Sorrow and Starlight (Zodiac Academy, #8)

by Caroline Peckham

I know what you’re saying, I understand it. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving up on him. I can’t give up on him, don’t you get that? He is everything to me, and the stars stole him away.

Shes so me because i dont do "realistic" bullshit either

They offered him death in exchange for my life. That means they gave me life when their fate had chosen death for me instead. So they can either give him his life back too, or they can find out what I will do to them in payment for that sacrifice.”

It’s the true fifth Element and they hold no dominion over it. And this is what I will use to destroy everyone and everything who has tried to take so very much from me.”

“I don’t know. But I do know that we’re missing something here, something vital, something which Darcy would want me to think about. It’s why I won’t let anyone execute Miguel, there’s too many what ifs. And I think Darcy will want to talk to him too, and I think she might be the one who can figure out the truth in all of this.

I love how much of a team they are

She held my gaze with an unbreakable will, and I could feel her decision to see this through burning in the air as brightly as her Phoenix ever could.

She wouldn’t be turned from this path. There was no backing out of it, and quite frankly, I wasn’t sure there was a Fae alive powerful enough to stop her anyway.

So whatever you need, whatever it takes, I’m in.”

“You just carry concealed weapons these days, do you?” I teased her and she looked over her shoulder at me, something dark flickering in her green eyes.

“I have a whole list of reasons for wanting to have plenty of ways to defend myself at all times,” she said. “But this dagger has its own purpose for later.”

“I love Gerry, but if she checks up on my eating habits one more time, I’m going to scream,” she hissed,

Shes so real for that

I glanced down at Tory, taking in the sharpness of her cheekbones and the haunted expression in her ferocious gaze.

“One more word, Max Rigel, and I’ll kick you in the balls and leave you wheezing on the floor while I go talk to Miguel alone,”

Despite the walls she was now maintaining to keep me out of her head, I knew how alone she was feeling.

“You do realise she isn’t going to give up, don’t you?” I asked as I fell into step with her again, and the corner of Tory’s lips twitched in amusement. “I know.”

We walked another ten steps or so before a Tarzan yell reached my ears, and I was forced to turn and look at Geraldine who was swinging across the terrain with a vine wrapped around her waist and a platter full of buttery bagels balanced on an outstretched hand. “My ladyyyy!” Geraldine called and Tory broke a rueful grin as she turned too, folding her arms in some attempt to look irritated while we waited for Geraldine to land.

Thats so funny and so cute

“Were you looking for me?” Tory asked innocently, and if I hadn’t been with her the entire time, I swear I would have believed she’d had no idea. No wonder that girl had never been charged with anything in the mortal realm.

“Oh, you cheeky cherub, you know I was,” Geraldine laughed, planting her free hand on her hip and offering Tory the platter. “And I know that you do not feel the pangs of hunger while the cloud of grief gathers close around you, but I would be failing in my duties if I did not attempt to tempt you with some buttery goodness on a fine morn such as this. You know you must eat to maintain your strength, and I would be a narry nubby of a friend if I didn’t look out for you in this time of war, strife, and need.”

Aww shes such a good friend. I adore her

“I won’t ever attack anyone who doesn’t first strike at me or this kingdom,” she swore, a ring of authority to those words. “My sister and I have no taste for war or death beyond fighting for the freedom everyone deserves from tyranny.”

His fear clung to the walls and rolled down them in a thick and cloying fog which was impossible to ignore, but piercing through that terror, a single beam of emotion drew my attention. Hope.

Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.

“Perhaps,” he breathed, and I swear the entire world spun on its axis as the stars peered closer to listen to that one, impossible word.

I’ll make sure someone brings you some food,” she added, and Miguel’s eyes widened in shock and gratitude at the kindness. It didn’t surprise me though; the Vegas had suffered in hunger and coldness. She wouldn’t want anyone else to endure the same, even if they might turn out to be her enemy.

Theyre so good

But I had to admit that Tory was stepping into the role of ruler without so much as a flicker of hesitation, her actions strong and decisive, even if they were touched with harshness in the wake of all she’d lost.

“That’s the thing about dying,” Tory hissed venomously. “You give up the chance to want anything at all.”

“Do you really think so?” Tory challenged, a slight shimmer in the air between us making it clear that she’d placed a shield there so fast I hadn’t even noticed her casting it.

My heart stilled in shock, then free-fell inside my chest to splatter all over the floor in a bloody mess as I found myself standing off against him like that, my friend standing in defence of a Vega over his brothers.

WHY ARE YOU STILL SUPRISED. Hes been on their side for most of the books!! Hes done this before

“She needs to figure out this magic. And I swore an oath to help her do it.

