Zodiac Academy 2: Ruthless Fae

I WOKE TO the sound of wind chimes jingling on my Atlas and joy beamed through me as I shot out of bed.

Today is the day!

My heart jumped excitedly as I raced across my room to the bottle which sat in the light of the morning sun before the window. The yellow crystal emitted a bright glow where it floated at the bottom of the liquid. It had turned entirely clear just like the instructions had said it would. Yay!

I used the star chart on my Atlas to angle myself toward the North Star then sat down on the floor with the bottle, taking a steadying breath. I prayed with all my heart that this would work as I unscrewed the top and the scent of something heavenly sweet reached my nose.

Here goes nothing.

I tipped it into my mouth and was delighted by the delicious taste, swallowing a small mouthful before stopping. I didn’t want to risk the chance that I’d gotten the recipe wrong and was about to accidentally poison myself.

I reached up to touch my hair, hope burning through me like a shining star.

Come on. Please grow.

My eyes watered as I waited, tugging at my locks, begging it to extend. “Grow out dammit.”

I skimmed my fingers over the bald patch at the back of my head and the tears burned more keenly, threatening to fall.

Soft, luscious hair pushed into my palm and a squeal of excitement escaped me as a new inch grew all over my head.

“Yes!” I stood up, tipping the bottle into my mouth and pouring it all down my throat.

I ran to the bathroom, whipping the door open and hurrying to the basin to look in the mirror. It was already longer, down to my chin, then my neck, my shoulders.

I whooped my delight, jogging on the spot as I ran my fingers through the dark, silky locks. They tumbled all the way down my back, perhaps even a little longer than I’d had it before. I wound it around my fingers and reached beneath it to check for bald patches. Nothing. I was whole again. And I felt stronger than I ever had.

I hurried back to my room with a fire roaring in my heart.

I snatched my Atlas, tapping on my horoscope with a wide smile on my face. I had to endure detention with Orion today whilst stuck in the company of the Heirs, but even that wasn’t capable of dousing my mood.

Good morning Gemini.

The stars have spoken about your day!

You’ll find yourself at the mercy of a Libra today, but take heart, Libras tend to offer fairness in everything they do. If you follow the natural push and pull of your signs, you’ll find the day flows much more smoothly. Beware though, as Mercury moves closer to retrograde in the coming weeks, the stars are feeling more volatile. A simple flip of a coin could change your day for the better, or for much worse.

Your actions will decide which way the wind blows.

Okay so that sounded fairly positive. The smile was still stamped on my face and I was going to ensure the stars kept it there for the remainder of the day.

I didn’t have long before I had to meet Orion in Jupiter Hall to commence my detention – please don’t be a beating! – so I hurried to The Orb to grab some breakfast beforehand.

Campus was peacefully quiet, the only sound the chirruping dawn chorus and the rustle of leaves in the wind. Shadows shifted overhead and I cupped my hand with my eyes, gazing up to spot a group of Harpies sailing under the light of dawn.

I hadn’t seen any in their shifted form before and I marvelled at their beauty. Apart from their bird-like characteristics, they still looked mostly Fae. Their wings held a silvery hue which flashed pink in the rising sun. Their bodies were plated with bronze and copper armour and their feet had morphed into sharp talons.

Laughter carried down from them as they cartwheeled and twisted through the air and for a moment I was captivated watching them. My mother had belonged to their Order. And the sight of them playing in the sky made me hope I might emerge as one of them too. Her blood ran in my veins but so did my father’s. A Hydra. I shuddered at the idea of it. I certainly didn’t want to be a fifty headed giant beast roaming around campus like an extra in Jurassic Park. No thanks.

When I walked into The Orb, I found the place predictably empty. Not even Geraldine was up this early to put on her usual breakfast feast for us. Though that was probably because she’d finally figured out Tory didn’t show her face for anyone before nine am on the weekends. And even that was a rarity.

I headed to the pristine buffet of shining pastries and vats of cereal which were ready and waiting as always. I never saw a single member of staff in the Academy outside of the faculty so I wondered if this kind of work was done by magic.

I helped myself to a croissant and a cup of coffee, glancing around the large room and wondering where to sit. My eyes fell on the Heirs’ curved red sofa as I took a large bite out of my pastry.

