A Nymph fell beneath the might of my sword and I twisted around, seeking out Darcy to check she was alright, but my gaze caught on Clara racing toward us. Shadows burst out from my sister, swallowing me and Blue and my pulse hammered in my ears. I couldn’t see. I’d lost sight of the battle, my girl, everything. Whispers filled my head and all sound was lost to the dark magic consuming the world around me, the only light the glittering fire burning on the edges of my sword. “Clara!” I called into the dark. “Show yourself.” The darkness swept out around me so I found myself standing in a dome of shadow arching over me. Clara was kneeling at the centre of it, clutching her chest and sobbing. “Clara?” I breathed hopefully, stepping closer to her cautiously. “Oh Lance,” she said, her voice cracking. “Please help me.” I reached for her shoulder and her head whipped around, her eyes as dark as pitch as she lunged at me with her fangs bared. My heart lurched and I
threw her away from me with the strength of my Order, but a tendril of shadow caught my legs and flipped me onto the ground on my back. She jumped on my chest and I snarled, throwing her away from me again so she went tumbling over the sand. I leapt up to fight, raising my weapon in defence, but how could I strike her when I knew my sister was in there? “Lance!” Darcy’s voice reached me from somewhere out in the shadows and my chest tightened. “Blue. Stay away!” I roared, but she called my name again like she couldn’t hear me. “I could crush her, little brother,” Clara said lightly as she rose up on a tower of shadow ten feet above me, glaring down with venom in her eyes. “I could squeeze her in the shadows until her head went bang.” I clenched my jaw, running forward and slicing the sword through the shadows beneath her. She shrieked, falling down and hitting the ground. I lunged for her, trying to grab her hair but my hand passed through nothing but darkness. “You can’t hurt her, she’s stronger than you,” I snapped and she waved a hand. Darcy’s screams rang in my head and fear sped through my body. I ran towards Clara, but she shot away into the shadows and I took chase, running as fast as I possibly could to catch her. “Blue!” I bellowed, but no reply came. I was lost in the dark again, running through an endless sea of it, unable to find my queen or my sister. “Blue!” a mimicry of my voice sounded off in the mist and my heart lurched in panic. “I’m coming!” Darcy’s reply came. “No! that’s not me!” I shouted, but the sound came thundering back into my own ears, not seeming to go anywhere at all.
Clara’s high pitched laugh filled my head and I ran faster through the shadows as I searched for Darcy. “You’ve been very mean to me, little brother,” Clara’s voice followed me everywhere as I sprinted, my arms wheeling back and forth beside me as I ran harder and faster. “And now you’ve chosen this dirty little Vega over me and my shadows. They were a gift, how dare you let her get rid of them?” “Shut up!” I bellowed. “You’re not my sister. You’re Lavinia. A Nymph princess.” “Ohhh!” she cried in glee. “Lavinia, yes, yes, yes. I’d forgotten my name. How pretty it is. La-vin-ia. I love it, I love it. Thank you, little brother.” “I’m not your brother,” I snarled viciously. “Yes, you’re right I suppose. But Daddy isn’t my daddy and I rather like calling him that. I think your sister liked it too once,” she chuckled cruelly. “Clara is here. Do you want to say hello?” My breathing stuttered and I slowed my pace. “Yes, let her out. Let her be free, Lavinia. Please. She has nothing to do with this.” “Lance,” Clara sobbed. “Please end it. Save me.” I growled angrily, turning as my sister’s voice sounded right behind me. Two familiar eyes met mine between the shadows and I lunged for my true sister, reaching for her hand, but she immediately dissolved into the mist. Lavinia’s dark laughter sounded once more, rattling through my skull. Darcy screamed somewhere off in the fog and panic tore at me. What do I do? How do I find her? “Daddy wants you alive,” Lavinia cooed at me. “But you can’t be alive and not be punished. So I’m going to make your life hurt, little brother. You’ll suffer and suffer and suffer until you beg me to take away the pain.
You’ll want to return to the shadows and be by my side forever. You and me. Family. Doesn’t that sound nice?” “Fine,” I snarled. “Hurt me, punish me, do whatever you like, just let Darcy go.” “And why would I do that?” she chuckled. “Pain makes you suffer in the now, but I want you to suffer in the always.” “Blue!” I called again in desperation and my voice echoed everywhere. No reply came and fate seemed to close in, narrowing down until there was only one path to follow. And it wasn’t going to end in my favour. “Let her go,” I demanded. “Alright,” Lavinia chuckled. “Which will it be then, your sister or the Vega princess?” “Both,” I hissed, my heart beating fiercely. “Ah you little witch!” Lavinia screamed suddenly and the shadows tightened, suffocatingly thick. I was being dragged forward, guided toward something as tendrils of shadow bound me and I slashed at them over and over with my sword to try and free myself. “Fuck you,” Darcy snarled and Clara shrieked again. “Ow ow ow! You’re hurting. All that fire is ouchy,” Lavinia begged then started laughing and laughing. “Stay in there in the dark, I’m talking to your lover boy.” “Lance!” Darcy cried but the sound was muffled and as she started shouting again, her voice faded away. I battled the shadows holding me, more and more of them wrapping around my flesh and several locking around my arm as they tried to prise the sword from my grasp. But I wouldn’t let go. Lavinia appeared before me, peering at me from behind my sister’s eyes, her head cocking to one side as she regarded me and I tried to lunge at her,
finding myself unable to move. “I need a little something,” she said with a smirk, drifting toward me and gripping my chin. “You’re a clever thing, do you know much about shadow curses?” “No,” I said, my voice thick as the word curse sent fear dripping down my spine. She reached out, grasping my throat and I fought harder against the shadows, trying to tear myself free of them. Her touch was ice cold as her hand slid down my skin then her fingernails drove into my flesh. “It requires some blood. And I’m fresh out.” An icy blade slashed across my arm and I snarled in pain, shoving her away, but not before she coated her hand in the blood from my wound. “Clara,” I breathed, trying to get my sister’s attention, seeking her out in this monster’s eyes. “I’ll save you. I’ll find a way.” She sneered, but then her expression shifted and I was sure I was looking at my true sister. Her ebony eyes were filled with endless pain and it broke my heart to see her suffering. “I’m here, look at me. You can fight her off, I’ll help you. Darcy will help you,” I promised and she released a sob that hurt me. “I can’t come back,” she choked. “Please free me.” Then she disappeared into the dark once more.
