Fated Throne (Zodiac Academy, #6)

by Caroline Peckham

I snorted a laugh, and he did too, pulling a juicy orange carrot from his pocket and grinning as he took a large bite from it.

and her long, dark hair spilled down her back in waves. I’d never seen her looking like anything aside from the plastic perfection Father expected and it only made me realise how little we’d gotten the chance to know the woman she truly was. She was at home here, wearing a green apron over a sweater dress with a pair of fluffy socks on her feet and a smile bigger than I’d ever seen on her.

found I really liked that. “Thank you for this glorious and most splendiferous meal, Kitty Cat,” Hamish said, smiling warmly at my mom as she took a seat beside him and beamed proudly. “You know I was only able to cook it because you taught me, Hammy,” she teased, smacking his arm playfully and batting her eyelashes before turning to watch me and Xavier take a bite of our food. It was nothing like the pretentious shit that we always ate with Father. This meal was warm and wholesome and full of love, and I grinned in appreciation across the table at my mom. “This is amazing,” I told her honestly. “Freaking perfect,” Xavier agreed, and she beamed before tucking into her own food.

They were being careful to keep my mom’s involvement out of everything, not letting anyone know she was alive aside from him and I found myself really warming to this man who owed us absolutely nothing and yet had taken her in when she needed help without so much as a question over her loyalty.

Because to claim the throne they’d have to prove they were stronger than us and I had trouble believing that day would ever come to pass.

O don et hin. Hesadmitted shes very verg powwergul

She gushed about getting to choose what time she woke up in the mornings and picking her own clothes and the evening she’d spent reading a book just because she felt like it, and my heart ached for the life she’d been trapped in. But here she was finally free, and it felt so damn good to just have something to be happy about for once that I bathed in it for the entire evening, never wanting to leave this little place of contentment.

The Gruses might have been pretty damn weird at times, but they were seriously good people and I owed them a debt that I would never be able to pay back. So, I’d have to settle for killing my father and making sure this bubble of peace was able to extend beyond these walls one day.

“Why are you such a damn pervert?” I snapped at him before I could stop myself and Washer’s mouth dropped open. “I do beg your pardon, Miss Vega?” Washer held a hand to his heart, looking utterly offended. “No, she’s right,” Seth snarled. “If you talk to her like that again, I’ll deal with your ass myself.”

I’d noticed he’d point blank refused to take part in the stretching shit and I knew that was because of Tory. He didn’t let any of the fangirls even get close to him these days and there was something stupid cute about that.

“Good,” Darius growled. “Then in the words of Lance Orion, the best damn Pitball coach this team has ever had by the way, class is fucking dismissed.”

“I’ll see you in the morrow. I shall have a feast of buttery bagels ready in the Hollow at dawn.” “You don’t have to,” I said like always, but she waved me off again, because she always would. She was too damn good of a friend.

Professor Zenith wanted us all to study the Seventh House for a pop quiz she was throwing tomorrow. We’d been studying it all week, and as it was ruled by Libra and Venus (Orion’s star sign and the damn love planet)

“They’re my real pack. The ones I count on over anyone else. The ones I’m there for before anyone among my Wolves. I know it’s fucked up, and I do love my pack. But they’re not family. The Heirs are. And so are you now. Your sister is too…though I don’t think she likes me that much.”

“Maybe I need to work on that,” he replied, shoving my Astrology book aside so he could curl up against me better, yawning like a tired pup. I’d never had a pet dog, but I imagined it was kinda like this. Which was totally weird, but there was something about him lying on me or the way he did with the Heirs that just seemed natural.

“Fine, I want you two to get back together. Is that a crime?” I wheeled on him, surprised that he was echoing what my sister had said. “You what?”

“You mean when he sacrificed himself for you so you might have a chance to take down Lionel? So that you wouldn’t lose everything including your place at the one academy capable of training up a Fae of your power level and giving you a real chance for the throne? By the stars, what an asshole,” he growled mockingly, and I pursed my lips. “No, you’re right, Darcy. I won’t stand for it. How dare he throw himself into the most dangerous place in Solaria and face months of hell in Darkmore because of how much he loves you? How fucking dare he.” “Stop it,” I snipped, but he just kept going.

“How dare he ruin himself as far as any Fae can possibly ruin themselves for you.”

I shot him a gif of an angry Minotaur shouting ‘NO!’ and he replied with one of a shrew running away from a torrent of Dragon fire. I pursed my lips, wondering where the hell he’d found such a gif

Max: No can do, little Vega, Gerry’s sneaking over to my place tonight. Darcy: How did you pull that off?? Max: I stole all the bagels from the school supply and stashed them in my room. If she wants breakfast tomorrow, she has to come. Literally.

Seth: Can’t come tonight. Cal’s hunting me. Caleb: I am? Seth: Yup. *crossing swords emoji* Seth: Shit that was meant to be a battle axe emoji. Caleb: … Seth: Anyways, sorry babe, we’re out. Good luck, let us know all the juicy deets…about the diary.

I moved my thumb onto the new number in my contacts for Orion, his name saved as Starboy just like it used to be to hide the fact that we were talking. I guessed some things never changed. I

Starboy: And Darius thought the best someone would be you? P.S. I think you’re spending too much time with Werewolves for the moon to get you that excited…

Starboy: I can think of worse fates. P.S. They don’t sleep in your bed though, do they? My heart lurched into my throat as I stared at those words. How the hell did he know Seth slept in my bed? Had Darius told him?

