Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne

by Caroline Peckham

  I adjusted my grip on Darcy, pushing a hand into my pocket and pulling out a pouch. “Ready Darius?” I yelled to him and he nodded his large head.

  I threw it ahead of us and Darius flew us straight into it. We were wrenched away into the ether, travelling a hundred miles across Solaria where we were spat out beyond the fence of the academy.

  Darius shifted back before we landed and we all fell in a heap on the grass. I extracted myself from the pile up, tugging Darcy up by the hand and hooking her sister out of the mess too.

  “Did you find it?” Tory asked anxiously and Darcy reached into her pocket, taking out the Imperial Star to show her with a triumphant smile. Everyone crowded closer to see and pride swelled in my chest. We’d fucking done it.

  “Have mercy!” Geraldine wailed, honest to shit tears rolling down her cheeks as she gazed at it. “It’s more beautiful than the sunset diamond of Tullissia.”

  “Make it do something,” Seth urged, bouncing up and down excitedly.

  I made a mild attempt not to despise him, but failed. If Darcy had been telling the truth about them then he had a fuck ton of explaining to do. And I was not a forgiving kind of guy.

  “Let’s not,” Darcy shot back, pocketing the star. “We don’t know how it works and fucking with stars has caused us far too much trouble before now.”

  “Seconded. Let’s just get to King’s Hollow. I’d rather not piss off any more celestial beings in my lifetime,” Tory said, shooting a look at Darius as he finished pulling his clothes back on.

  “It’s a shame we can’t use it to make my father’s head blow up though,” Darius said with a frown.

  “That’s too quick of a death for him,” Max reasoned. “He should be cursed to eat a field of thorn bushes then be smothered inside a Griffin’s asshole.”

  “Oh what fun,” Geraldine guffawed, slapping her thigh. “I’d like to make that odious beast stand in a pool of ravenous fishes who feast on his scrotum and tallywacker until there is nothing left of him downstairs but his questionable morals.”

  I barked a laugh and she grinned at me. “What would you have him do, Professor?”

  “Lance,” I corrected firmly. “And I’d be happy if I could just beat him to death with a Pegasus horn.”

  “So come on, tell us what happened in the tomb while we were all fighting the undead?” Caleb asked me and Darcy.

  We shared a look before explaining the crazy shit that had gone down in there – barring my really poorly timed kiss and the headfuck I was left with since. I mean, really? That was what I’d decided to do? What the fuck was I thinking? That I could just kiss away all our problems? Darcy deserved better. Hell, she deserved everything. And I was the exact opposite of everything.

  I had to cut myself to show them the Zodiac Guild mark on my arm just like Jasper had shown me, and Geraldine all but fainted when I did. Not because she was squeamish, but because the Zodiac Guild was apparently ‘the most sensational society of all the societies in the land and she’d give up three limbs to be a part of it.’

  “I have to go back to the palace,” I said miserably, looking to the paling sky.

  A guard would come and check on me just after dawn and remove the wards meant to keep me in the summerhouse overnight. The thought of leaving made my heart sink, but we had the Imperial Star now. And Lionel wasn’t going to get anywhere near it. That was something to be happy about.

  Darius drew me in for a hug and murmured in my ear, “Not much longer, brother. We’ll beat him now. Fate is swinging in our favour.”

  He let me go, stepping back and Tory hugged me next, taking me by surprise. “We’re gonna hit him right where it hurts.”

  “I’m not sure one of your kicks to the balls will help, but maybe if you attach the Imperial Star to your shoe while you do it, you’ll break them right off,” I said dryly and she laughed, releasing me.

  Geraldine threw herself at me next, taking me even more by surprise. “Oh, you loyal Master of the Guild, you’re a true royalist, you have always done what is right for my queens. I see that now,” she sobbed, earning me harsh glares from the Heirs. Ah shit.

  I patted her shoulder awkwardly, but she clung on tight as I tried to press her back, releasing a mournful sob.

  “Can’t you fix things with my lady Darcy?” she whisper-shouted completely unsubtly. By the fucking stars.