I can’t sit there.

Can I?

Feeling high on the buzz that invaded me, I weaved through the tables and found myself standing before it. I glanced around to double check I was alone then dropped down at the heart of it, placing my coffee on the table. I felt the same rush I imagined Goldilocks had felt in the three bears’ house and a giggle escaped me as a few crumbs cascaded down onto the seats either side of me.

My gaze kept flipping to the door. I knew I was playing with fire; the Heirs had detention with me today and they would surely grab some breakfast before it started. But it felt too good defying them for me to stop.

When I’d swallowed the last bite of my croissant, I picked up my coffee and jerked it toward me a bit too hastily, splashing it across the plush surface (and okay a bit on my knees).

Oh shit.

I stood up, heading back to the breakfast table to grab a few napkins when the door opened. I moved like the wind, dropping into the closest chair, my heart pounding wildly as the four Heirs strolled in one after the other.

I refused to look over at the coffee stained sofa, instead focusing on finishing my drink with my head angled away from them and my hair creating a curtain between us.

“Get me a pan au chocolat, Max,” Seth demanded, dropping into his seat before immediately springing back up. “Ergh! What the fuck?”

“What?” Darius asked, yawning as he moved to join him.

“Someone spilled coffee on my seat.”

Haha sucker.

Max headed over to the breakfast table, throwing a glance my way, his scowl deepening. But thankfully he didn’t utter a word.

“I thought your sister was the one joining us in detention?” Caleb suddenly purred in my ear and I jolted in alarm. He leaned in close to my neck, shifting my hair away so he could gain access to my throat. His lips brushed gently over my skin and I jerked away in horror.

“I’m not Tory,” I blurted, pushing him back and lurching out of my seat in the same movement. And does he always touch my sister so freaking intimately?

Caleb stared at me with a crease on his brow. “Is that supposed to be a joke?” He grinned playfully but I shook my head, sensing all of the Heirs looking my way now.

Seth rubbed the back of his damp pants, stalking toward me with his eyes narrowed. “Who helped you?” he growled, his voice void of warmth.

I stood my ground, my hand clamped tightly around my coffee cup. “I helped myself. I can read a library book, Seth. It’s not rocket science.”

His eyes narrowed to even sharper slits as he glowered at my full head of hair. I slowly brought the coffee to my lips and took a sip, desperately trying not to show how intimidated I felt. But that feeling wasn’t as powerful as the song spilling from my heart in response to his expression. Because I’d won. And that tail of blue hair around his wrist didn’t mean as much as it had yesterday.

His gaze fell to the coffee cup in my hand and my heart juddered. A dark grin pulled at his mouth and he folded his arms. “Hey guys, it looks like this Vega was trying out the throne this morning.” He stepped closer and the shadows of the other Heirs drew in.

My mouth dried up as my eyes flicked between them, fear slithering through my body.

“Did you sit on our couch?” Max asked like I’d done a whole lot worse.

“You don’t own it,” I blurted before I could stop myself.

The group closed in tighter and the hairs raised on the back of my neck.

Crap crap crap. I should not have pissed off the bear family. Goldilocks definitely got eaten in the original version of that story.

“Actually, sweetheart, we do own it,” Caleb said. “This place would be nothing without the Celestial Families funding it.”

“So apologise,” Max whispered close to my ear, but he didn’t use his Siren powers against me.

I pressed my lips together, refusing to say it. If I did, I’d be giving in. Bowing to their display of power. And even if I suffered the consequences for it, I had to stand my ground.

Just please don’t take my hair again.

Darius toyed with a small sphere of flame in his palm. “Why did Orion give you detention, Gwendalina?”

I glowered at the name, watching as the magic in his hand twisted and writhed.

“That’s between me and him.”

“Oohh secrets with Orion,” Seth taunted. “You always did give him the fuck-me eyes. Are you in trouble for trying to spread your legs for a teacher, babe? Guess the students aren’t interested so you had to look elsewhere. I’ll make sure to ask him for all the details later.”

