Zodiac Academy 6: Fated Throne

“Boy,” Father’s voice was firm and cutting, carrying from his office and making dread carve a hole through my chest.

I placed my suitcase down, straightened my shirt and took a breath as I approached the door. I could get through anything now. I was about to leave for Zodiac Academy and my magic would be Awakened. I literally couldn’t freaking wait. I’d gotten a sum total of three hours’ sleep last night and had had to wait all damn day for this moment. But it was night time now. The stars were awake, and soon my magic would be too.

I pushed the door open, lifting my chin as I faced the man who sent fear prickling along my limbs. After everything he’d done, there wasn’t a scrap of love in my heart for him. It was hard to remember a time there ever had been really. Admiration maybe, awe, respect – before I realised he didn’t deserve any of those things. But any dislike I’d had for him had turned into a potent hate after everything he’d done, the lives he’d destroyed, and the ones he still planned on destroying.

He was dressed in a fine tailored suit, his broad shoulders emphasised by the fitted blazer and his blonde hair pushed back and styled perfectly. He stood from his chair behind the desk, rising to his imposing height.

“Close the door,” he commanded and a razor blade lodged in my throat as I pushed it shut with a sharp click that echoed on through my skull.

Father moved around the desk, gazing down his nose at me with undisguised disgust. “You understand the way the wind is blowing, don’t you boy?” he asked in a dangerous growl, but he went on before I could figure out what he meant. “The throne is mine for the taking, I will be Solaria’s King. And that will make you of great interest to the students of Zodiac Academy. My arm has been twisted into allowing you to attend, but do not underestimate my influence upon you even when you are no longer under this roof.”

I clenched my jaw, keeping my tongue from spilling out a single stupid word. I wasn’t going to test him tonight. Not when freedom was so close that I could hear it screaming my damn name.

Father went on, “You will keep your head down and the press will barely know you exist. You will not take interviews unless I tell you to, you will not cause a stir, let alone a scandal. And you will return home whenever I demand it, is that clear?”

“Yes, Father.” I bowed my head, playing the good little pawn. I just wanted out. The only problem was Mom. She’d come to me last night, making me swear I’d build a life for myself at school, that I wouldn’t worry about her. But how could I do that? Leaving her here was unbearable. I just didn’t have a choice.

“Good,” he said dismissively. “Go downstairs, Portia will be conducting a brief interview for The Celestial Times before we leave. I will announce your Elements and House to the press after your Awakening is done, then there shall be no more focus on my worthless, spare son.”

I nodded stiffly, turning away with that bittersweet slap to the face still stinging my cheek and heading out the door, his heavy presence following me. I grabbed my suitcase and carried it downstairs where a porter was waiting to take it from me. Darius had already gone back to Zodiac a few days ago, insisting he needed a head start on his work and Father had let him go because he always wanted his special Heir to be ahead of the game. I knew better though. Darius had told me himself he was going out Nymph hunting with the other Heirs and Darcy Vega. He’d been telling me about their hunts all summer so I could live vicariously through his stories. I longed to join them, it sounded like something from one of my Xbox games. A real life adventure. And now I was getting my magic Awakened, maybe it wouldn’t be too long before I really could help. Though I guessed I knew in my heart that I had a lot to learn before I’d be of any use. Still…

Voices carried from out on the porch, the front door half open and my father’s hand suddenly landed on my shoulder as he steered me outside. When I looked up at him, I found him wearing one of his false smiles, his teeth on show and a decent attempt at pride glowing in his eyes. I slapped on my own smile which was equally fake and we stepped outside where the press had set up some lights facing the porch and Mom was there chatting with Portia in a flowing green gown.

“Ah, here’s the man of the hour!” Portia exclaimed, her blonde hair bouncing as she hurried up the steps toward me. “You look dashing, Xavier. Let’s get a few pictures with your parents.” She positioned me between them and they both moved in close as the photographer started shooting. I looked up at Mom with a grin and she shot me a wink that warmed my heart.

When the shoot was done, Portia questioned me about my feelings over being Awakened and starting school, and I was able to let out the bursting emotions inside me over it all. Because I was fucking excited. Star damned crazy happy about it. And by the time I was done telling her about it, my jaw was aching from how hard I’d been smiling.