Ishot around the balcony for what felt like the hundredth time, my magic beginning to wane as I threw it at Lionel time and again. But Tory got between us more often than not and even when she didn't, his shield deflected my blows as he focused on maintaining it. Every time Tory was exposed to fire, her magic swelled, but Lionel's had an expiry on his just like mine did. And though the golden crown on his head would have been offering him some power, I knew that Dragons couldn't gain a lot fast from a single piece of jewellery like that. I just needed to wear him down and outlast him. Then I’d prove to him that the Acruxes weren’t any more powerful than the Altairs. Tory's eyes were full of pain as she was forced to fight me over and over again and I silently apologised to her as I just kept coming. This was where I needed to be in this fight and even if I’d wanted to spare her from having to go up against me, I couldn’t turn back now I was here. Lionel roared as he threw a fireball at me with so much force that I chose shooting away over trying to deflect it, only realising it was heading straight for Xavier's unconscious form at the last second.
I shot in front of him, throwing a wall of dirt up to surround the two of us and heaving him over my shoulder as the flames crashed overhead. The moment they died down, I ran away, leaping from the balcony and casting a few wooden spears over my shoulder to keep Lionel back while I ran. I shot up the stairs of the amphitheatre and cast a concealment spell to hide us from the Dragons and Nymphs fighting on Lionel’s side of this battle. I laid Xavier down on one of the stone benches and pressed my fingers to his head to heal the bleeding wound there, my power waning as I drew close to the end of it. I needed blood, like right now. An explosion of fire and lightning clashed overhead as one of Lionel's purple Dragons went up against the Storm Dragon and I couldn't help but tip my head back to the sky as they clashed in a furious tangle of claws and teeth. Dante roared ferociously, sinking his teeth into the other Dragon's neck just as he released a blast of lightning from his jaws which drove into his opponent, barbecuing him from the inside out. Xavier yelled in alarm as he came to and spotted the purple Dragon tumbling from the sky right towards us and I snatched him from the ground again before shooting out of the way of the crash zone. The dead Dragon slammed into the stands with enough force to make the whole structure rattle and I paused as I turned to look around at the body as it shifted back into Fae form in death and a naked man was left in its place. There were rebels everywhere now and my cousin shot past me, running in the opposite direction with a whoop of triumph for the Storm Dragon as he roared his victory to the sky. Dante dove low as he heard her calling out to him and she used a shot of air magic to propel herself up into the sky so
that she could land on his back, the two of them racing away into the fight again. I ran on, still holding Xavier then skidded to a halt at the edge of the pit, glancing down into the raging fight below for a moment before giving my full attention to him. "I need to get back to Tory," I told him. "Come on then, let's-" "No. You should get down there and show these motherfuckers why they shouldn't underestimate a Pegasus. But first - I'm gonna need a drink." I lunged at him and he swore as my fangs sank into his neck, the rich combination of the power in his blood sliding over my tongue as I swallowed greedily. "Asshole," he muttered as he gave in. "I heard you were horny for the horn, but I never knew it was true until now." I almost yanked my teeth from his neck as I snorted a laugh at that before growling to cover it. I hated that fucking rumour - but in this one instance it might have been funny. Xavier Acrux tasted damn good. But he was no Alpha Wolf and I drew back as quickly as I could, needing to get back to the fight with Lionel. "Come on then, shift," I commanded and Xavier nodded firmly. "Good luck, Caleb," he said seriously, tugging his shirt over his head as his skin began to glimmer with lilac glitter. "I don't need luck," I teased. "I'm invincible." Xavier's brow pinched like he was going to tell me off for tempting fate like that, but I just laughed and shot away to take on his father. He was just an evil Dragon overlord with control over dark shadow magic and two powerful Guardians working alongside him after all. I could totally kick his ass.
Maybe.