The poison in his words slid into my veins and I dug deep for my courage, hunting for a response to his vicious question. “Well I guess that’s the difference between us Seth. I’d spend the rest of the afternoon vomiting if anyone gave me details about your sex life. But you seem awfully interested in mine.” My heart thumped an erratic tune as I latched onto the one insult that I knew had gotten under his skin. The beating Tyler had taken for suggesting Seth was interested in me was a clear indicator of how much it bothered him. And though I knew I wasn’t going to come out of this altercation unscathed, I also knew that standing my ground was the only way to survive this Academy. Besides, after reuniting with my hair I was still determined to stay on top of the world today. No matter what.

“Maybe that’s why she’s here,” Max chided and I turned to him with a questioning frown. “So Orion can spread them again.”

“Screw you,” I hissed, blood thumping against every inch of my skin.

“Back off,” Darius said, surprising me. “Orion wouldn’t lay a hand on the daughter of The Savage King. He’s got more class than that.”

Caleb knocked his shoulder into Darius’s. “I forgot you two were little buddies.”

“We’re not little buddies,” Darius said flatly but broke a smile when Caleb turned away.

“No we are definitely not, Mr Acrux,” Orion’s voice cut across the room and the group split apart to look for him. He stood in the doorway in a t-shirt and jeans, looking like one of us with his casual clothes and youthful appearance. I wondered how much older than us he actually was; it couldn’t have been more than a few years. “Especially since you all left me waiting in Jupiter Hall. You’ve all just added an extra two hours to your day which means the sun will be long gone by the time you head to eat whatever scraps are left for dinner this evening.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Max huffed and my heart sank a little.

Dammit, why is this day trying to ruin my mood?

Darius checked his watch, frowning at Orion. “You picked today to be on time for the first time in your life?”

“Yup,” Orion popped the P, grinning darkly. “I have plenty in store for you and I just can’t wait to get started.” He looked to me with a frown. “Where’s your sister?” he asked sharply.

“Um here?” I said and his frown deepened. “I pushed a hand into my hair. I’m Darcy, sir.”

“Oh,” he whispered, his throat bobbing. “Well, follow me.” He headed out of the door with a dark smile that made my stomach knot.

Max shouldered roughly past me, followed by Seth shoving into my other shoulder. Douchebags.

I left a few yards between us as I followed, leaving my coffee cup down on a table as I went, wondering whether I was really going to get away with the sofa incident.

Orion strode off at a brisk pace ahead of the group, making a beeline for The Wailing Wood. From the carefree aura hanging around the Heirs I assumed we weren’t about to be beaten and left to die in the forest.

I relaxed a little as we headed into the trees and the Heirs paid me no attention. Orion cut a path all the way through to The Howling Meadow and I frowned as he halted in front of a set of shovels. He turned to face us, his eyes sparkling with one of those grins that said he was about to do something wicked. “The first half of your detention will be spent digging an eight foot deep hole in the meadow.”

My heart clenched uncomfortably. Was he for real? I wasn’t exactly built for hard labour with my puny arms and small stature.

Caleb snatched up a shovel and Orion caught hold of it the end before he walked off. “You will be digging the hole as a team, Altair.”

Caleb groaned. “You know our Order work better alone.”

“So do the Dragons and I don’t hear Darius complaining. Now get to work. No magic.” Orion folded his arms, his expression saying the time for questions was over.

I arched a brow at the way he’d casually called Darius by his first name. And when he passed him a shovel, Darius even thanked him. It seemed like Geraldine’s theory about them was spot on. They were a lot more than little buddies. They were bonded by those marks on their arms.

Darius stalked off with the other guys and I moved forward to collect my shovel. Orion scooped it up, holding it out for me. Before I took it he caught my hand, brushing his thumb across my palm and sending a shiver through me. He repeated the process on the other hand then pressed his index finger to his lips. “That’ll stop your skin chaffing,” he whispered.

I stared at him in complete surprise as he passed me the shovel and moved aside.

“Thank you,” I said, confused as I stepped past him, making my way through the high grass and colourful array of meadow flowers as I walked toward the Heirs. The four of them had formed a circle and were already getting to work digging the hole.

My chest compressed as I drew closer, expecting them to look up and hurl abuse at me at any moment. It wasn’t abuse that got hurled though, a shovel full of mud flew my way and slapped me right in the face.

“Ah!” I yelped, spitting out mud as they all roared with laughter. “Jerks.”