“It’s not fair!” Clara shrieked from somewhere in the house and Father’s face turned to thunder.

“Excuse me,” he said curtly and Portia waved him off, but shared a brief look with the photographer that said she was curious as shit.

“Go grab your coat, Xavier,” Mom encouraged, her eyes anxious. “We’d better head off soon.”

“Yes, of course, I won’t keep you any longer,” Portia said apologetically, starting to pack up her things.

I slipped back inside the house while Mom started making small talk with her slightly louder than was necessary and I shut the door behind me. Clara was on the stairs with a cloak of shadows spinning around her, her hands planted on her hips. Tory stood beside my father in a red satin dress, gazing at him with a doe-eyed look that made my skin crawl. I couldn’t even express how angry I was about what my father had done to Tory. I hadn’t seen her since Darius’s birthday and had no idea where he was keeping her. Now, he brought her out like a dog on a leash. It was fucking sick.

“I was your Guardian first, Daddy, how come she gets to go with you?” Clara pouted, her eyes a swirling storm of darkness. I probably should have been used to her calling him Daddy by now, but fuck no I wasn’t. It still made me wanna vom. Every. Damn. Time.

“Now, Clara, I explained this to you,” Father said in a purr that made me equally sick. “Roxanya needs to be seen as allied to me out in public. And you still don’t have full control of your power, you cannot pass as Fae yet.”

I drifted across the hall to the coat closet, grabbing a smart black one and pulling it on, never taking my eyes off of the circus of horrors playing out before me.

Clara’s face twisted in fury and the storm cloud of darkness around her built in size, the strength of her power tugging on the shadows living in me.

“I can control myself!” she bellowed and Father snarled, lunging at her and grasping her throat.

“Silence,” he hissed. “Or I’ll have you banished from my quarters for a week. Is that what you want?”

“No,” Clara whimpered and the shadows died around her while my nose wrinkled.

I tried to catch Tory’s eye, but she just gazed at Father with the same intensity Clara was giving him. It was sickening to watch.

“Good girl,” Lionel growled. “Now go back upstairs and when I get home, I’ll reward you for behaving.”

She leaned in for a kiss, but he moved away before she could claim it, placing a possessive hand on Tory’s back and guiding her toward the door. He jerked his chin at me in a command and I fell in to step behind them as they exited the house again.

Portia was still there chatting with my mom, but her eyes practically leapt out of her head as she spotted Tory at my father’s side. It wasn’t like it was fresh news that Tory was aligned with Lionel now, but the press still couldn’t lap it up quick enough.

“Oh, good evening, Miss Vega, I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight,” Portia said in surprise as Father took his hand from Tory’s spine.

“Yes, well here I am,” Tory said blandly, smiling at Father again before giving Portia a flat look.

“Could I get a few words while I’m here?” Portia asked hopefully, glancing at my father then back to Tory.

“Of course, but make it quick, we need to leave,” Father said politely and Portia nodded, hurrying up the steps to Tory with her dictaphone in hand so she could record her.

“Have you spoken with your sister lately? She has been running quite an extensive campaign with The Daily Solaria insisting that you are still planning to claim the throne together. Care to comment?” Portia asked hopefully and I wished I could scream at her and tell her the truth, that my father was a monster, that he was using the shadows to control Tory, that he used dark magic daily, that he was allied with the Nymphs, that he planned on taking over the kingdom and destroying anyone who stood in his way. But I just stood there, my features schooled, my heart pounding out of rhythm.

“Oh, I’m not running for the throne anymore,” Tory said simply and my heart scrunched up in my chest. She reached out to run her hand up and down Father’s arm. “I’ve found my true place now.”

Portia blinked furiously and Mom carefully kept her serene expression in place, but there was a dark horror behind her eyes.

“By the stars, so you are officially renouncing your claim to the throne of Solaria?” Portia asked, dollar signs flashing in her eyes at being the first to get the scoop on this. Hell no. Don’t do this, Tory.

“Absolutely,” Tory said with a weirdly empty smile.

“That’s all for tonight, I’m afraid we don’t want to be late,” Father stepped in as Portia looked fit to burst with questions. “Jenkins will see you out. Good evening, Portia.”