“Lance!” I cried for the hundredth time, using my fire to burn away the shadows as I sought him out in the endless ring of darkness I was lost in. “Lance, Lance, Lance!” Clara’s voice mocked me and I growled, raising my palms and burning back more of her power. I couldn’t risk tearing right through the fog of shadows in case I hit Orion, but the second I saw that bitch again I was going to burn them right out of her. “You’re pretty, just like she was pretty,” Clara cooed somewhere behind me and I wheeled around to try and spot her. “But all Vegas are nasty, nasty. You’re just like she was, that foul queen who cast me into the dark.” “I saw what you were,” I called. “I know what she did to you.” “Oh you know, do you? So you know the Nymphs were persecuted by that evil fire queen?” “She was just trying to end the war,” I growled. Clara snarled furiously. “She ruined my kind, made us into monsters and turned the entire world against us.” “What do you mean?” I demanded, keeping a ring of fire tight around me to hold back the shadows closing in.
“We’re sisters, see?” she said forlornly. “Sisters are so very precious. But the queen betrayed all of her sisters.” “I don’t understand. You were related to her?” “Not in that way, oh don’t you see, little Vega princess? How very naive you are, and how arrogant too.” “Lance!” I called again and she laughed shrilly. “Lovers in my spider’s web,” she sang. “Well I’d best get on with it before this blood dries upon my palm. It’ll hurt a little now, then later it will hurt a lot.” “What are you talking about?” I snarled, pushing my fire further away from me as I tried to carve out a space to see ahead of me. Time was dissolving in here and I feared what lay beyond this, my sister, my friends, what was happening out in the battle? “I’m going to do to you what I wanted to do to her,” she cackled. “I spent so long learning this spell, but I never got a chance to curse her like I wanted. It’s rather exciting actually. How many, many, many years I’ve waited for revenge and I’m going to draw it out slow and long and oh so sweetly.” I pushed my fire deeper into the shadows, my pulse accelerating at her words. “Come out here and face me,” I demanded, readying to fight for my life. “I’m going to put a little fun twist on it too,” she went on like I’d said nothing. “Oh, it’s going to be so much fun to watch you both break when you find out what it is. I’m going to make sure you live long enough to see me rise. Daddy will be mad, but I am to be his queen, and maybe it’s time I started making my own rules.” “Fight me!” I roared, letting fire billow upwards to carve a hole in the shadows above. I cast air beneath my feet, racing toward the sliver of sky
that opened up, but it closed away again as the darkness pressed down on me, forcing me back. I hit the ground and snarled as I started running, sending flash fires out ahead of me as I carved a path. “Lance, where are you?!” “Darcy!” he cried somewhere close by and far away. I ran harder with frantic, desperate breaths, needing to get to him. As soon as I was near, I could blast away this net of shadows and free us. A heavy magic licked my skin and Clara started chanting words that made the hairs on my body stand on end. I couldn’t understand the dark language she was speaking, but I’d heard it spoken in the shadows before and it sent chills right down to my core. “Ambres tenus avilias mortalium avar,” she hissed. “Irexus tu neverendum.” I burned through the shadows that tried to cling to me, running faster and faster as the curse pressed down on me, enveloping my body then pushing deeper and deeper as it tried to take root in me. I urged my Phoenix fire through my veins, trying to burn it away, but the dark magic slipped past it and I couldn’t stop it as it buried itself deep inside me. This was something I couldn’t fight and the thought of that terrified me. “Novus estris envum magicae,” she breathed. “Avilias avar!” An ice cold hand pressed to my arm and I wheeled around, blasting fire toward Clara before she disappeared into the dark once more with a shrieking cackle. I looked down at my arm in fear, finding a bloody handprint wrapping around my bicep. The mark turned black and my head spun as the power from it rushed into me like a tsunami.
I stumbled, my vision darkening as the power gripped me and I found myself unable to fight off whatever was happening. I forced my Phoenix fire against it with everything I had, but it did nothing to stop it. And in the deepest regions of my heart, I knew nothing could as I fell to my knees and an ocean of darkness stole me away.
Lavinia’s laughter rang out everywhere as I pushed through the sea of shadows, feeling it drag at me like I was wading through the thickest of bogs. No magic could hold it back except the power of the sword, so I cut and fought my way forward with it to find Darcy even as my muscles burned and my strength was pushed to its limits. “Blue!” I shouted, my voice getting hoarse from calling for her. The shadows suddenly opened up, releasing me and a path ran through them all the way to where Darcy was lying on the ground, looking terrifyingly still as her dark blue hair spilled out around her in a fan. Panic split through me and I sprinted toward her with a yell of desperation, but before I made it there, the shadows closed up once more and she was lost in the dark. “Lavinia!” I bellowed. “What have you done to her?!” Laughter rang around me, mocking me and chills spread everywhere through my body. I heaved in breaths, cutting through the shadows as I forcibly tried to get to my girl. She’s not dead. She’s not fucking dead.