“DROP AND GIVE ME FIFTY SETH CAPELLA!” Orion boomed and I wiped the mud from my eyes, spotting him climbing up onto a high chair that looked more fitting for a lifeguard than a vampire in a field.

Who the hell put that there?

Seth was already half way through his set of push-ups as I joined the circle, pulling back my new hair which was now speckled with mud as I took a band from my wrist and tied it into a knot. I placed myself between Caleb and Darius, wanting to be as far from the other two as possible. Not that Darius and Caleb were much of an improvement but neither of them were the guy who’d cut off my hair or the one who’d drawn my deepest fear from my lips.

Darius worked like a machine, throwing his weight into the shovel and slamming his boot down on the rim to dig it deeper. I tried to mimic his style, forcing the shovel as deep into the earth as I could manage before tossing the dirt behind me into a pile.

My pile was noticeably smaller than the others’ as they worked together, taking a deep slice off of the earth already.

I soon had to catch my breath, desperate for water as I wiped sweat and mud from my brow.

“Vega!” Orion beckoned me and I was grateful to put the shovel down. I was a little dizzy as I walked up to his high metal chair where he was sitting a few feet above my head. He now had a large umbrella set up over it and a flask of coffee in his hand which he’d apparently brought with him. His Atlas was propped on his knee and he looked like he was thoroughly enjoying his morning as he gazed down at my mud stained skin with a bright smile. Thanks to his magic, at least I didn’t have any blisters on my hands.

“Water.” Orion waved his hand and water gathered in the air before me, circling into a glistening sphere. Orion tossed me a cup and I caught it at the last second. The water dropped straight into it with a splash and I guzzled it down greedily,

“That’s favouritism, sir!” Caleb called.

“You’re right, how rude of me!” Orion shouted back, lifting a hand and a torrential waterfall poured down on all of the heirs. Max crowed like a cockerel, pounding his chest, seemingly spurred on by the downpour. The others didn’t seem quite as happy as the water continued to fall down on them.

A laugh rushed from my throat and Orion threw me a wink. “So I’m having a little trouble, Miss Vega.”

“With what, sir?”

“Telling you apart from your sister,” he said in a low voice that I imagined only I could hear through the torrential storm he was still casting over the Heirs. “And you never did answer my question. Blue or green?”

A smile twisted up my lips and I shrugged, deciding to leave him in continued suspense over that question, walking back to join the group.

“I want an answer by sundown,” he called after me and my grin grew even wider.

Never gonna happen, Professor Two Personalities.

I headed into Orion’s downpour as it eased to a localised rain shower. I sighed as it cooled my heated skin and washed away the mud coating my clothes. I stooped down to pick up my shovel but Darius got there first, whipping it up and tossing it to Seth. Seth threw it to Max and he threw it to Caleb. I darted forward to take it and Caleb launched it over my head back to Darius with a bark of laughter.

“For god’s sake,” I huffed, not buying into their game as I folded my arms.

Darius held it out to me and I moved to take it. I wrapped my fingers around the end and he tugged sharply to draw me toward him. My foot slipped in the mud and someone’s foot shot in front of me to finish me off. I landed on my back with a loud splat and laughter rang out around me.

“GIVE ME FIFTY ALTAIR!” Orion bellowed so I guessed Caleb had been the one to trip me. I got to my feet with a grimace, wiping my muddy hands down my jeans.

“He’s gone full Pitball coach. It was only a bit of fun,” Caleb muttered, stepping out of the rain and dropping down to do his set. I couldn’t help but notice the swell of his muscular arms as he moved up and down at a fierce pace. I turned away, internally berating myself as I dug my shovel into the ground. The water made the mud easier to shift and I threw a huge scoop over my shoulder with relief.

“Argh!” Caleb cried and I gasped as I realised I’d thrown the load all over him.

He jumped to his feet, his mouth skewing into a grin and my heart slowed a fraction as I mirrored his smile. “Better watch it, Vega,” he said as he passed me but it didn’t hold any of the nastiness the other Heirs kept flinging my way.

“Raindrops keep falling on my head,” Seth sang, his white shirt having turned entirely transparent to reveal his muscular body “But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turning red, crying’s not for me. Cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complaining-”

“Shut the fuck up!” Orion shouted. “I’m trying to concentrate here.”