He steered Tory past her and me and Mom hurried to follow, sharing a worried look. She took my hand, squeezing quickly before releasing it and my heart swelled a little knowing I had her secretly on my side, even if she couldn’t say it. I just wished I could take her with me tonight and keep her away from Father forever.

The porter was waiting at the end of the drive with my bag and as we crossed out of the gates together through the wards, Father tossed stardust into the air and the world spun in a haze of stars.

My feet hit solid ground and I found myself gazing up at the immense gates of Zodiac Academy; the zodiac circle was engraved at the centre of it, featuring all of the star sign symbols around it. Nerves and excitement warred inside me as Father huffed out a breath.

“They couldn’t even lift the wards for one night? This school is forgetting who funds it,” he muttered.

“Well at least our Xavier will be safe here,” Mom said in a flat tone, but I knew her words were for me.

I’d be safe here from Father. Once I was inside these gates, he couldn’t easily get to me. Sure, he could summon the living hell out of me, but that was nowhere near as bad as being hauled out of my bedroom by the scruff of my neck whenever he was in a bad mood. No, here I would have more freedom than I’d ever known in my lifetime. I felt a whinny building in my throat and fought the urge to shift, take off into the sky, circle my new home and let glitter tumble from my flesh. Later, dude. Me and the sky can get real intimate.

A few students were already gathered by the gates, most arriving by cars. They were hugging their families, saying goodbye and I realised a little bitterly that my father wasn’t going to go anywhere until the stars awoke my Elements.

“Good evening, Lionel,” a deep voice called and I turned as Tiberius Rigel strode toward us with his wife on his arm and their daughter following at their heels.

Ellis’s hair was dark and thick, framing her strong features which had a hint of her brother Max in them. I’d spent more than a few dinner parties with her, but we never got to spend much time together outside of our parents’ watchful eyes. Unlike the way the Councillors had encouraged the four Heirs to spend time together and bond, they’d never bothered to encourage a similar relationship between the younger children in the families. Even if there was technically a chance that any one of us could challenge our older siblings for their positions one day.

No, despite how the system was meant to be fair and we were all supposed to have an equal shot at claiming the role of Councillor one day, it was more than clear to all of us that the eldest siblings were never going to be unseated. They’d been Awakened young and given advanced training in every kind of skill and magic years before even coming to Zodiac Academy. So even if our power levels were a match to theirs, there was no way any of us spares would be able to pose a real threat and everyone knew it. Not that I had the slightest desire to take Darius’s place from him, but the injustice of the system still annoyed me.

Ellis smiled vaguely at me and I smiled back, wondering if she’d ever considered the challenge of vying for Max’s position worth her time or if she was happy enough in her position too.

“Tiberius.” Lionel nodded to him.

Tiberius’s gaze fell to Tory beside him, a look of concern twisting through his eyes before he quickly schooled it.

Father tugged her closer without shame as Tory gave him that dreamy eyed look again. I had no idea what the other Councillors thought of my father’s new pet, but from the few looks they’d exchanged at Darius’s birthday party, I had to think they thought it was weird as shit. The whole kingdom surely thought that too. And anyone who knew Tory would be able to see it the second they got close. But that was the problem, Father didn’t let anyone near her. And if he did, he was clearly going to be right there beside her like an overbearing husband. Ergh. Should not have gone there.

Tiberius’s wife Linda looked around, her nose wrinkled like there was a bad smell under it. She pulled Ellis close, arranging her hair over her shoulders and her daughter indulged it, smiling serenely at her mother’s affection.

“Melinda and Antonia will be arriving together momentarily,” Tiberius said. “Exciting, isn’t it?”

“Quite,” Lionel said coolly.

The air shimmered beyond us and Melinda Altair appeared with her golden hair tumbling around her shoulders in soft curls and Antonia Capella materialised beside her, her coppery brown locks pulled up into a chignon bun. They were both wearing fine dresses and I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d come from an interview with the press. Behind Melinda was Caleb’s younger brother Hadley with his sharp jaw and blue eyes as piercing as the rest of his family’s. His hair was dark though, honey brown and shaved in at the sides. If he was a Vampire, his Order would emerge the moment his magic did, and I imagined they were expecting that, just as Father had expected me to be a Dragon. I wondered if he’d receive the same kind of treatment I’d endured if he turned out to be a Pegasus or something else, or if his family actually loved him and would accept him no matter what.