“I don’t need to disrespect you, miss, you manage that all on your own,” I said lightly, poking the beast. Tory met my eye across the room, a grin tugging up the corner of her mouth ever so slightly. I noticed her fingers flicking under her seat and Highspell suddenly tripped over like a whip of air had caught her legs, sending her

tumbling to the floor ass over tit. Everyone roared with laughter including me. Yes, Tor.

“Darcy Vega stop this instant!” she roared, and I knew I’d pay for it tomorrow but I didn’t care. Tonight was the full moon and I was not getting landed in detention. I laughed as I ran full pelt down the corridor and ice suddenly blasted over my head. Oh shit! “Stop this second or you’ll regret it!” Highspell screamed and I spotted Caleb walking up the stairs ahead of me. “Cal! Zoom me out of here!” I called and he didn’t even question it, shooting towards me and throwing me over his shoulder, laughing as Highspell came racing toward us on her high heels.

Ugh i lov their aliance

I thought of my father with an ache in my soul, wishing I could have had a chance to know him. But more than that, I wished he could have been saved from what Lionel had done to him. It haunted me knowing his fate. I just hoped he’d known happiness alongside my mother at least.

His head whipped around and I nearly swallowed my own tongue as he met my gaze. Shit, shit no shit.

I almost made it to the hatch when Orion shot in front of me with a towel wrapped loosely around his waist, his naked body dripping water as he smirked at me. Fucking smirked.

“Where are you running off to, Blue?” he asked, his eyes glittering darkly, and everything tightened between my thighs. Why had he started calling me that again? Why did I like it so much?

“Were you spying on me?” he asked, amusement written into his features, and I pressed my shoulders back. “No. But maybe you shouldn’t shower with the door open, idiot. I wasn’t planning on seeing the crack of dawn twice today,” I tossed at him. He barked a laugh, and it was so damn infectious that a smile hooked up the corner of my mouth. His dimple dented his right cheek, and I had the urge to reach out and run my thumb over it. An urge I quickly squashed.

“Don’t leave,” he said in a low growl which made my toes scrunch up in my shoes. “I’ll get dressed.”

“Are you quite done being naked?” “So long as you’re quite done with it,” he said teasingly, and pockets of heat burst in my cheeks. “I was done a long time ago, Lance,”

One time, Max had found me sobbing in my room at the palace in a heap of Orion’s clothes which I’d made Darius give me. His scent had finally left them, and I knew that was it. The last time I’d ever smell him. But

“Do you really believe a Vega princess can only lift ten pounds?” he asked in my ear, making goosebumps rush down my arms. “No,” I said in realisation, raising my chin. “You could lift a mountain, Blue,” he murmured, and I felt his belief in those words trickle into me too.

I twisted around with a laugh, throwing my arms around Orion’s neck and he pulled me tight against him. My heart tried to beat its way out of my chest as I was reminded of what it was like to be held by him again and it was nearly impossible to pull away. But I did. I backed up, turning around and lowering everything back to its place.

“You didn’t answer my question earlier,” Orion said darkly, and I moved to sit down on the couch, picking up my coffee and frowning over at him. “What question?” He rubbed his hand across the thick stubble on his jaw, dropping into a chair opposite me. “About the Wolf sleeping in your bed.” My gut clenched and I stole a few extra seconds drinking my coffee before I answered. “Who told you that?” “Does it matter?” he shot back. “Fucking Darius,” I muttered. “You said you weren’t together,” he pressed, and I sighed, not wanting to get into an argument again.

“We’re not. He just sleeps in with me sometimes,” I said like it was so simple, but it probably didn’t sound that way. “And kisses you on the Pitball field?” he snarled, and my jaw literally dropped. “How the hell do you know about that?” I gasped, but his teeth snapped together. Goddammit Darius. “He kissed me because he was trying to-” I stopped myself there, not want...

guessed that was proof he was loyal to me and Tory. Did that mean he no longer backed Darius and the other Heirs? He’d encouraged me before, but seeing this truth laid out for me made my heart squeeze with emotion.

Merissa Vega assured me you would protect her daughter no matter what spell you were under.

“Can I hold it?” I breathed and Orion passed it to me without hesitation.

I smiled, thinking of Gabriel, and feeling closer to my mother than I ever had before. Knowing that she’d seen us gave me some comfort, like we held a connection to each other. That Tory and I hadn’t just been strangers to her in our adult lives. She’d known us to some extent through her visions. And I wished I’d known her too.

Because I couldn’t picture Orion suddenly waiting on me hand and foot and bursting into song when I entered a room. He might for Darcy though…

And every time I heard that something I’d passed on had saved a life, it made this role I had to play a little easier.

“If he or that psychopath ever lay a hand on you again then I’ll rip them apart with my fucking teeth,” Darius growled, catching my wrist and squeezing hard enough to bruise.

Seth was tossing olives into the air and catching them in his mouth and Caleb threw me a wink as I skirted past them. “We’ll keep an eye out, sweetheart,” Caleb promised in a low voice I was sure no one else heard and I nodded once before heading out of the room.

Awww this is cute though

Lips I wanted to score my thumb across before claiming, marking, biting – concentrate, asshole.

“Are you my carriage?” she asked. “Yeah, I forgot my saddle, but you can ride me bareback, right?” the joke slipped out as easily as if we were still a couple and I immediately regretted it. She punched my arm, but a smile played around her lips and my regrets instantly went away. “So that’s a yes?” I taunted and she rolled her eyes. “Stop wasting time,” she muttered, walking ahead of me but she was definitely trying to hide her smile from me. And that made me feel all kinds of good.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you that night. All of you,” I admitted, my chest tightening.

But finding out Blue had been there too after Darius had come to explain what had happened had left me in pieces.