“Calm down, it’s just a little curse,” she said with a laugh that made my blood chill. “What kind of curse?” I roared, whipping around as I hunted for her and finding nothing but shadow yet again. What has she done to her? “My army is here,” Lavinia whispered close by and I swung toward the voice with a snarl. “Your friends are dying.” The pressing silence of the shadows lifted for a moment and screams and shouts of terror called out all around me, making my heart stammer with concern. I heard Geraldine screaming in pain and fear crashed through me before the sound was stolen once more by the darkness closing in on me. Two cruel eyes appeared in the dark and I slashed my blade toward them in a warning to keep her back. Lavinia shrieked then released a breathy sob that pulled at my heartstrings. “Lance,” she spoke and I knew it was my sister this time. “She’s getting too strong. You have to end this. Please. Kill me. I’m already dead anyway. I can’t come back, deep down you must know that.” “No,” I growled in denial, reaching for her in the dark and her cold fingers found mine, though I still couldn’t see her. I tried to pull her towards me out of the fog, but she couldn’t be moved. “I’m so sorry,” she cried. “For everything. But you have to see the truth. You know it in your heart.” “Please don’t say that,” I begged, the thought of losing her all over again too much for me to bear as panic made my heart hurt and I fought to deny her words. The shadows closed in around me and flashes of images ran through my mind until I was dragged into memories racing through my head of the night I’d lost my sister.
Clara stood in the desolate land of the Shadow Realm naked and frozen, her arm still bloody from the sacrifice Lionel had made her offer before the dark stardust had consumed her. “Hush,” Lavinia’s voice filled the air and shadows coiled around her, cloaking her body. “I am here.” They wound tighter and tighter and Clara gasped in fear as they sank beneath her flesh, taking root in her. “Go quietly, Fae girl, your body is mine.” Clara screamed and thrashed as the shadows possessed her until she was forced to her knees and blood dripped from her mouth as the shadow spirit of Lavinia ate its way into her body. Sickness ran through me and I was half aware of releasing a shout I couldn’t hear. Wounds opened up across her skin and blood poured out from her in wave after wave, washing across the ground and rushing back through a fissure which was torn into the air. A portal ripped open by Lionel Acrux as a part of the ritual he’d forced us to bear witness to all those years ago, sacrificing my sister just for this. Clara started crawling back toward it in desperation as a horrid scream left her which made my entire being seize up with grief. She fell still before she made it to the portal and the shadows settled inside her, claiming her body, her soul. Lavinia took control of Clara as the wounds across her body healed, her features twisting as they lost the gentleness of my sister and took on the ferociousness of a Nymph Princess. She scrambled to her feet and rushed toward the portal, but it closed up before she made it and Lavinia released an inhuman shriek that echoed through my skull. Then she fell to the ground, lapping at the blood that lay there like a monster until my stomach turned and my chest hollowed out.
I was released from the vision and a noise of grief left me as the weight of the truth fell over me. “I was dead the moment she found me,” Clara whispered in my ear and I felt the brush of her thumb against my hand, her fingers still clutching mine. “My soul is trapped, unable to join the stars. And if you don’t destroy her, I’ll never be free. Please, Lance. Please do this for me.” Her hand was torn from mine and Lavinia snarled, sending the shadows crashing into me and I was thrown to the floor. I cast air beneath me to right myself and hit the ground running, cutting a path deeper into the dark as my mind whirled and a terrible decision was laid at my feet. “I’ve seen what she’ll do,” Clara gasped like she was in pain. “Shut up!” Lavinia screamed. “I’ve seen her plans,” Clara called in a tight voice. “You must destroy her before she completes the curse.” “There’s still time?” I gasped in hope. “Enough!” Lavinia roared and I felt her anger sparking through the atmosphere. My foot caught on a soft body and I hit the ground, scrambling back toward her, my heart thundering as I sliced the sword through the air to clear away the dark. Darcy lay there with her eyes closed, her expression peaceful, and her skin warm. “Thank the stars,” I said heavily, hearing her heartbeat pounding solidly in my ears. I was about to pull her into my arms when the shadows drew away and I found myself looking up at Lavinia, scowling down at us with her upper lip peeled back. The fire ruby necklace that belonged to Tory shone around her neck, looking starkly red against her near translucent skin.
I pushed to my feet with fury in my heart, placing myself in front of Darcy as I held the sword higher and gritted my jaw. “Stay still,” Lavinia growled, wetting her lips. “You didn’t give me enough blood.” She rushed at me and I held the blade steady as my pulse thundered in my ears. I planted my feet, refusing to let her get close to Darcy, protectiveness driving my actions as she came for me. I was about to strike her with the blade, but then I thought of my sister, playing with me in the garden as a kid, laughing and joking. We’d loved each other with every piece of ourselves. We were inseparable. Lionel had ripped us apart, but even if just a part of her was left in this body, how could I hurt her? Lavinia collided with me, knocking me back a step and her hands clawed at me. I snarled, trying to shove her away as her fangs sliced into my arm as she bit me savagely, tearing open my flesh so hot blood ran across the skin. “Lance – now – do it now!” Clara screamed in a pained and desperate voice and my heart broke apart, cleaving down the middle. My hands trembled around the hilt of the sword and her eyes met mine as she managed to lurch away from me. I could see her fighting to hold onto herself as Lavinia battled to regain control. I had seconds to act. Seconds to strike her, seconds to free my sister, to save Blue. “I’m sorry.” I swung the blade up, making the decision with a suffocating pain in my chest as I drove it into her gut. I tore through flesh and bone and shadow as I impaled her on it and Lavinia and Clara screamed as one. The shadows wrapped around me, clutching my throat, my chest, my stomach and forcing the air out of me as they tried to kill me, crushing me
like a rat in the grip of a python. But I didn’t let go of the sword, driving it deeper with a shout of utter fury and grief. Phoenix fire suddenly flared around me, burning back the shadows as Darcy’s power aided me from behind. The shadows receded, rushing back into Clara’s body in a huge swirling cloud as the fire burned them away. A tornado of flames surrounded us, my girl’s power exploding from her in an endless wave of destruction, devouring every shadow it found. The cries of the battle fell in on me once more, daylight illuminating us and burning my retinas. I wrenched the sword free and my sister collapsed to the floor beneath me with shadows coating her flesh. I fell to my knees, tugging her against me and cupping her face as she peered at me with a blissful smile on her face. She reached up to run her fingers over my cheek, brushing my tears away as my heart broke and I faced a goodbye I’d never gotten the first time I’d lost her. A goodbye I’d never wanted to have to give. “Thank you,” she sighed, looking to the sky as if she could see the stars shining back at her. I hoped she could see our dad, that she was going to be reunited with him and the two of them would wait for me beyond the Veil until it was my time to join them. And I hoped Dad knew how sorry I was that I couldn’t save my sister. “I love you,” I rasped, holding her tighter and her lips moved, repeating the words to me, but no sound came out. Her eyes fell closed and I squeezed her in one final, heart breaking embrace before her body turned to dust, the shadows pluming out and away from it as she was parted from them at long last. Tory’s necklace lay on the ground where she’d been and I took it, pushing it into my pocket as grief made me buckle forward.