Beyond Antonia were two of Seth’s younger siblings. The twins had grown into their looks this past year; Grayson was tall, his features angular and his eyes dark, his sister Athena was the female mirror image of him, though she had dark purple streaks running through her wavy hair whereas Grayson’s was a floppy, brown mess on top of his head. They tickled and shoved each other as they laughed and played, looking like the Wolves they were. I grinned at them and they grinned back, running over to snare me in a two sided hug.

“Xavier! You’d better take me flying soon,” Athena begged and Grayson grabbed my face to pull me around to look at him.

“Me first, dude,” he insisted and I laughed, shoving them off and throwing a glance at Father whose right eye was twitching. Dragons didn’t let anyone ride them, but there was no such law for Pegasuses. Would he expect me to refuse like a Dragon or would he just accept that my Order lived by different rules? Not that I was going to ask for his opinion. No doubt he’d make it perfectly clear if he wanted to.

Hadley was carefully positioning his hair as he walked over to join us, but Ellis held back with her family while her mother whispered something in her ear.

“We’ve been placing bets on our second Elements, you want in Xavier?” Hadley asked with a dark smirk, his eyes drifting to Athena and lingering on her cleavage peeking out of her fitted blue dress before he looked back at me.

“My bet’s on Hadley being a single Elemental,” Athena taunted him and Hadley scowled.

“You’re just jealous that I’m going to get the best Elements, Athena. Earth and fire.” He pushed his fingers into his hair in a way designed to draw attention to his bicep, but Athena’s gaze didn’t falter from his face.

“Well unlike you, I don’t want to have the same second Element as my older brother, because I’m not a little Heir clone. I’m going to have air and water then I’ll make a tornado that sweeps you into a lake of my own design so I can drown your vain ass in it.”

Grayson barked a laugh, bouncing on his heels. “Maybe I’ll get air and fire and firenado your ass too, Hadley.”

Hadley rolled his eyes as Grayson shoved his arm. “You wish, Gray.”

“What do you think you’ll get, Xavier?” Athena turned to me with a bright smile.

I shifted on the tarmac, shrugging. “Honestly, I just can’t wait to have one Element, let alone-”

“Nonsense,” Father boomed, laughing loudly in that fake way he did at his pretentious parties. He dropped an arm around my shoulders, steering me away from the others and planting me next to Tory. “Xavier will make us proud as a double Elemental.” His grip on my shoulders grew painful, like he was warning me to produce two Elements or I’d be gutted. But what did he expect me to do? I couldn’t pluck extra Elements out of my ass if I didn’t have them. It was up to the stars what I was gifted tonight.

“What do you think you’ll get, Ellis?” Grayson bounded over to her like a dog who’d just been let off its leash, apparently having no awareness of her standoffish stance as he slung an arm around her and nuzzled into her hair.

She growled, shoving him off. “I don’t know, Grayson.”

“She’ll have water and air, just like Max,” her mother said firmly, elbowing Tiberius who quickly chimed in to agree.

“Yes, yes, most likely,” he agreed, smiling proudly.

“Are you gonna pick Aer House then, because your big brother doesn’t like you stepping on his toes, does he?” Grayson taunted and she rolled her eyes at him as he tried to paw at her again.

“I’ll go wherever I fancy,” she said with a cool smile and Grayson barked another laugh.

The gates suddenly opened and my heart beat powerfully in my chest as a tall woman appeared with her dark hair pulled into a bun. I’d seen enough pictures of her to know this was Principal Nova. She’d been especially helpful to my Father lately. Mom had told me she’d sent a letter promising to keep an eye on me while I was here. I mean, it wasn’t exactly a surprise to me that Father had the staff under his control considering he pumped Zodiac full of gold whenever the school board asked, but I still didn’t like the idea of being watched. This was a big school though and there was no way she’d be able to keep an eye on me twenty-four seven. And just the idea of being able to go about my day without a Dragon Lord breathing down my neck was like fifty million times better than my previous circumstances, so I was calling it a win.

