Shadow Princess (Zodiac Academy, #4)

by Caroline Peckham

each caught up on a tide of power so raw it was intoxicating. I worked on placing the secrecy oath over our power and could feel Darius, Seth and Caleb strengthening the spell as they cast their own magic into it too. I wasn’t sure if Darius would speak right away so I decided to open up first to show him how much I trusted him. “My mother isn’t my mother,” I said, my voice trembling as I spoke those words aloud for the first time in my life. “What?” Darius asked, clearly surprised that my secret had been so heavy. Seth and Caleb both stared at me like they couldn’t quite believe what I’d said, and I barrelled on, wanting to spit it out before I lost my nerve. “My father had to marry the woman you think of as my mother because of an arrangement for power. But he loved my real mother before that was decided. He kept her close and got her pregnant before his wife. They covered it up, pretended I was legitimate to hide the scandal. And I’m pretty sure my stepmother poisoned my real mother to get rid of her after she’d had her legitimate child.” “But…” Darius frowned, trailing off as he thought over what I’d said. “Does she want you