“Watching porn again, sir?” Seth shot at him with a smirk.

“Yeah, your mom’s really improved since the last edition,” he answered without missing a beat and Seth’s face dropped into a scowl as a laugh tore from my throat.

“Do you know who is always watching porn?” Max chipped in.

“You?” the three other guys answered in unison.

They all burst out laughing and I fought the urge to join in.

“Hilarious,” Max said dryly. “I meant Washer. He snuck off in class the other day to rub one out.”

“Liar,” Darius laughed while I wrinkled my nose.

“Psh,” Caleb waved down Darius. “I don’t even have water magic, but every time I go into their territory I hear Washer watching porn. That guy has got a lust addiction I swear.”

“I believe that,” I said to myself, but everyone turned to me, brows raised as if they couldn’t believe I’d dared to join in on their conversation. I tucked a loose lock of hair behind my ear, feeling awkward under their scrutiny.

“Oh yeah, how come?” Caleb asked, giving me a bemused look.

“He’s taken over my Tarot class,” I said, feeling a little uncomfortable with them all looking at me. “But we’re not even reading cards, he made us do palmistry so he can paw at everyone.”

“Ha, no way,” Caleb laughed. “Sucks for the girls.”

“Not just them, bro,” Darius said. “Have you seen the outfits the guys have to wear for Water Elemental class? That creep wants to see my junk every time I show up there.”

“I know, and could the bathing suits be any more low cut on the girls?” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Don’t say that in front of him or he’ll find a way to make it happen,” Darius joked with me and I laughed along a little nervously.

Holy shit, the Dragon is actually talking to me like an equal for once.

I noticed Seth watching our interaction with a glower. He flipped a glance at Orion then continued working, the sight of the braid of hair on his wrist setting me on edge again.

It was midday by the time the hole was dug and we stood at the bottom of an eight foot pit, ankle deep in mud, soaked to the bone and tired as hell. Well I was anyway. The past few hours, I’d lost my footing so many times I was covered in filth but I’d done my bit. My aching arms were a testament to that.

“Right I hope you all enjoyed your morning as much as I did,” Orion called down to us. “Up you get.”

Caleb created a slim platform of earth which spiralled up beneath him so he could jump out at the top. Max propelled himself up with a blast of air from his palms and Darius scored a path into the wall of the pit with fire, creating a passage up to the top. Seth propelled himself out with air too and I rubbed my fingers together, my mouth dry as all five of them stared down at me, waiting expectantly. I knew I could have just used Darius’s path but I wanted to do it myself and prove my competence.

Max sniggered, elbowing Darius beside him who broke a grin.

I was getting better and better at controlling my air powers and as I shut my eyes to block out the four mocking faces angled my way, I felt for the pressure of air in my body, pushing it out of my hands. 

I shot up to the top at high speed and triumph soared through me. I realised a heartbeat too late I’d forgotten to aim and crashed into Seth full force, taking him to the ground. He stared up at me in shock and I scrambled off of him with my cheeks flaming. Someone held a hand out for me and I looked up, finding Darius there.

“Poor effort,” he said with a smirk and I reluctantly took his hand as he dragged me upright.

Orion gazed at us with a flicker of amusement in his eyes then pointed at Caleb. “Altair, fill in that hole.”

Caleb stepped forward, wielding the mounds of dirt around him and forcing it all down into the hole we’d wasted the entire morning digging. Although, as I glanced between our group and thought about the way a couple of the Heirs had treated me like an actual human being a few times today, I wondered if it wasn’t wasted after all.

Orion led us back to the centre of campus and all the way up to Jupiter Hall. We headed inside and followed him across the atrium to a stairwell beyond a large marble archway. He climbed up several floors at a brisk pace and we jogged after him, soon arriving in a long corridor and stopping beneath a hatch in the ceiling.

Orion jumped up, catching hold of the tab, his shirt riding up as he did so and giving me a glimpse of his tightened abs. My cheeks flushed hot and desire unfurled in my belly. I noticed Seth’s gaze lingering on him too and was only mildly surprised to realise he clearly swung both ways.

As I turned away from Orion to hide my blush, I spotted a row of metal trowels and large black gloves laid across a cushioned window seat. I frowned as I tried to work out what we were about to do.