Beside Nova was a woman with flowing raven hair and pale skin; she was dressed in long black robes, looking like some sort of medieval witch. She gazed at my father and the other Councillors with respect, but something in her eyes told me she wasn’t exactly thrilled they were here. Her gaze fell on Tory and a squeak of horror left her as she took an abrupt step toward her. “My dear, are you quite well?”

“Quite well,” Tory echoed and the professor pulled at her own hair, glancing at Father and quickly schooling her expression again.

“Good evening High Councillors,” Nova said brightly, ushering an entourage forward to take all of our bags from us – or our porters anyway. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome your children to Zodiac Academy.”

There were like two hundred other kids waiting behind us but whatever.

“Professor Zenith will be conducting their Awakening as usual,” Nova went on. “And we thought it might be apt for the five of them to be gifted by the stars before the rest of the students.”

“Oh, that’s really not necessary,” Antonia said cheerily and Melinda nodded.

“I think it would be appropriate,” Father said firmly, directing Nova and Zenith to start walking ahead of us, taking charge.

We followed them through campus and Tory drifted along at my side, seeming disinterested in anything but occasionally gazing wistfully at my father. I frowned at her, wishing I could do something to help her, but as she met my gaze, I could see she was hardly even there. Was Father going to allow her to come back to the academy this year?

The thought of her having been stuck alone in the manor with him all summer was awful. But it wasn’t like I’d been able to get near her, and Darius certainly hadn’t. Shit, what could anyone even do at this point?

We wound along through the beautiful campus under the light of the stars and the mutters coming from the crowd of freshman behind us said we were the talk of the night. Grayson kept throwing flirtatious looks at the group of fangirls at his and Hadley’s heels. Come to think of it, there were a bunch of girls pointing at me and whispering too. Heat blazed along my neck and I turned back to face the way we were going before I tripped over my own feet or some shit.

We reached a sweeping meadow full of tall grass and Nova directed the rest of the freshman to wait by the trees before leading me, Tory, the Councillors and their kids down to the centre of the field.

My heart lifted at the sight of the Heirs waiting for us there. Darius, Max, Seth and Caleb were dressed in smart suits, watching us closely as we approached. I could see their lips moving and Caleb’s hand curling around Darius’s arm as my brother stared at Tory. The tension in his posture made my chest ache, and he gave Caleb a firm nod even though the action seemed to cause him pain. They were clearly talking within a silencing bubble, but the second we got close enough, they disbanded it and all moved forward to greet their families.

Darius pulled me into a hug, speaking in a low voice in my ear. “This is your night, Xavier. Enjoy it.”

I smiled at him as he released me, but my smile started to die as his gaze moved to Tory again and she acted like he was invisible. It hurt me to see the two of them like this. Wasn’t being Star Crossed enough? Now my father had to do this to them too? It wasn’t right. Sometimes I didn’t have any faith in the stars. It was hard to accept they were ever on our side when all I saw from fate these days was bullshit.

“Let’s begin,” Zenith said brightly.

My heart thrashed against my ribcage as she directed the five of us to stand in a circle and our parents and Tory stood back behind us. It was easier to concentrate when my father was no longer in sight and I smiled at Hadley across from me who smirked like a cocky asshole.

Zenith stepped between us as Nova moved away to watch and Athena and Grayson grabbed my hands on either side of me.

“That’s it, hold hands all of you,” Zenith said, her eyes sweeping over us with an assessing gaze.

Ellis and Hadley clasped hands then took hold of the twins’ hands too so we were all linked in a circle.

“It is my greatest pleasure to Awaken your Elements tonight,” Zenith announced. “Now please tilt your heads towards the sky as it is time for the stars to bring forth your inner power.”

I dropped my head back, a shit eating grin pulling at my mouth because holy fuck, I was about to get my magic at long last. I wouldn’t be totally indefensible anymore. I’d be able to learn and get strong and maybe help my brother and his friends against the asshole of a Dragon who called himself my father.

The stars above were endlessly bright and glittered like a million eyes watching the world unfold below them. I could feel their power thrumming in the air, injecting my veins with a rush of exhilaration. They might have been dicks, but they were going to do at least one good thing for me tonight.