“Lance?” Darcy’s voice sounded from behind me and I twisted around to see the girl who made my existence on earth worthwhile. But my heart lurched in terror as the shadows reared up behind her, gathering together and reforming until a girl stepped from them, the darkness within her making the air crackle with power. “Quendus novlia andrenis,” she spoke in a commanding tone and Darcy groaned, unable to get up as she fell under the dark power of those words. “No!” I shot toward her to get her out the way but tendrils of shadow burst from Lavinia, forcing me to the ground and binding my limbs. Lavinia looked down at her own arms, admiring her true form as she scraped her long, black fingernails over her pale skin. Her long hair danced around her, alive with shadows and her eyes were wicked and red as her gaze snapped up to lock onto me and the girl I loved. I felt like I’d been hit by a truck as I stared at the Shadow Princess, somehow still here. Still fucking alive. And I got the horrible feeling that now that she was free of Clara’s body, she was more powerful than ever. Lavinia lurched forward with unnatural speed, grasping Darcy’s arms and smearing them with blood. My blood. “Stop!” I roared, fighting with everything I had, but the power holding me was immense. “Nevellius combra asticious levellium mortus!” Lavinia cried as I twisted the sword in my grip and slicing it through the shadows binding me. The fire flared along its length, slicing through the shadows and suddenly I was free. I shoved to my feet, running forward frantically, my breaths falling furiously from my lungs as I powered toward them, my sword poised to kill. Darcy screamed as she was held in the grip of Lavinia’s dark curse, her Phoenix fire flickering weakly against her fingertips.
“Watch me rule as Queen, little Vega princess,” Lavinia laughed as she shoved Darcy towards me. “I shall offer you death when you come begging me for it.” I launched the sword at Lavinia with a shout of effort, throwing all of my power behind it and it wheeled end over end towards the Shadow Princess. She evaporated into a cloud of shadow, tearing away from us into the battle and my sword thumped uselessly onto the sand beyond where she’d been. I dragged Darcy to her feet and she fell against me with a shuddering gasp. I held her close, pouring healing magic into her body while maintaining an air shield around us to keep us safe as the battle raged on and hope faded everywhere I looked. The Nymph army was pouring into the amphitheatre, crushing the rebels with sheer numbers. Darcy steadied herself and stepped back, strength starting to return to her eyes and that gave me something small to hold onto. My gaze fell to the black handprint on her arm and my heart turned to dust. “What has she done to you?” I dragged her closer, examining the mark, but Darcy reached for the wounds on my arms, sending healing magic out into my skin. Fear pressed in on me as I stared at her, not knowing what that vicious witch had done to her. I just had to focus on the fact that she was alive, and here. Whatever curse had been put on her, I would break it. I vowed it on every constellation, every galaxy, the entire universe. “I don’t know, but we have to get out of here.” She turned to look for her sister up in the stands, her eyes full of worry as a swarm of Nymphs raced towards us. I readied myself for one last fight, sending healing magic through my veins, keeping her close as I moved to grab my sword.
I was exhausted and aching and running on fumes. But I would not give up. Clara may have been gone, but she was with the stars now. And I would grieve her later when this was done. For now, I had to ensure no more of my loved ones were lost to our enemies.
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."
Fire blazed all around me as I stood before Lionel, gritting my teeth in desperation while I tried to stop myself from attacking Caleb. But it was no use, the bond forced me into action no matter how hard I fought it. I held an air shield tight around myself and Lionel and the thump of my pulse in my ears was enough to make my head spin. Caleb shot to my right with a determined yell and I lifted my hands to blast him with water magic, but just as the power reached my fingertips, an enormous blast of energy almost knocked me from my feet. I staggered back a step as I sucked in a sharp breath, my magic pulsing through my skin in an unfamiliar wave of motion, feeling like sunlight against my flesh in the brightest summer's day and an echo of something dark and forgotten brushing up against my soul. My left arm burned in a way that sent shivers of pleasure racing through my skin and as I looked down at it, I found the Aries mark Lionel had branded me with fading as the shackles within my mind began to fall away. I sucked in an astonished breath as my power surged within me and I swung my head around to look at the man who had stolen my crown.
