Zodiac Academy 2: Ruthless Fae

WE DESCENDED INTO the entrance hall, following Lionel and the other Celestial Councillors through long and winding corridors before emerging in a huge ballroom which was thronging with people. An incredible tapestry encompassing one entire wall depicted four giant dragons in red, gold, green and darkest blue, all sitting atop mountains of treasure. Fire swirled around them and emblazoned at the centre of it was a huge coat of arms with House Acrux stamped on the bottom in bold lettering.

The room was as opulent as the rest of the house with dark wood flooring and three impressive crystal chandeliers spanning the ceiling. At the far end of the hall was a string quartet, strumming instruments made entirely of gold. They played their tune to a dark and ominous rhythm which matched the uneven beat of my heart.

The finery of the party attendees was way over the top; the jewels and trinkets they wore were near blinding. Eyes turned our way as the butler announced Lionel and the other Councillors’ arrival, then the Heirs and finally us.

Everyone in the room clapped, straining their necks to make sure they got a good look at the two lost Vega Twins. Though their applause was vigorous, their expressions were calculating, assessing. Whispers were exchanged and sweat began to bead on my brow. I felt like a deer displayed before hunters even though not one of them had spoken a word to us yet. But those eyes said it all. We were a threat.

Someone clapped louder than everyone else in the room, moving through the crowd and parting it with his wide shoulders. My mouth parted as the man muscled his way to the front and recognition poured through me. From his handle-bar moustache, bald head and massive size, it was clear he was the man pictured in the photograph Astrum had gifted us. I glanced at Tory and she gave me a hopeful look.

“Bravo!” he shouted with gusto. “Good show! Great form!”

It was far too generous in response to us simply standing there like a couple of manikins, but he continued to clap while the rest of the crowd stopped applauding and fell into animated conversation with one another.

The Councillors dispersed along with the Heirs, falling into what seemed to be a well-accustomed routine of greeting everyone, shaking their hands and spending a few moments chatting.

Several more people gathered around the enthusiastic clapper, smiling keenly at us and I got the same awkward feeling I did when the A.S.S looked our way.

The man strode forward to greet us and I couldn’t believe he’d landed right in our laps.

“Forgive my language, your majesties, but ripen my grapes and call me Talulah, it is an absolute honour to meet you both.” He reached out a large palm and a laugh escaped me as I realised who this man simply must have been related to.

“Do you know Geraldine Grus by any chance?” I asked and he nodded vigorously.

“My daughter has told me simply everything about you – everything. But golly brambles! Where are my manners? You must think I’m an absolute rotter mouth and that I’m terribly impolite for not even giving you my name yet.” He bowed low, his hands twirling through the air either side of him and his legs crossed at the ankles. It was kind of impressive how low he got in such an awkward bow. People started laughing and muttering and my heart twitched in irritation. To counter the nasty jibes I heard spoken behind hands and into ears, I spoke my next words overly loudly. “Geraldine is one of the few people in the Academy whose shown us kindness, Mr Grus. We’re very grateful to know her.”

“Oh my salty sultanas, what a mighty compliment.” He flushed red, wafting his hand under his huge square chin. “Please, please forgive me, your majesties. My mouth has run away with me again. I’m quite ashamed of myself for speaking so crassly in front of you both. My name is Hamish Grus but do feel free to call me whatever name you desire in response to my lewd behaviour.” His friends laughed heartily behind him but not unkindly. They stepped closer, each introducing themselves and we were swept up in a sea of outrageous compliments which were almost as uncomfortable as the glares we were getting from the rest of the crowd.

“Crinkling cucumbers, do forgive me. How rude I am to keep you talking. Please continue with your circle of the room, we have harassed you far too long.” Hamish bowed low again, ushering away the other royalists and leaving us practically gasping for air.

“Well at least there’s a few people on our side here,” Tory said and I nodded, snatching a couple of glasses of champagne as a waiter went by with them, barely stopping for us.

“Hopefully we’ll get a chance to ask him about you-know-what later on,” I whispered as I passed Tory one of the glasses.

Tory nodded, sipping her drink. “That makes one good thing about this party.”

I spotted Orion slipping through the crowd at a fast pace and Lionel’s wife, Catalina, searching around as if looking for him. He swept past us, throwing a curt nod our way before heading on and my eyes dropped instinctively to his butt. Maybe there’s two things good about this party.