  I met Blue’s gaze over her head and my throat tightened. I had so many damn things I needed to say to her, but I didn’t know when I’d get that chance or if she’d even want to hear them. I’d kissed her like a fucking idiot – twice. At least she’d kissed me back the first time. But not for long. And I doubted she ever would again.

  I stepped away from Geraldine, giving her a taut smile, knowing this was the last thing I needed to be focusing on right now.

  “I’ll come home tomorrow,” Darius said as he stepped through the fence and Max tossed me a salute while Caleb just turned away. Our Order meant we were never going to be anything but rivals, but I wasn’t going to cry myself a river over lost friends. It was a miracle I could count myself more than three anyway.

  “Stay safe,” Darcy said with a tight smile and I caught her hand before she could escape.

  She turned back to face me, looking up at me with a question in her beautiful eyes. I took the rings from my pocket, placing them in her palm, wishing I didn’t have to let her go. But I did. I always fucking did from now on. My heart hurt though because I knew the second I released her, I wouldn’t know when I’d see her again.

  I let go, having no choice and she turned away with a word of thanks, heading through the fence without looking back.

  Seth went to follow last, but I caught him by the collar, wheeling him around to face me with a snarl.

  “You and me need to talk,” I growled as he yanked himself free of my grip and folded his arms.

  “What about? Me following Darcy back to Aer Tower and fucking her blind?” he asked casually and my fist snapped out, clocking him in the jaw and making him stumble backwards with a doggish yelp. I relished the bite of pain against my knuckles. Fighting Fae in Darkmore had taught me to enjoy a physical brawl more than I’d imagined. And if I was going to inflict pain on this fucker, I wanted to inflict it first hand.

  He swore then came at me like an animal, grabbing my shirt in his fist and yanking me forward so I was nose to nose with him. I bared my fangs, unphased. I’d relish a fight. I’d take pleasure in feeling his bones break under my fists.

  “Jealous, asshole?” he taunted and I shoved him back a step with the force of my Order, making him nearly fall over before he caught himself at the last second with a gust of air.

  He laughed viciously, tipping his head forward as he growled.

  “You’re not with her, she told me herself,” I said and he laughed again.

  “Well she would say that, wouldn’t she?” he taunted. “I know I have a lot of making up to do before I earn her trust, but I will do it Professor.”

  “I’m not your professor, Seth, so I have no problem murdering your hateful ass and burying your body. It would make my fucking day. And what’s a few more years on my sentence now anyway, huh?”

  His face split into a grin and he jumped at me with a joyful bark. I threw a solid punch into his gut as he wrapped his arms around me and licked the side of my face as he wheezed out a breath.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” I snapped, shoving him off, but he just kept coming, trying to lick and nuzzle me until I punched him in the face again and shot away several paces with my Vampire speed.

  His man bun had come loose and he casually retied it as he smirked at me, healing his bruises. “Right, I’m off to fuck your girl. Oh sorry, I meant my girl.”

  I lunged at him again, but hit an air shield this time. “She’s not fucking you. She has more class than that.”

  “Thing is, Lancey, as much as you wanna believe that, a tiny part of you is doubting her, isn’t it? After all, she hid her relationship
with you for long enough. And obviously we’re keeping it low key considering the current laws. She couldn’t risk Lionel finding out the truth from you if he ever decided to have a rummage in your head with one of his Cyclops pals. In fact, do you think she’d ever trust you with a secret again?”

  I didn’t want his words to get under my skin, but they did. They worked their way into me like rats burrowing into my heart. But who was I going to believe? Darcy Vega or this piece of shit?

  But dammit the piece of shit has a point.

  He smiled widely. “Right, well enjoy stressing about me screwing her. I think tonight’s the night I’ll fuck you out of her for good actually.” He headed away through the fence and I threw a blast of ice at him that made his air shield tremble, but it didn’t break.