The shield I was using to protect us disbanded as the compulsion to protect him left me. Lionel grabbed my wrist, shouting something I couldn't make out as I narrowed my eyes on him, finally feeling nothing at all but hatred for this monster who had imprisoned and tortured me. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a blur of motion shooting towards me, taking advantage of me dropping my shield for the first time and I gasped as a sharp prick smacked against my arm. Caleb was gone as fast as he'd appeared, but the effects of the antidote he'd just given me sped through my body like wildfire as my Phoenix woke up and fire danced within my soul. "What the hell have you done?" Lionel bellowed, his grip on me tightening as he felt the bond between us falling apart too. But he clearly hadn't figured out that that was what was happening yet, and this single moment was the only one I needed. With a roar of fury, my Phoenix form burst from my skin and I was swathed in flames which burned hotter than the surface of the sun as I shifted. Lionel screamed as his hand was engulfed in the flames where he held me and a blast of air magic slammed into my chest so hard that I was thrown clean out of the royal box and down to the pit far below us. The stench of burning flesh stayed with me as I fell, his magic driving against me so powerfully that I slammed down onto the sand within the pit before I could even try and fight it off. The sand felt as hard as rocks as I hit it and my wings were crushed beneath me as my flames flared around me, agony ricocheting through my spine. I gasped against the pain in my body, healing myself of the worst of it as I found myself in the thick of the battle taking place down here, though
none of the Nymphs had turned their attention on me yet. I cursed as I scrambled to my feet, and a charred, blackened hand fell from my wrist where his fingers had still been curled around me, thumping down onto the sand. A wild and savage smile filled my lips as I looked up at Lionel where he stood screaming down at me from the royal box, a blistered stump where his right hand should have been and his face filled with utter panic as he spotted the charred lump of flesh before me. He threw a blast of magic at me, but I was far faster as he struggled to wield his Element single handed through the blinding pain of that injury and his attack ricocheted off of my air shield without effect. Magic surged in my veins as I looked up at him, seeing my chance to end this once and for all and the flames coating my body built up all around me in a blazing inferno, gathering in my palms as I prepared to destroy him. But before I could obliterate him, a woman clad in shadow leapt between us, shrieking my name in fury as she spotted me and yanking on the shadows which were latched to my soul, fighting to force me under their control once more. But I was done being a plaything for the shadows and that motherfucking Dragon bastard. And as the shadows reared up within my veins and she tried to force me to fall still under her command, the Phoenix within me flared brighter and brighter. My entire soul was forged in fire and as I gave myself to the heat of the flames, they chased beneath my skin, hunting down the dark power which never should have been mine in the first place. The flames burned through the shadows one after another, freeing me from each and every one of their shackles until every single scrap of darkness within me was banished. I gasped as the last of them was burned from my soul, standing taller as the weight of them released me and I was finally returned to myself.
I was free. My smile widened and the shadow bitch screamed furiously as she realised what I’d done, shooting towards me with her fangs bared like she was planning on ripping me apart with her fucking teeth. I threw a blast of Phoenix fire at her, forcing her to halt her advance as she called on more and more shadows to defend herself. But she didn’t stop there. Darkness billowed from her body in a cascade of endless shadows, coiling around her and crackling with dark power which seemed to suck all of the joy out of the air and sent the rebels closest to her falling to their knees in the sand as they screamed in agony. I looked all around for and sign of Darcy or my friends, but my attention was caught on the Shadow Princess again as she managed to fight off my flames and draw even more dark magic to herself. The cloud of black smoke began to whirl around her in a maelstrom which only built higher and higher as she smiled wickedly, preparing to destroy us all with the full force of her power. "Get my hand!" Lionel bellowed as he threw a blast of magic at Caleb who was fighting him once more, managing to knock him back far enough to offer up a chance for him to escape. Lionel cast a blaze of fire behind him to keep Caleb back and leapt from the royal box, casting air to propel him towards me as I threw my flames towards the shadow bitch, trying to break through the shadows before she could do whatever the fuck it was she was building up to. But fuck that. Lionel wasn't going to be healing from that wound if I could help it. I’d promised to pay him back in blood and flesh for all of the agony he’d gifted me and this was just the beginning. With a surge of Phoenix fire which burned its way right through my soul, I blasted the blackened hand which lay on the sand with the full force of my
gifts, obliterating it with a yell of fury and bathing in the agonised roar Lionel released as he saw what I had done. Reattaching and healing a limb was possible. But growing a new one? No fucking chance. The shadow bitch screamed so loudly that I swear the entire sky almost tore apart as she threw shadows away from her in a deadly arc that slammed into the rebels, causing everyone they hit to shriek in agony. An earth shattering roar broke through the clouds overhead and I couldn’t help but look up as the Storm Dragon swooped towards us, lightning crashing from him in an enormous blast that threw Lionel back towards the swirling shadows that engulfed the far side of the amphitheatre. Dante swung around to chase after him, but the horned Nymph leapt at him from the stands, its probes slashing down his leg and tearing through scales and flesh as the Dragon roared in agony and wheeled away through the sky. I’d lost sight of Lionel in the shadows and I threw a wild blast of fire magic towards the Nymph, forcing it away from me as I turned to try and get my bearings. I threw a shield up over myself and turned desperately, searching for my sister amongst the carnage, knowing in my soul that if we were going to have any chance of surviving this then it needed to be together. I spotted her blue hair first as she finished a Nymph with a roar of fury and she turned to look at me as if she'd felt my gaze on her. I shifted back into my Fae form as we started running to meet each other and my heart ached with the need to be reunited with my other half. If our power merged then I was certain that there was nothing in this world that could stop us. Not evil Dragons or psychotic, shadow wielding bitches. This fight wasn't over. But we were going to end it together.