Orion pulled down a ladder and I stared up at the clouds above, the sound of the wind whipping by overhead.

“Up,” he instructed as we stared at him. He passed out the trowels and thick gloves to the Heirs as they went ahead and disappeared onto the roof.

“You’re all wet,” he pointed out, his eyes raking down my body. I nodded in answer, unable to make my tongue work as he passed me a trowel and a pair of gloves. “Have they not taught you to dry yourself in your Air Elemental class yet?”

“No, sir.”

He looked so inviting, his expression tugging me in and his eyes lighting a blaze that swirled in my chest. 

“Useless. Well up you go then,” he said and I moved toward the ladder, taking hold of the first rung.

Orion stepped up close behind me and his fingers brushed my waist, barely perceptible but I felt it everywhere. It scored a line of goosebumps across my back and a heavenly shiver fluttered up my spine. Heated air pushed under my clothes, drying them out almost instantly.

“Thank you,” I whispered for the second time today. What’s gotten into him?

He took hold of the ladder either side of my hands. “Up,” he breathed against my cheek and hot wax seemed to pour down each of my legs, making it almost impossible to move. But somehow, I managed it.

I climbed up to the hatch, my breath stalling as I arrived on top of Jupiter Hall. The roof was covered with red tiles, dropping into a gentle slope on either side of me and reaching toward a sheer drop below. Orion jumped up beside me and turned me around to face the other end of the roof where the Heirs were grouped together, looking grim.

Coating the tiles was a thick, grey substance which resembled cement.

“A Griffin who shall not be named came up here the other day,” Orion announced. “Drunk and in his Order form. Apparently whatever he’d just eaten didn’t agree with him.”

“Oh my god,” I breathed, realising what the mess was.

“Griffin shit is seriously nasty,” Orion continued brightly. “It dries as hard as rock and can give you a burning, blotchy purple rash for days if you get it on your skin.”

The Heirs immediately started pulling on their gloves, all except Max who folded his arms and shook his head. “I’m not doing that. I’ve got sensitive skin. I’ll get ten times more of a rash than anyone else who touches that shit.”

My ears pricked up at that. That sounds like something I’d love to see.

His friends started laughing and Orion gave him a weary look. 

“If you refuse, you can forget about playing in the match against Starlight Academy next week.”

“But sir! My dad’s coming to watch that game,” Max complained.

“So get cleaning,” Orion growled and his tone sent a quiver through me. When he wasn’t directing his harsh tone at me, it was super hot.

Max pulled on the gloves, muttering curse words under his breath as he knelt near a pile of the Griffin excrement and started chipping away at it. The second he worked a lump free, a sickly smell rose into the air like rotting cabbage.

Caleb bent over and retched and Orion wrinkled his nose.

“Down wind Altair,” Orion encouraged, covering his face as he walked to the other end of the roof.

Caleb pulled his shirt up over his nose and changed positions so the wind was blowing away from him. I moved to kneel beside my own pile of poo and released a sigh as I started scraping it off of the tiles with my trowel.

I soon had to lift my own shirt up and cover my nose, the stench becoming too much as more and more of the stuff was broken away. When no one was looking, I pocketed a lump of it, hoping Tory and I might be able to use it in revenge against Max. Imagine if we could get it all over him somehow, his beautiful face would be all splotchy and purple…

Orion provided some large buckets and I shared one with Caleb as we filled it while Max took on the role of carting it back and forth to dump it in The Wailing Wood.

As the sun sank lower in the sky and I started to daydream about food and a hot shower, I noticed Darius was slacking off, sitting on the far edge of the roof with Orion. Their backs were to us and they chatted in low voices. Occasionally their laughter drifted our way. Caleb and Seth would look up and glare at them, then get back to work.

Max reappeared from his last trip to the woods, floating up from the ground using the power of air and hovering above us all as he wasted some time gliding along.

Orion was too engrossed chatting to Darius to notice and the other Heirs took it as a signal to stop working. I concentrated on my work, turning my back on them and hoping Orion would call time on this detention soon. The sun seemed to be taking longer than ever to reach the horizon today.

“Hey peaches,” Max said, dropping the bucket near me and making me jump. “What was the reason you got detention again?”

