Shadow Princess (Zodiac Academy, #4)

by Caroline Peckham

“You realise how big of a threat they are to you now? To your throne?” He nodded firmly, his eyes swirling with darkness and making my chest tighten. “Yes.” “But you’ll still protect them because you’re a good man, Darius. And there is m...

“I’m not a go...

“And you’re not either. We’re just two fuck-ups who keep fucking up.”

“Well maybe it’s time we stop fucking up.”

I’d barely had any sleep, but I was anxious to read up on Phoenixes as soon as possible. I needed to offer something useful to Blue. I felt like I’d failed her so completely last night that I didn’t know how I was going to ever make it up to her.

I could still feel her hand bound to mine by Lionel’s magic, still feel the suffocating powerlessness that had consumed me and made me realise how fucking precious she was to me. I’d lost my sister because of my mother and Lionel, and I’d nearly lost the only girl who’d filled the void Clara had left in her absence too. I didn’t care if Stella was my flesh and blood, I’d fucking kill her and Darius’s father for this.

As I waited for them to arrive, a heavy pressure built in my chest. Whispers filled my ears and darkness curtained my vision, making my breathing ragged. I felt the call of the shadows like I never had before, like I couldn’t escape it because it lived beneath my flesh now.

My eyes drifted shut and a deep thrum of power flowed through my veins. I drew in a breath as ecstasy accompanied the sensation, urging me on, letting that well of dark magic pour into my blood. I opened my eyes and found a coil of shadow wrapped around my hand and my lips parted in awe. I knew what it was. The Fifth Element. And I’d somehow wielded it, though I feared what it was capable of.

the three of them moved toward the desk to sit, Darius to the left and Tory firmly taking the right chair, so Darcy was left with the middle opposite me. Her knees brushed mine under the desk and I hooked my foot around hers on instinct.

“Phoenixes are endowed with the capacity to exhibit high levels of resilience pertaining to the Divisus Orders and the subliminal Cardinal Magics.”

“It means, you’re easily able to fight off psychological magic. Like Coercion.”

“That’s why Lionel’s power didn’t work on us,” Darcy said, looking fascinated and I nodded, rubbing my knee against hers under the table. She was always such an enthusiastic student and fuck if that didn’t get me so hard for her. She shared my love of learning and I’d often enjoyed the way her eyes lit up in awe in my classes. Focus, asshole.

“Now your Order has emerged, it seems it will be almost impossible for any psychological magic to be used on you. That includes a Siren’s emotional persuasion, I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear. Plus the memory probing of the Cyclops Order...

I had no doubt he would be calculating a way to ensure he kept his claim on the throne. It was Fae nature. And I couldn’t really fault him for it. It was still my intention to ensure he claimed it too and unseat Lionel Acrux. But a small, niggling voice in the back of my mind was starting to suggest another way to resolve that issue. One which was a dangerous idea to even consider putting forward when it came to the Heirs.

“The magical block against such powers is described as a fiery blaze, coursing under the skin like a barrier.”

“Who the fuck is that?” Darius balked and I rose from my seat in shock as I found Gabriel motherfucking Nox perched outside on the windowsill staring in at us. His huge black, feathered wings were folded behind him, revealing the artwork of tattoos covering his broad chest.

“Noxy! I thought you weren’t arriving until tomorrow?” Gabriel embraced me with a bark of laughter. “Thought I’d drop in on this conversation, Orio. The stars told me to come.”

He had the gift of The Sight and our friendship stretched back far enough for me to trust him implicitly. And more than that, he was my Nebula Ally. If he was here now, it was for a reason. And I wondered if our circle of four was about to become five. We’d met years ago when a bunch of students from his school had done an exchange with a group from Zodiac. It had coincided with a Pitball match between our academies too, and we’d bonded after I’d given hell to a couple of guys he didn’t get along with.

“I guess most importantly for now, you should know that your magic regenerates via fire. You need to be close enough to feel the warmth of the flames and you will be able to draw magic from it. Which explains why you had a hard time figuring out exactly what it was that regenerated you as there are fires constantly burning all around the academy. Not to mention the fact that as fire Elementals you can self-replenish whenever you need.”

“So what you’re saying is, our power is endless?” Tory asked, grinning in a way that was only going to piss Darius off. “As in, so long as I can cast fire, I’ll never run out of magic. Unlike big fat lizard shifters who have to pop off for a snooze on a heap of gold whenever they’re running low?”

“Phoenix fire is born of the sun itself. It’s capable of destroying all matter and is able to sever many magical spells. In both Order and Fae form, Phoenixes are impervious to all types of fire, including that produced Elementally or through other Order forms. It is also capable of harming Orders which are resistant to fire like Manticores, Hydras and…Dragons.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I surveyed Darius, wondering if he might come around to the idea that was circling in my mind. If he did, it would benefit every Fae in Solaria. Because Darius Acrux might not ever rescind his claim to the throne, and I didn’t want him to. But maybe I could convince him to share it with two more candidates. I just had to ride out the fucking hurricane it would take to persuade him.