Iran to my sister, our hands clasping together and she looked to me, realising something was wrong as my Phoenix didn’t immediately rush to meet hers, the lasting power of the curse making me feel exhausted and weak. Confusion rushed through me as I found her eyes clear, bright and green, the black Star Crossed ring around them gone. “What-” I started but a huge navy Dragon landed beside me with a guttural roar and electricity sparked off of his skin as he wheeled his head around to look at us. “Dante,” Tory gasped, running to him and healing a jagged wound on his leg. “Lance!” I called and he shot to my side in a flash, looking at me in dismay as he lowered the sword in his grip. “We have to go,” he said urgently. “The Nymph army is here, we’re all going to die if we stay. You have to call a retreat before we’re overrun.” “Me?” I scoffed. “Yes. This is your army. They’ll only listen to you or Tory,” he said firmly, his eyes flaring with how much he believed that. I wasn’t so sure,
but I guessed it was worth a try. I didn’t want anyone else dying today. He reached out to cast a spell over my throat and I shared a look with Tory who nodded her agreement. I tipped my head back to shout, the sound amplified tenfold by his magic. “Retreat!” Hamish howled up in the stands, calling his friends after him as he led the way through a hole carved into the side of the amphitheatre as they turned from the fight and fled. “My ladies, you must both leave this instant!” Geraldine came running forward with Max beside her and Seth shifting back into his Fae form at their heels. Shadows swirled out all around the stadium as Lavinia tore through the retreating rebels, cutting them down with her ferocious power which seemed stronger than ever before, making the ground shake beneath our feet. Lionel suddenly took off into the sky in his Dragon form, clutching one stumpy front leg to his chest as a hoard of Dragons leapt after him, shifting and protecting him as they flew over the crowd, releasing jets of fire from their lungs. Orion threw up a shield and I pushed my magic out from me with an effort that made my legs quake, helping him protect us as Max, Seth and Tory all added their power too. Caleb shot out of the shadows towards us and we let him in just before the shield closed up entirely. “Where the hell is Darius?” Tory demanded as Orion hunted for him in the stands. “He’s not here. He went somewhere with Gabriel,” Seth said, casting some earth magic over his legs to cover his junk up with a pair of leaf pants.
“Come fair warriors, we must retreat so that we can live to fight another day!” Geraldine demanded. Xavier whinnied at us from the sky as he swept overhead, his wings beating furiously, his horn bloodied and his eyes fierce. Dante growled an order at us, jerking his head at his back, telling us to get on. We scrambled up onto his back and Orion clutched me against his chest as I wrapped my arms around Tory in front of me. Dante took off into the sky while we all continued to shield him and I gazed down at the carnage below in complete despair. The amphitheatre was burning and the rebels were running for their lives. Rosalie Oscura howled as she led her Wolves away across the palace grounds with a huge golden Lion racing amongst the pack and a group of people clinging to his back. Shadows consumed the entire stadium below in a display of power so immense it sent fear spilling into my chest. “What has Darius done?” Orion questioned heavily, leaning forward to show me his left arm where the Leo mark no longer shone. I gasped, clinging onto him and my sister tighter than before. “I have no idea,” Tory answered, showing us the bare patch of skin on her arm where Lionel’s star sign had once been branded too. Hopeful tears filled my eyes as I prayed some good had come from this day. A flare of power rushed through the handprint Lavinia had left on my bicep and I held in a gasp as I clutched it, biting my lip as the ominous feeling of the curse radiated through me. Orion pressed his mouth to my temple then spoke in my ear. “Whatever she’s done, I’ll do everything in my power to fix it, Blue.” My heart squeezed as I leaned in to his touch, hardly able to believe we’d both gotten out of that pit alive.
Lionel roared, wheeling through the sky as he spotted us and took chase with Lavinia riding on his back and an endless expanse of shadows billowed out around her. I swore as I threw all of my magic into our combined shield, ready to fight if I had to while praying we could outrun them. Xavier flew beside us, his wings beating furiously as he kept pace with Dante and stayed within the protection of our shield. Dragon fire spewed toward us as the Dragons loyal to him raced into formation at his back and we found ourselves fleeing from an entire army of them with only our combined shield standing between us and death. “Get beyond the palace wards!” Tory cried in encouragement as Dante raced through the sky and Dragon fire bled over our shield, making it quake and rattle as we fought to maintain it. The tingle of magic ran over us as we made it beyond the wards and I turned my head, seeing Caleb ready with a pouch of stardust. Caleb threw the stardust into the air ahead of us and Lionel roared angrily as Dante flew us into the particles and we were tugged away by the stars. Dante dropped several feet as we arrived in a different, blissfully silent sky somewhere far away from the palace and relief crashed through me as I clung to my sister and she gripped my hand tightly in return. We raced up into the clouds with Xavier flying alongside us and Dante released a mournful roar which I felt down to the pit of my soul. Tears blurred my vision for everyone lost today. And as we soared into the endless blue sky, I didn’t know where we were going, only that we couldn’t go back to Zodiac Academy. We couldn’t go anywhere that Lionel would find us. The Heirs had stood against him, we’d all shown our cards.
