumble right into the very bodies of the Nymphs. At a swish of her hand, they moved and every fibre of my being hummed with terror.

This was an army of the most fearful creatures I’d ever known. And they were under the control of Clara, of the monster who’d almost torn Orion from this world. And of Lionel Acrux too. The Dragon master. The most powerful Fae in Solaria. And soon, no doubt, to be the one and only king.

I was suddenly yanked out of the vision and my heart stammered as I found myself staring across at Tory, a mirrored look of shock on her face.

“Fuck,” she breathed which just about summed up the expressions on everyone else’s faces around the circle.

“What do we do?” I turned to Orion with anxiety warring in my chest and his brows stitched together.

“If my sister can control the Nymphs…” he trailed off and I wished Diego wasn’t there so I could reach for him, comfort him. Seeing her standing on that hill beside the man who’d destroyed his life must have been ripping his heart out.

“We’re fucked.” Darius growled, dragging a hand through his hair as he turned his back on the circle.

“I’m sorry, I…” Diego shook his head, at a loss for what to say and I squeezed his arm.

“Lance,” I breathed and he looked to me with real fear burning in his eyes.

His throat bobbed and his jaw tightened as he forced his emotions down and raised his chin. “No one leaves campus,” he commanded, looking between me and Tory. “And no one goes anywhere alone even on campus, understand me?” He fixed me in his gaze and I nodded.

“Las estrellas están contra nosotros,” Diego whispered, turning his gaze to the heavens like he was praying.

“Walk Tory back to your House,” Orion commanded Darius and he nodded stiffly.

“Just keep far enough away to avoid the earthquake,” he grunted to her, then took off down the path and Tory gave me a grave look before heading away with him.

Orion started marching forward, the tension in his posture making my heart drum like crazy. “Follow,” he barked when we didn’t immediately do so and we jogged to catch up with him as he headed towards Aer House.

My head was pounding by the time we got to the tower and Orion left us there without a word. My gut knotted and frayed. He wasn’t okay. I needed to be there for him.

I ran upstairs with Diego, saying goodnight to him as I hurried into my room with hope in my chest. My heart sank into my gut as I found it empty. And I knew in my bones that Orion wouldn’t come to me tonight. He was going to disappear into the dark and drown in his pain alone.

I sank down onto the edge of my bed, my body shaking from everything that had happened in the past hour. We’d announced our intention to claim our throne, only to learn that there might not even be a throne to claim soon. Not when Lionel had so much power. Not when he was in a position to take it from all of us and force the entire kingdom to heel.

Our fight wasn’t with the Heirs right now. And it might not ever be. Not unless we stopped Lionel Acrux from taking the throne.