The Reckoning (Zodiac Academy, #3)

by Caroline Peckham

Now, I was adrift without her, my heart trying to tear its way out of my chest in a bid to go to her.

Ahhhhhh

fuck it, we could be dead tomorrow.

Are these the fuck it vibes we need

Be sensible, Lance. It was a one-time thing. She’s not yours to be jealous over. Leave it alone.

Darcy's eyes locked with mine and my lungs compressed. Why was it so fucking difficult to cut her out of me? One look was enough to make me consider risking everything I’d ever worked for.

Ahhh

My palm was tingling, and it had nothing to do with magic and everything to do with the insanely attractive asshole in front of me.

“Congratulations, Roxy. Looks like we’ve got a date Wednesday night then.”

Ahhhh this tension

“Maybe I’ve already got plans Wednesday,” I said.

“Yeah, you do. With me.”

Ahhhh lesssss goooooo

He sighed heavily. “Fuck this. Come on, let's go for a walk.” He got up and I looked up at him in surprise.

Ahhhhhh

“You said no physical contact,”

“What if I’m having second thoughts?” he growled.

Ahhhhh

“I can't think straight around you,”

Stooop i am here for this

“I could have lost you in that battle, or I could have died without ever knowing how this might have played out…”

Omg!!!!

My Atlas pinged and I took it out of my bag, my soul fraying as I found a private message waiting for me from Orion.

Lance: What if I don't want it to stop?

Ahhhhh LFG!!!!!

Lance: What about the question before that then? Green or blue?

Lance: Blue means you like me.

Lance: I know what it meant. Darius told me after the fall party. But I have my own (better) meaning and Solaria has one too. P.S I fully intend to break that guy’s legs once you give me his name by the way. Lance: I guess you’re about to go back to radio silence so for what it’s worth… In Solaria blue means royal. And to me, blue means you.

Lance: I guess you’re about to go back to radio silence so for what it’s worth… In Solaria blue means royal. And to me, blue means you.

AHHH OMG

“You wanna tell me if that’s a dagger in your pocket or if you’re just excited to see me?” I taunted.

I honestly loooove their relationship

The guy leapt up and caught her waist to steady her and my gut lurched irritably as his hand skimmed her ass.

Omg!!! are you jealous ?!

I hadn’t spent the last few weeks trailing her around campus to protect her from them just to quit now and leave her vulnerable.

Awwww

The way my heart was beating as I held her close had nothing to do with it.

Suuuuuure

“Fuck, Roxy, I can’t sleep next to you while you’re dressed like that,” I said, rolling her away from me more forcefully.

Ahhhhhh

“Oh, sorry,” she mumbled before pulling off the unbuttoned shirt and throwing it to the floor. “Better?”

“You need to be putting more on, not taking things off,” I said tersely.

Ahhh im loving this

I should have been pissed at her for intruding on my space like this but somehow, I didn’t mind at all.

BECAUSE YOU LIKE HER

And I was beginning to realise that I might like that, and a few other things about her, just a bit too much.

FINALLY!!! You start to admit it

“Please tell me we didn’t...” I couldn’t actually bear to say it, but I had to know because my memory was turning up blanks.

“I prefer my girls a little less blind drunk and a little more eagerly responsive,” he replied. “Besides, you wouldn’t forget it if I’d fucked you.”

Ahhhh kicking and screaming at this comment

Orion, 3 Asteroid Place,

Ooooo she knows where he lives now!!!!

Lance: Fine. Seeing another guy's hands on you makes me want to rip out their eyes so they never get to look at you again.

Ahhhhh why am I obsessed with this!!!!!!!!!!

Lance: It's nature, baby ;) Where's my photo?

Yeah I’m definitely obsessed with Lance

Although, I'd probably still want you just as much. I certainly did when that fuckwit Capella took your hair.

Omggggg he literally told her how he felt without fully saying it ahhhhhhhhh

Orion made me want to jump in the deep end of this desire headfirst without question.

He really needs a little company for all of those muscles...it would be a travesty for them to be alone tonight. Oh, holy shit am I really considering this? He might turn me away. But he also might not. Ohmagod I know where he lives.

Living for this!!!!! I knew knowing where he lived would come in handy!

“No,” he demanded. “Stay.”

ughh favorite words to hear

“Give a guy a second. One minute I'm messaging you wishing I could have you right here, and the next thing...” He leaned in, kissing the corner of my mouth and I melted. Or that was what it felt like anyway. As if there wasn't a single solid organ in my body. “Here you are.”

heart is instantly melting!!!

“I have a perfectly good bed downstairs,” I replied, shaking my head just a little. “Why would you want me to stay?”

Darius frowned like he wasn’t sure what to say to that, but he inched a little closer all the same. “Because it feels right,” he breathed.

Ughhh my heart

This girl is made for me.

“Chiedo al buio di disturbare questo corpo dalla pace e di mettere la sua magia nel mio sangue.”

“This is getting rather one-sided, Alejandro. What use are you if you and your worthless family don’t do as I ask?” Lionel sneered and Alejandro reached into his pocket.

Waaaaaaiiiit… alejandro as in diegos uncle??????

Darius was looking down at me, his eyes wild with panic as he brushed my hair away from my face.

“-would fucking break me. So don’t you dare give in to them. I’ll follow you into the shadows if I have to and drag you away from them kicking and screaming. Because they can’t have you. They fucking can’t.”

Crying

“Why was Lionel with Diego’s uncle?” I mumbled in confusion and Darcy frowned with concern.

Knew it

“You just wanted her to think you might. Sound familiar?”

Lance is soooo true for this

When I’d pushed her in that fucking mud, I had to lock my muscles into place to stop myself from diving down after her and lifting her back into my arms. And then I looked into her eyes and saw a moment of hurt there that had nothing to do with physical pain or humiliation but had everything to do with me and what I knew she had felt for me too. I felt like I’d just taken a knife to my own heart and carved a fissure right through it.

Then why treat her like shit

Nobody fucking ignored me when I called. Caleb: I’m busy.

Ahhhhhh living for this

He kissed her nose. Kissed her goddamn nose while saying how much he loved the colour blue. Why did that hurt so much?

Wht an asshole