And the Dragon King would have every loyal Fae and Nymph in Solaria hunting for us by nightfall. We were all fugitives now. And if any of us were ever caught, the price would be death. _______________________ Need to talk about Zodiac Academy: Fated Throne? Head over to the discussion group on Facebook now! Be sure to answer the membership question or you won’t be allowed in x Preorder Zodiac Academy Book 7 here
__Author Note__ Heeeeeey, how was that? Are you feeling calm and collected? Did you just release a big breath, look up to the sky and thank the stars for keeping all your faves alive? So far. When Caleb was tempting fate did you think he was about to become Vampire sushi? I hope you kept the faith. You know we’d never do you dirty like that…right? On a scale from stumble off of a kerb to faceplant off of a mega cliff of doom how did we do? Third floor splat onto concrete? Tripping over in front of all your peers and landing face first in a plate of Kipling cake? Somewhere in between? There was some fun in here though too, right? We honestly had a lot of fun writing some of the stuff in this one (and yeah okay we cried a bit writing others but that’s okay). Who wants to see a dijazzle in person? Did you die inside for poor Xavier when they all started falling on the floor? Do you think he should rock the banana piercing in future? That would have to win him some Dom points wouldn’t it? And we gave you a wedding too. Who doesn’t like a wedding? We knew you’d be hoping for one and you can’t say we didn’t deliver. See, we’re nice to you. So you can totally forgive us for a smidge of heartache, a curse or two, the shadow bitch, a couple of torture scenes, a little bit of emotional trauma, Catalina’s fucked up life, Lionel, the Daddy love, that Star Crossed thingy, Geraldine’s fiancé, Orion getting stabbed, Tory getting stabbed, Darius getting stabbed, Darcy getting stabbed… and Washer. Ahem. But on a slightly more serious note, we really do want to thank you so much for continuing down the fictional rabbit hole with us once again (I’m assuming this isn’t the first book you’ve read by us because choosing book
6 in a series would be a bit of a mind fuck but if you did then no judgement). The road to this place in our careers has been a seriously crazy ride and we couldn’t have gotten here without your support and continued love for our stories and each and every one of you means so much to us. 2020 has been an interesting year for all of us and I know we are all hoping to see a lot of change for 2021 but I hope in the meantime we’ve helped you escape into books from time to time and that we haven’t caused too much heartache. But if we have then feel free to come shout at us about it in our reader group. Seriously, we thrive on the abuse, the more we get the more ammunition we have to throw at our characters so it’s a win-win. Unless you have some objection to us killing off fictional people or something… As always, we adore you and hope you think we’re mildly likeable too. Book 7 won’t be too long in the making, so go grab yourself a buttery bagel and relax while you can because it’s sure to be one hell of an ending. Love, Susanne & Caroline Also by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep (Bully Romance Contemporary Series) Kings of Quarantine Kings of Lockdown Kings of Anarchy The Boys of Sinners Bay (Dark Mafia Contemporary Standalones)
Beautiful Carnage Beautiful Savage The Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac Series (Paranormal Romance Reverse Harem Series set in the world of Solaria) Dark Fae Savage Fae Vicious Fae Broken Fae Supernatural Bullies and Beasts (M/F Bully Romance set in the world of Solaria five years after Dark Fae) Zodiac Academy: The Awakening Zodiac Academy: Ruthless Fae Zodiac Academy: The Reckoning Zodiac Academy: Shadow Princess Zodiac Academy: Cursed Fates Zodiac Academy Novellas Origins of an Academy Bully The Big A.S.S. Party Supernatural Prison for Dark Fae Series (Paranormal Romance Reverse Harem Series set in the world of Solaria ten years after Dark Fae)
Darkmore Penitentiary Darkmore Penitentiary: Captive Fae The Age of Vampires (Complete M/F PNR/Dystopian Series) Eternal Reign Eternal Shade Eternal Curse Eternal Vow Eternal Night Eternal Love Forbidden Fairytales (Complete M/F Fantasy Series) Kingdom of Thieves Kingdom of Wishes Kingdom of Shadows Cage of Lies (Dystopian M/F Series) Rebel Rising Tainted Earth (Dystopian M/F Series) Afflicted Altered Adapted Advanced
The Vampire Games (Complete Paranormal Romance M/F Trilogy) V Games V Games: Fresh From The Grave V Games: Dead Before Dawn The Vampire Games: Season Two (Complete Paranormal Romance M/F Trilogy) Wolf Games Wolf Games: Island of Shade Wolf Games: Severed Fates The Vampire Games: Season Three Hunter Trials The Vampire Games Novellas A Game of Vampires The Rise of Isaac (Complete Fantasy YA Series) Creeping Shadow Bleeding Snow Turning Tide Weeping Sky Failing Light
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