“That wasn’t what I asked though,” he pushed. “I asked if you were drawn towards anyone?”

“Yeah. If you wanna know, it pushed me towards Darius.”

“But you didn’t act on it? You resisted the full weight of the moon driving you together?” “Not exactly,” I said, but I couldn’t tell him about Lionel and all the other shit that went down. “Like I said, mine and Darcy’s Orders Emerged and my mind wasn’t really on hooking up with anyone after that.”

“So hypothetically, if your Order hadn’t Emerged and nothing like that had gotten in your way. Do you think you would have ended up with Darius that night?”

“I imagine so, yeah. I don’t know what it is with me and him, but we just keep ending up in these situations where it’s like the tension between us is unbearable. So yeah, I’m drawn to him, but I can only think I’m insane for feeling that way because all he ever does is piss me off or hurt me.”

“So. Basically you think Darius is hot?” I smirked at him tauntingly and nodded because the guy was fucking irritating as all hell, but he was also practically a demigod and trying to deny it was ridiculous.

“But you think I’m hot too…?” I made a show of running my eyes over him, taking in the way his muscles pressed against his shirt and the perfectly mussed up way his curly hair sat. “Yeah, I guess so,” I agreed casually.

“And you think I’...

“Sometimes,” I hedged. “Is Darius funny?” I rolled my eyes.

“Darius could be awful in bed for all you know,” he breathed against my ear. “He could,” I agreed.

“Alright then. It pisses me off,” he admitted in a low tone. “What are you gonna do about it then?”

“I’m gonna prove to you that I’m the better choice. You’ll fall for me so hard you’ll break bones.”

“Do you wanna hang out later?” he asked, still blocking my way. “If I say maybe, will you let me leave?” “You’re busy later, Roxy,” Darius said from right behind me and I jerked around, scowling up at him and wondering how much of our conversation he’d been eavesdropping on.

“Well as you just found out your Order bursts into flames when you coax it to break free of your flesh and heightened emotional experiences can cause inexperienced Fae to lose control of their Order form, it seems like a bad idea for you to be hooking up with anyone for a while,” he pointed out. “That’s obviously not the real reason you don’t want her hooking up with me,” Caleb scoffed, and Darius’s gaze darkened. “I’m just looking out for you, Cal. I wouldn’t want to risk her setting my dick alight,” Darius replied tauntingly.

“Well don’t come crying to me when she melts it.”

He was talking shit anyway. At least I hoped he was… I glanced down at Caleb’s fly for a moment and shuddered at the thought of bursting into flames while we were in the middle of something... Dammit.

I was afraid of what might happen if I gave in to their call though. The shadows weren’t like the rest of my magic. They were an invading force, part of me and separate at the same time. Where I was sure my magic would never hurt me, I could only feel mistrust of the shadows. They weren’t mine. But they lived in me now all the same.

“Pish posh, Tory Vega!” Geraldine scalded. “One day when you’re ruling over Solaria, I will remind you of this day and you shall have to eat your words!”

“It doesn’t say ass forever,” she replied, giving him a flat look. “It’s A – S – S.” “Hmm. If I was walking behind you and your shirt said ass forever I’d be thinking that’s where you’d like me to stick my-”

“Your breakfast looks pretty fucking earth shattering to me. But I guess you like to call things adequate even when they blow your mind, right? And if you’re offering me your buttery bagels, I won’t say no to having a taste of them again.”

“Actually, my breakfast is rather unsatisfying now I come to think of it. But feel free to gorge yourself on it, it seems you’ve got a taste for things that have been taken off the menu anyway.”

The taste of lust spilling from him increased as he walked, and heads turned in his direction as Fae all around The Orb got caught in the sway of his gifts. By the time he sat back down on the Heirs’ couch, a swarm of hopeful girls and guys were surrounding him.

“My Lady Petunia set her gaze on a rather virile Siren, and he fell prey to her amorous adventures.”

“Did you just call your vagina Lady Petunia?” I choked.

“Alas I did. And she’s a real predator when she sets her gaze on a tempting piece of banana drama,” Geraldine admitted.

“Darcy has the obnoxiously coloured hair.” “I happen to like obnoxiously coloured hair,” Nox replied dryly. “And I’m aware which Vega arrived late. I was taking five points from Aer because I can’t stand a snitch.”

“Five more because I can’t stand a moaner,” he added with a cold smirk. “Oh, and ten more for what you were just about to say about me to your little friend beside you.”

“You were about to say that I might be just as hot as Professor Orion, but I’m obviously just as big of a dick too. And thanks for the compliment but you’re not my type and I’m taken.”