“She didn’t say,” Caleb replied for me, dropping down beside me.

Max rested his hand on my shoulder and I jerked away in panic, lifting a palm to defend myself. Before the magic even tingled my fingertips, his influence took over, sending a flood of trust and calm right through to my bones.

“So?” Max pressed.

“I stole stardust from Orion’s office,” I breathed and I spotted Seth moving closer, his interest clearly piqued. He’d tied his hair up in a knot atop his head which highlighted the razor sharp angles of his cheek bones.

“Stardust?” Seth questioned. “What for?”

“We were gonna go home,” the words escaped my lips and a small, internal voice screamed at me for revealing that.

The three of them shared a look and a calculating expression crept onto Seth’s face. He raised a palm, painting lines in the air and a strange trickling sensation swept over me.

Max grinned, glancing at Orion and Darius who were still facing away from us as they sat on the roof’s edge.

“Hey Professor Dickshit!” Max shouted and my mind reeled when neither Orion or Darius responded, clearly unable to hear him.

“Perfect,” Seth said coldly. “Let her go, Max.”

“Dude, Orion is right there,” Caleb hissed, shaking his head as Max released me.

The pressure of his power slowly ebbed from my chest and fear found me instead. Seth yanked me to my feet, drawing me into the cage his body created.

“Get your hands off of me,” I snarled, drawing magic to my fingertips. Fire flared and I grabbed his arms in a moment of pure adrenaline, searing his flesh. Seth gritted his teeth, hauling me toward the edge of the roof and refusing to let go.”Why didn’t you leave?” he demanded, his eyes flashing with something that almost looked like fear.

“Stop it!” I snapped as Max’s laughter hit my ears. Caleb looked between everyone, his jaw set and a dark frown on his face.

The scent of singed skin carried to my nose, but Seth was wild, his eyes flaring as he refused to release me. “Why?!” he shoved me into Max’s arms and the second he touched me, I was putty in their hands again.

“Why?” Max repeated in my ear as his power coiled around my tongue and made me give the answer they wanted.

“Because this feels like our home. We belong here.”

“I knew it.” Seth threw an accusing finger at me. “They do want the throne.”

All three Heirs suddenly went flying backwards through the air and I gasped in surprise as they were thrown over the edge of the roof. Instead of falling they were flipped upside down, dangling as if held by their ankles above the sheer drop below.

Orion stormed past me, his sleeves rolled up and his expression a fiery pit of rage. “You cast a fucking silence spell behind my back? Are you asking to get expelled?!” he roared.

Darius moved to my side, tucking his hands into his pockets as he gazed up at his friends with a tight-lipped expression.

“ANSWER ME!” Orion bellowed and I spotted students down on campus pointing up at the Heirs dangling above the pathway below.

“No sir,” they spoke in unison.

Seth’s hair had come free of his man bun and was flying around him in the breeze. He tried to hold it back but I was pretty sure Orion increased the wind pressure to place him in an even stormier gust.

“Is that the Celestial Heirs?” a voice carried to me from below then laughter and gasps followed.

I imagined FaeBook was blowing up right about now and a bubble filled my chest, replacing my anxiety at their threatening behaviour.

Max stared down at the ground angrily as the students started taking photographs. “You’ve made your point, Professor. Let us down.”

“Fine,” Orion growled, waving a hand and his magic released them.

I gasped in shock as they plummeted towards the ground, running to the edge with my heart hammering like crazy.

Seth flipped himself upside down, landing lightly on his feet with all the grace of an angel, while Max spun through the air, making a show for the onlookers on a magical breeze. Caleb caught himself on a pillar of land, creating steps to descend down to the pathway and taking a bow for the students standing there.

I pursed my lips as their fan base fell about them, clapping and giggling.

“Damn,” Orion muttered, moving to my side. “I hoped at least one of them would go splat.” I didn’t know whether he was joking or not but Darius barked a laugh. So apparently he was.

“They’re untouchable,” I whispered, unable to take my eyes off of the group below as my hands curled into tight fists.

“No one’s untouchable,” Orion said in a rumbling tone that struck a deep chord in my heart. “You just have to find the right buttons to push, Blue.” He lowered his voice to a secret whisper, leaning in close. “Or is it Green?”