Restless Stars (Zodiac Academy, #9)

by Caroline Peckham

I was Geraldine Gundellifus Gabolia Gundestria Grus, and the stars would have no mercy on the wicked souls I sent into their embrace tonight.

“Even the moon has turned to look at the two of you,” she said. “The twins who defy fate itself. And I get the feeling the carnage that trails in your wake is only the beginning of your tale. The world itself will shake when it hears you roar as one.”

“You speak about my queen like that again and you’ll regret it,” he said in a low voice which made a shiver of adrenaline run down my spine.

“It was too damn easy to fall in love with you when I already loved everything about you, Cal,”

“Simmer down. I am quite aware it is hotter than an otter’s patchouli in here now that the fine specimen of our becoming Seer has entered our vicinity, but we must wrangle our Petunias and Long Shermans, so that we might focus on the task at hand.”

“What-ho, dear fellow? I am but a Fae who cannot help the wandering of her waters. But do not worry, my salacious salmon, I only desire your butter upon my bagel.”

“What are you?” I growled, my heart pounding with distrust, my mind whirling with unease. “Funny,” Tharix replied. “I was hoping you might tell me.”

“Impossible,” I hissed as the son I had killed strode into the room, flanked by my new Heir and Max Rigel, though I had no attention to spare for them. My stomach dropped and fear sliced through me like a knife forged of purest ice, blinding me and choking me all at once.

“Clever boy,”

“Yield,”

“I yield,”

“And I am very much looking forward to seeing what you do next, my boy.”

She dropped to one knee before me and my heart lurched as the reality of what I’d done collided with me. I’d challenged her for her position and I’d won. I was a Celestial Councillo...

“I don’t care about rules or laws when it comes to us,”

“And I won’t be told I can’t have you by anyone.”

“Me?” Seth breathed,

“I challenged my mother and claimed her place,” I told him. “And if my queens try to tell me no on this then I think I’ll just have to go ahead and commit treason. You are in my head morning, noon and night, your presence invigorates me and your absence leaves me aching. I dream of you whenever I sleep and burn for you whenever you are near. I can’t hide it anymore. I won’t hide it anymore. I want you to be mine, Seth, I fucking need you to be mine.”

“Mates,” I finished for him. “We’re Moon Mated.”

“I used to lay dreaming of places like this. I’d read about it in books and hear it in my favourite songs. I’d see it in the storm and feel it in the raindrops against my cheeks. I always belonged elsewhere, in a world full of fantasy and endless possibilities. I just knew I’d been born in the wrong place. My soul lost, forever searching for this. So no, Lance, there’s not one part of me that would have chosen to give up this life for the sake of safety. If I die in this war, then hell, at least I will have lived. I’ve known you, I’ve found a home, a family. If I can only have that for this short time, then I’ll take it over never having had it at all.”

Everyone was afraid of me. None of them understood what I was and so they feared it. But none understood less than me.

Oh what misfortune, what a great failing I had committed. My queens ought to leave me to my fate, not chase me into the nevermore like they did now, along with my merry Max, the strapping mutt, the daring Dragoon, and the two fine fang danglers. What a fortune I did possess to have so many valiant knights riding into battle for mere little me.

He was my songful salmon and I his tuneless tuna.

“Wake up, you asshole. We’re fucking moon friends, alright? There, I said it. I like you. You’ve made up for what you did. So come back here and let me give you some star damned forgiveness for it, yeah? You can’t go dying on me when I didn’t even get to stop being an asshole to you. Mostly.”

“Once upon a time, I was a girl afraid to be burned by the world, now I’m a queen who rules the fire. I will win this war for you, Lance, and I swear to the stars I will meet you at the altar.”

“Our clock doesn’t tick, Caleb Altair. There’s no seconds, minutes or hours, it has no day or night. It just is. Forever.”

“The sun is coming to gaze upon a new day, and what she’ll see when she rises is a war upon her earth. She’ll find us bloody and she’ll find us in the thick of chaos, but when she seeks the answer of who will come out victorious, we will answer her call!”

Tharix grinned. “Do you know, just this morning, I was thinking how much better he would look without a head. It will match with his missing hand.”

“This is too much, Blue.” “Nothing is too much for the man who bled for me,”

We had been two lost girls adrift in the mortal realm, but here, in this wilderness of magic and endless love, we had found ourselves at home.