“Jolly good.” Geraldine pranced away as if facing off against me meant absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of her day, and I resisted the urge to pout as I gave Tory’s actions my attention.

BUT YOUVE ALWYS KNOWN WHERE SHE STANDS POLITICALLY

“Vervain for aiding astral workings,”

STEFAN THE VERVAINNNN

“Did you find her?” Seth begged while Geraldine garbled on about the undeniable power of the true queens. “Yes,” Tory panted, and the look of horror on her face told me the answer before she even spoke it, her hands tightening to fists and fear dancing in her eyes. “And Orion was with her too. Lionel has them.”

THANK GOD THEVE FINALLY FIGURED EVERYTHING OUT I HATE THE SUSPENSE AND WAITING

If it had been my baby he’d come to kiss, I think I would have hurled myself and the child out of the window before allowing his poisonous mouth anywhere near it.

Real

I found Marguerite Helebor watching me with stern interest from her position standing beside it.

Except she wasn’t. Nothing had come of the hunt for us when she’d warned us to flee. Whatever had happened which had led to the K.U.N.T. raid on our meeting place, she’d hidden us from discovery.

We could die for this. I knew it. All of us knew it.

And we planned on reminding the world that not all of us bought into it.

The bravery is fucking incredible

There were clips of the Vega twins too, hugging each other, their love for one another clear in their eyes.

Awww my heart

Gary had done a beautiful job of making a graphic of a Phoenix bird fly around and leave a blazing trail behind it with the words ‘join the rebellion!’ in the flames.

I love this

The blazing graphic of the Phoenix burned through it all, giving way to a shining symbol of the bird with outstretched wings, the words Long Live the Vega Queens blazing beneath it.

The final balloon exploded right in front of the motherfucker, and Lionel threw an air shield up before him just like we’d expected. The blood red paint inside the balloon hit his shield, the magic woven into it making it form words against the shell of hardened air. All hail the king of bestiality who’s been fucking so-called lesser Orders in the ass since long before his reign began.

YES GUYS

As someone gripped the knob of the closet door from the other side, I said a silent goodbye to my family, hoping they knew how much I loved them and understood why I’d had to fight back against the man who would now be my end, even if it was only in that one, small way.

Marguerite’s shock lasted no more than a blink, her face returning to that unbreakable mask as she made a show of ruffling some of the coats beside me then drew back. “All clear,” she said blandly before swinging the door closed on us once more, saving my fucking ass for the second time and risking her own life with that treasonous lie.

Marguerite redemption huh

But instead of striking at her, he prowled around the desk and gripped her upper arms as he made her look into his eyes. “You will hunt for the rebels hiding within this school,” he commanded and the Coercion he laced his tone with was beyond thick, the power in it rough and brutal, undeniable.

DAMN

That certainly explained her very sudden and very firm stance on her allegiance to the king and he alone. She’d once shown more than a little interest in the Vegas. I’d been there when she’d hinted to Tory that she was excited to see what they would do with their power once they learned to control

Oh thank god

“Do not dare sneak into my chest like a thief in the night to snaff away my woes. I shall feel them in their fullness and tumble into their paltry pits if I must!” I crowed.

I wafted a hand at his grumbles, moving to the little wicker basket I’d made up this very morn, covered over with a cloth that had a salmon stitched into the cotton. I had hand-sewn it myself, using a needle made from the finest silver I could conjure with my earth Element. I flapped the cloth open and offered him the basket with a flourish, unveiling the various croissants and pain au chocolat I had baked in the shape of all his favourite sea creatures. His mouth fell open, slack-jawed like a hammerhead shark who’d lost its hammer. “Are they for me?” “Well who else? The cod’s kipper?”

Awwww

It seemed my lovely lobster was afflicted by hanger, and I would not forget it henceforth. “These are my favourite,” he said, all subdued now like a tame sea lion as he plucked a pain au chocolat from the basket.

“Gerry…” Max said sadly, and he let the door swing closed as he moved into the room, placing down his precious pastries and choosing me instead. Oh what a choice to make, for I was not nearly as crumbly nor sweet as a pain au chocolat.

Theyre so cute

Each time Orion was tortured, it took him longer and longer to come back to me, and it was breaking my heart.

was counting the marks left on my mate, promising them back to Lavinia tenfold with all the torment I could offer her, but it didn’t make it any easier, because it didn’t change anything here and now.

Orion never fought a single blow against him, facing each of them with a resilience that made me so goddamn proud. And if it was possible to love him even deeper, I did.

“Please come back to me,” I whispered in desperation, tears rolling quietly down my cheeks. “I’m so sorry that this is our fate.

Oh my girl