“Lionel seems like a charmer,” Tory commented.

I nodded, seeking Lionel out across the room, finding him staring right back at me. My heart leapt at his molten stare and I took a quick sip of my drink, forcing myself to hold eye contact with him. It was pretty difficult and my eyes felt like they were about to melt under the intensity of his gaze.

Someone walked in front of him and the second they passed by, he was gone. Like a god-damn ghost.

“Yup,” I agreed. “I’m sure he gives great hugs too.”

Tory released a wicked laugh, gazing wistfully over at the waiter who seemed to be actively avoiding us.

“Girls.” A hot hand slid onto my back accompanied by a wave of excitement. Max wrapped his arms around us both, drawing us closer and though I was aware that his power had a hold of us, the anticipation he was pumping into my blood was too good to ignore. “Let’s have some fun.” 

He steered us across the ballroom and through a door that led into a low-lit room which I could only describe as a smoking room. Do people really still have those? Apparently they did because a bunch of cigar stubs sat in a golden ashtray on the nearest table and the thick scent of tobacco hung in the air. Blood red armchairs sat around the space and to the right of them stood Darius beside a large oak writing desk. A row of shots were laid out across it in front of a bottle of vodka and my heart pumped harder as Max released me, his gifts fizzling out of my system.

Darius picked up a shot and knocked it back, releasing a satisfied ah after he swallowed it. He grabbed two more, holding them out for Tory and I but neither of us moved.

“I think I’ll get my drinks from a less shady room thanks,” I said, shaking my head.

“Yeah, I’m gonna decline the date rape.” Tory smiled hollowly and Darius scoffed.

“As if I’d need to drug you to get you in my bed,” Darius smirked.

“Keep dreaming, Dragon boy.” She planted a hand on her hip and I grinned.

We turned to leave and found Seth and Caleb stepping into the room. My heart juddered as they prowled forward, blocking our way out.

“Evening,” Caleb said, skirting around us, his eyes lingering on Tory.

Seth scratched behind his ear and I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.

“Gimme one of those.” He moved around us, scratching more vigorously as he grabbed a shot from the desk. He swallowed one then another before pawing at the back of his shirt and scratching his head again.

“What’s up with you, man?” Max frowned as Seth started raking under his arm.

“Nothing,” he spat, then let out a whine as he scratched himself too hard. I almost lost it when Tory hiccoughed a laugh.

“Almost seems like you’ve got fleas,” Darius said with a teasing smirk and Seth growled deeply.

“I do not have fleas,” he snarled and I couldn’t help the laugh that finally tore free from my throat. He turned, eyes sharpening to slits, but he said nothing.

“Mildred’s out there,” Caleb spoke to Darius. “Looks like she came dressed as Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage.”

Darius’s shoulders stiffened and he swiped up another drink. “Fuck my life.”

“Is that your precious fiancée?” Tory asked as we drifted closer to the door in preparation of leaving.

Darius’s lips pursed but he didn’t answer.

“He’s a bit touchy about it,” Caleb mock-whispered to us.

“I am not touchy,” Darius barked and Caleb backed up a step, but he was still grinning.

“That was convincing,” I murmured and Tory giggled.

All four pairs of the beast’s eyes slammed into us and I took that as our cue to leave. I caught the door handle but it swung wide again before we made our escape.

“I thought I saw you scurrying in here hubby-kins!” A girl in a vivid orange dress stepped into the room and I had to look up at her towering height and shoulders which nearly matched the breadth of the Heirs’. Her teeth protruded a little from her lower jaw and her eyes seemed to wander, never landing on one spot. Her hair was a massive brown frizz with a pink bow clipped into the top of it, perfectly matching the violently bright shade of her eyeshadow. 

She marched between Tory and I like we were made of paper, forcing us aside with her elbows as she charted a direct path for Darius.

“Mildred,” he said tersely, his eyes darkening as his bride-to-be reached out to him.

Caleb, Seth and Max sniggered as Mildred leaned in for a kiss and Darius only managed to stop her at the last second by planting his palm on her forehead with a loud clap.

“Not before the wedding,” he said firmly and I looked at Tory who was falling into a fit of silent laughter, clutching her side. I tried to smother the giggle that fought its way out of my chest but it floated free and Mildred rounded on us like a hungry animal.