  I took two heavy breaths, my chest heaving as I considered going after him. But it was almost dawn and what the fuck was I going to do? Killing him would solve my issue…

  I pictured making him scream for a long moment before snatching the stardust from my pocket. Probably not worth making Darcy and Darius hate me. Besides, fuck if they’d just give me more time in Darkmore for that. They’d execute me on the spot.

  The stars carried me back to the woodland near to the palace and I ran to the huge tree, pressing my hand to the Hydra mark there and slipping down the stairway into the underground passage. I shot back to the summerhouse at high speed and opened the hatch, pushing it open and slipping into the kitchenette. All was quiet and I took a steadying breath just before the sliding door sounded. My heart lurched and I shot into the bathroom faster than I’d ever moved in my life, tearing my clothes off and diving into the shower. I set it running, washing away any trace of the night.

  “Lance!” Lionel’s voice boomed.

  Holy fuck. What if he knows?

  Fear rocked through me as I pushed out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist and fixing a flat expression onto my face. I had to act for my life, because there was no way I was going to let him find out we had the Imperial Star.

  Lionel was wearing an emerald green coat and looked like he was heading off to the city.

  He gave me a dark look, walking toward me with his shoulders pressed back and rage in his posture.

  “I am growing impatient,” he hissed. “Vard has told me to give you time, but you have had plenty. Where is the Imperial Star? You must have something tangible by now.”

  Relief rushed through me that he didn’t know I’d left the property. It felt fucking amazing to get one up on him. And I had the best poker face of anyone I knew. Except maybe Tory - that girl was a pro at bullshitting people.

  “I found something today,” I lied, shooting over to a drawer in the kitchenette and taking out the replica of my father’s diary I’d made.

  It was filled with nonsense symbols and diagrams which looked totally fucking convincing and meant absolutely nothing. I pointed out one of the maps I’d hand drawn. I’d copied it from an old kid’s book I found in the library, changing a few of the details so it wasn’t completely recognisable. Not that I expected Lionel to pick up a copy of The Fae Who Flew to Flamoo any time soon. But you never knew what psychos lulled themselves to sleep with at night.

  “I think the Imperial Star may be hidden in this mountain, but it’s not clear where it is.” I pointed to the nonsense symbols above it which were all smudged - thanks to me. “The name isn’t readable, but I’ve been working through ancient maps of Solaria to try and match it.”

  Lionel took the diary from me, frowning at the picture as he tried to place it. “It does look familiar…perhaps Vard can see more.”

  Oh fuck, he might see Flamoo.

  “I doubt it. It says it’s a long forgotten place protected by dark spells to conceal its location,” I sighed and Lionel narrowed his eyes at me. I kept my features taut, frowning like I was trying to figure it out. But the only thing I was really figuring out was how best I’d like to see him fall from grace. Burned to a crisp in Phoenix fire, or torn to pieces in the jaws of his son? Thrown into a vat of hot tar, or churned up in a blender? “I found this too.” I turned the page and showed him an image of a sceptre which I’d traced from a book on ancient artefacts – plus added a few embellishments including a stone set into the top of it. I’d based it on one of the many ancient stories about where the Imperial Star had been kept in the past, so it was pretty convincing. “I think the star could be hidden in this sceptre.”

  He eyed it, a hungry glint entering his gaze like he was picturing wielding the sceptre and destroying people with it. I wonder what age Lionel turned into a fully fledged psychopath, or if he was born deranged. “A sceptre…yes it makes sense for it to be set in something like that. Keep searching. I want it in my possession soon,” he growled, a warning in his tone.

  He turned like he was going to leave, but I caught his arm, an idea coming to me.

  Lionel looked back at me with a snarl, eyeing my hand on his arm and I withdrew it quickly, figuring I didn’t want to lose a limb tonight.

  “Uncle Lionel…” I laid it on thick. “I know we don’t see eye to eye sometimes, but you’ve always watched out for my family.” I dropped his gaze and felt him scrutinising me closely. I was going to get a Golden Leo award for this if I pulled it off. “It kills me not being around my sister. Can she come and visit sometimes?”

  If I could spend more time with her, maybe I could find a way to bring her back, make her remember herself.

  Lionel sneered, stepping away from me. “No.”

