Zodiac Academy 6: Fated Throne

My mind was ablaze with visions of all the people I loved in this world falling prey to horrible twists of fate and my heartbeat thundered in my ears as the deep magic of this place seemed to drive its way right into my soul.

‘Tell me,’ I growled. ‘What will it take to save them?’

‘Sacrifice,’ the voice breathed, making the air around me tremble as countless runes illuminated on the walls surrounding me. 

The hole in the rock suddenly released its grip on my arm and I stumbled back a few steps as I withdrew my bleeding hand. My magic returned to me as I stood panting before the huge stone and I felt like I’d run a marathon from whatever it had just done to me.

‘Will you save them?’ I demanded and a rustle moved through the room which almost sounded like distant laughter. My skin prickled as if a hundred eyes were on me but I couldn’t tear my gaze from the glowing stone before me.

‘The life of a Fae means little to the stars. Fate changes, destiny isn’t always set in stone. The gift on offer isn’t life. It’s freedom. A chance. A possibility to change the stars again.’

I opened my mouth to ask what that meant as another vision filled my mind.

Roxy was fighting for my father, compelled to give everything she had in his defence by the bond he’d forced on her. But as I watched, she fell still, the Aries brand on her arm fading to nothing and her mind clearing of the bonds’ control.

Her eyes flashed with power and vengeance, but the vision fell away before I could see that path play out. I was filled with one certainty though – if that happened then he wouldn’t be able to stab her in the back, that possibility would be gone and her life would be saved. She would survive this day at least and right now I wasn’t sure how much more I could even hope for.

‘One year,’ the voice breathed. ‘To love her like you ache to. To be the best of yourself. One year and no more.’

‘You want me to buy her life with my death?’ I asked, my voice rough as I realised that was the price. That was what it would take to re-write the stars, save her life and release her from my Father’s hold.

My heart pounded desperately within my chest as if I was standing looking my death in the eyes right now and a shiver of fear ran through me at the thought. I didn’t want to die. I wanted to live. With her.

But if her fate was already decided and this was the only chance she had, then what other choice was there for me to make? If she died now, I may as well die anyway because I knew there was no joy in the world for me if she didn’t exist anymore. 

Solaria needed strong rulers, but Xavier could take my place on the Council. And she would have her sister after I was gone. 

‘All bonds?” I clarified as the visions of her dying pressed in on me again, warning me that time was running out for her, that I had to make this choice fast.

‘A fresh start,’ the voice confirmed. ‘Every bond placed upon the two of you by the stars wiped away.’

‘But all I get is a year?’ My heart was thrashing desperately now, adrenaline begging me to do something to save myself, but this wasn’t an enemy I could fight. It was destiny in the making.

‘A year to live the life you yearn for. A year to find out if you really are the man you wish to be.’

My lips parted on an answer but the air before me shimmered and I saw myself in a vision of the future. I was standing with Roxy beneath a huge Christmas tree, my lips pressing to hers in one final, desperate kiss before my time ran out one year from now.

Her arms curled around my neck, drawing me closer as I held her so tightly that I was certain not even the stars could tear us apart.

But as the clock struck midday, my muscles locked, the magic within me stilling. And even as I fought with all I had to stay there with her, my fate was already sealed and it tore me away all the same.

Roxy screamed as I fell to my knees before her, the power of the stars coming to collect the price I’d promised to pay. The sound of her grief cut into me and the idea of causing her so much pain made me ache with a desperate desire to shield her from it. But there was no alternative. She could have a life without me or no life at all. And I couldn’t bear the idea of her being taken from this world before her time no matter what price I had to pay.

I fell back to the floor in the vision and Roxy refused to release me, falling on top of me as she pressed another kiss to my mouth and begged the stars to change their minds.

Her tears washed over my cheeks as my final breath slid past my lips and I was forced to leave her behind. I fought to hold on to her as I was ripped away and my heart tore apart at the thought of leaving her all alone. If I got my way I knew I’d never leave her again.

But as I fell into the dark embrace of death, my heart was light with the love I’d felt in that year. Of having that time with her as my own like I’d yearned for for so long. 

It wasn’t enough time. But no amount of days, months or years with her would ever be enough. And I knew that all the time in the world would be empty to me without her in it if she died now.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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