“Virtus aquae invocabo!” Zenith cried up to them.

The air fell still and I stopped breathing as I waited, tension gripping the atmosphere as silence fell around me. Then water droplets dotted my cheeks and I laughed as the swell of my water Element crashed into my limbs, running through my body like an overflowing lake.

Ellis laughed and a sound of excited clapping came from behind me.

“That’s my girl!” Ellis’s mom cried and Tiberius cheered.

“Wonderful, you two have the Element of water,” Zenith announced.

“Guess you won’t be drowning me then, Athena,” Hadley taunted her and she pouted.

I drew in a breath as the magic in me swirled like a whirlpool. I was a double Elemental. No doubt about it. My star sign was linked to fire so I would have the same Elements as my brother after all. I couldn’t wait.

“Everyone focus on the sky. Rogo vim aeris!” Zenith called to the heavens.

Grayson and Athena’s hair gusted in a wind I couldn’t feel and they whooped excitedly.

“Wonderful, your air Element has Awakened in you both,” Zenith told the twins and I grinned as they both squeezed my hands. “Invoco virtutem ignis!”

Heat flared at my feet and I grinned as I looked down at the fire tearing around me in a circle.

“Fuck yes!” Hadley whooped as fire blazed around him too. I grinned as I spotted the fangs in his mouth and the look of bloodlust peering from his eyes as his Order Emerged.

The Heirs all started cheering behind me and a grin stretched across my face that felt permanent. I was free, I’d soon be learning how to wield my power at the academy I’d dreamed of attending my entire life. This day was starting to rival my first flight as a Pegasus.

“Wonderful, Xavier,” Mom’s voice reached me.

My chest swelled as the Elemental heat spread through my body, warming every inch of me and a sense of real power thrummed in my chest.

“Oh shit.” Hadley’s eyes turned dark and he gasped, lunging at Zenith who promptly offered her arm to him like she’d seen this happen a thousand times. His fangs sank into her flesh and he drank deeply from her to sate his bloodlust. He finally tugged his fangs free, grinning satisfactorily as he stepped back to re-join the circle.

“You have the gift of fire, Xavier Acrux and Hadley Altair,” Zenith announced and I felt everyone else’s eyes on me as no one else had yet received a second Element. But earth was last so Hadley would definitely have it as he was a Virgo and the others would surely have it too. I looked back at the sky once more as Zenith cried out her final command to the stars. “Rogo vim terrae!”

I looked down, watching as grass grew up around Hadley’s legs, curling hungrily along his body. The same was happening to the twins and they laughed excitedly as they whooped. I glanced at Ellis, seeking the same, but there was nothing there and it took me a second to realise she was staring back at me with utter horror in her eyes. Something tickled my hand and I dropped my gaze to it, my heart lurching in complete disbelief as I found the grass coiling up around my body too.

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

“He has three Elements!” Mom gasped and I turned my head to look at my family. Father’s eyes were wide, a look of pride filling them that I’d never seen aimed at me in my damn life.

“My son has three Elements!” he laughed, clapping his hands twice in quick succession and heat crawled into my cheeks. I still hated the asshole, but maybe I was a sucker because now he was looking at me the way I’d always wanted him too and it felt really fucking good.

Darius was smiling his head off and the other Heirs looked awestruck. It felt so strange being the centre of attention after so long being locked up, hidden away and ignored. But I quite liked it too.

Tiberius started consoling his wife who’d broken down in tears and my heart hurt for Ellis as a noise of fury left her. She only had one Element, and it had to suck seeing us all gain more power than her. Max snorted, barely concealing a laugh and the other Heirs dove on him, the four of them suddenly tussling and cheering. But it was hard to focus on anything except the look in my father’s eyes. The way he saw me as someone of value for the first time in my life. My gut suddenly lurched and my happiness over that fact ebbed away as I realised what it meant.

I cursed the stars for this and their continued fuckery, because as much as I’d wanted my power, all I’d really wanted was a life without my father paying me any attention. But now he would watch me closer than ever, keep me under his heel, ensure this was splashed through every newspaper in Solaria. And I realised with a horrible, confining certainty, that I was never truly going to be free.