  “Why not?” I demanded as my blood heated. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked me to, let me have this one thing. Let her have some damn happiness.”

  “Happiness?” he laughed. “The girl is more content with me than she is with any other Fae in Solaria. She couldn’t care to spend time with you, Lance. Even if I cared to allow it. Which I do not.”

  A growl built in my throat as an acidic rage burned through me. I knew it was a bad idea to poke the Dragon, but I was also valuable to him, so what could he even do to me? Imprison me? Yeah, been there done that, got the ‘I survived Darkmore’ cap.

  “She isn’t herself,” I snapped. “How can you lay your hands on her? It’s the shadows that want you, not her. She would never touch you.”

  I expected him to strike me, but he didn’t. He just laughed, a cold, empty laugh. “Your sister was sucking my cock long before she ever went into the shadows, boy. Even before I Guardian bonded her to me.”

  “Liar!” I snapped, lunging at him with nothing but hate driving my actions as I cast a blade of ice in my palm. It shattered against his air shield before I even got close, and his eyes darkened to deadliest nightshade.

  He whipped out a hand, a blast of air throwing me across the room so I hit the wall hard and pain exploded through my head. He wrapped a tendril of shadows around my throat and held me pinned there, slowly walking toward me like a murderous beast and carefully pushing his blonde hair back into place.

  “She is attracted to power and I let her have a taste of it because she was useful to me. Don’t go trying to convince yourself that I forced her or abused her. You want to know how it first started? I found her waiting naked in my bed one night when Catalina and your mother were staying in the city for some charitable function. I will admit that I was surprised, but she is a beautiful girl and I wasn’t going to embarrass her by turning her away. And it wasn’t long after that that I realised how useful she could be to me. Now she is useful once more, so I will fuck her and use her and devour her if the notion takes me, boy, because she is mine – quite willingly so. She no longer cares about her waste of perfectly good oxygen brother who has done nothing but brought shame on her family. You are an embarrassment to your parents,” he hissed.

  “Only to one of them,” I managed to croak out and his eyes narrowed.

  “Your father was a loyal servant of mine, despite how his wife pined for me,” he laughed again, taking joy in my pain, but he didn’t know anything.r />
  My father had deceived him. Let him think he was his ally, when he’d actually been the ally of the royals. His loyalty had lain with them, and no one else. And when it came to it, he’d sacrificed himself to ensure this asshole of a Dragon had a weakness. The Imperial Star, the twins, me. Maybe they’d even known about Darius too.

  “You should really show more respect for the man who arranged the marriage of your mother and father,” he snarled, releasing me from the shadows so I hit the floor. “You wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for my interference.”

  “Lucky me,” I ground out, pushing to my feet and he raised his chin.

  “It’s time you learned your place, Lance Orion. You’re nothing anymore. You gave up your Faehood when you fucked a Vega and landed yourself in prison. Pathetic really. When you’ve found the star, I will be more than happy to put you out of your misery if you want. I’m sure you’ll be begging for death soon enough.”

  “Fuck you,” I snapped and he turned his back on me, heading to the exit.

  He said nothing more as he stepped out of the door and it whipped shut behind him with a swipe of his hands, locking tight.

  My heart bunched up in my chest and I roared my anger at the world over Clara. But I had to hold on to the fact we had the Imperial Star now. And somehow, some day soon, Lionel was going to meet his end and I would make damn sure I was there to watch.

  W ith all of us in King's Hollow, we were seriously lacking in space with the two armchairs and a three seater sofa between the seven of us so I escaped to the kitchenette. My plan was to make coffee for everyone while Darcy and Seth started bickering about who had claimed the armchair first, but I stalled as I realised I wasn’t actually sure how to do that.

  Although I'd been staying here pretty often since I'd been drawn back from the shadows, I’d been treated like an honest to shit princess by the others because they were all keen to look after me after my time spent trapped in Lionel’s fun company. And I kinda didn’t hate that because drinks had been fetched on my behalf a whole hell of a lot as well as tasty food and snuggly blankets.