Shadow Princess (Zodiac Academy, #4)

by Caroline Peckham

“Mom hasn’t said anything that calculating,” he replied. “But she hasn’t discouraged me from spending time with Tory. She likes to hear how her magic is progressing and stuff, I think she believes keeping the Vegas sweet can’t hurt in the long run. Just in case…” “Just in case they rise up, claim their place and de-throne us?” Darius scoffed. “Don’t worry, Father will kill them before that day ever comes. Why do you think I work so hard to keep them beneath us?” I raised an eyebrow at that because it sounded suspiciously like Darius was trying to protect the Vegas by tormenting them instead of his motivations being about maintaining his own power. Our power. Protecting them from the wrath of his father seemed like a secondary priority to me. Everything I did to them was for the security of our throne. For us. For Solaria. The Vegas’ protection hadn’t ever really crossed my mind. “Lionel wouldn’t actually kill them though, would he?” I asked with half a laugh. Darius pushed his tongue into his cheek, opened his mouth then closed it again. I caught a hint of frustration from him, but he didn’t answer. I exchanged a look with Caleb. There was something we’d been beginning to suspect about Lionel for a while, but none of us had had the balls to ask it outright. But I was sick of dancing around the subject. “Is it that you don’t want to tell us?” I asked slowly. “Or that you can’t?” “What do you mean, can’t?” Darius asked, his eyes on the weight Seth was struggling with. Just a...

that’s an interesting thought.