“These must be the Vega Twins,” she said coldly. “Well don’t waste your time sniffing around my snookums. Daddy says he’s saving himself for our wedding night.”

Max roared with laughter and Mildred turned on him like a loaded weapon, jabbing him right in the chest. Max’s smile fell away as she glared at him like he was her next meal. “What are you laughing at you overgrown starfish?” she demanded, her eyes flashing red and her pupils turning to slits. “I’ve eaten bigger bites than you before, so don’t tempt me because I adore seafood.”

Max reached out, laying a hand on her bare arm, shifting it slightly as his fingers brushed a hairy mole. “Calm down Milly, we’re just having a bit of fun. We want to get to know Darius’s betrothed. Why don’t you have a shot?” He nodded to Caleb who promptly picked one up and held it one out for Mildred to take.

“Daddy says drinking will grow hairs on my chest,” she said, refusing it.

“Too late for that,” Seth said under his breath and the others started laughing.

A knot of sympathy tugged at my gut, but Mildred didn’t seem to care about their mocking. She stepped toward Seth with a wicked grin and his smile fell away. “Oh and what’s wrong with that exactly, Seth Capella? You like your girls hairy, don’t you?”

Seth gawped at her in answer. “What the hell does that mean?”

“You like mutt muff,” she answered, jutting out her chin and I noticed a few wiry hairs protruding from it.

Seth growled, scratching his stomach as he stepped forward. “I don’t screw girls in their Order form, idiot.”

“Maybe not, but you do, don’t you Caleb Altair?” She rounded on him and now I was really starting to warm to Mildred as she cut them all down to size. I settled in for the show, folding my arms and smiling as I waited for her to go on. “My sister’s boyfriend’s cousin said you like Pegasus butts. He even sent a video to Aurora Academy of you humping a Pegasex blow up doll and it went viral within a day.”

Caleb’s mouth fell open and his face paled in horror. “I didn’t hump it!”

“I didn’t watch the video, but everyone told me what was in it. Why would I want to see you screwing a plastic horse?” She shrugged then turned to Tory and I with absolutely no kindness in her eyes.

Oh crap.

“Do you always just stand there gawping like tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber? I thought you were supposed to pose a challenge to the throne of Solaria?”

“Actually we just want our inher-” Tory started but Mildred spoke loudly over her in her baritone voice.

“You do realise the only reason you’re at this party is because everyone wants to have a good laugh about how us Dragons are going to use you bony bodies as toothpicks after Darius and I ascend to our rightful place on the throne?” She moved closer, her head cocked and her mouth set into a sneer. “Why would anyone bow to a couple of Orderless, busty airheads?”

My teeth locked together as anger bloomed in my chest.

“I’m kinda fond of the busty part,” Caleb muttered and Seth fist bumped him.

“We’re not airheads-” I started, figuring I couldn’t really deny the other two things – dammit. “And the only reason we’re at this party is because Darius is helping out Tory in return. It’s tit for tat.”

“Darius would never give his tat for any of your tits!” she shrieked, smoke spewing from her nostrils.

Tory burst out laughing, but I sensed the danger in Mildred’s tone and hurriedly used what Professor Perseus had taught us, forcing a shield of air out around us. Fire streamed from Mildred’s open mouth and deflected over the shield in a powerful display of red and gold sparks. My heart hammered wildly as Mildred grunted her fury then stormed past us and exited the room. She slammed the door with a wall-shaking bang and my shoulders dropped with relief.

“Good thinking,” Tory said on a breath.

Darius sunk down into a chair and dropped his head into his hands. His friends grouped around him, their mocking expressions falling away. Seth nuzzled against Darius’s cheek and Max reached out, pressing his fingers to the back of his hand while Caleb started pacing back and forth in front of him.

I sensed this was the right time to leave and we both slipped out of the room without a word. We moved away, lingering on the edge of the crowd as I eagerly hunted for another glass of champagne. If there was one way to get through this night, it started with alco and ended in hol.

“This party is a bore, huh?” I turned at the sound of the voice, finding a man beside us who I guessed was in his early thirties. He wore a smart suit, his top button undone and his shining bronze hair swept back stylishly. His eyes glinted with coppery flecks and the smile he gave us was the friendliest I’d seen all night.

“Do we know you?” I frowned suspiciously.

“Not yet,” he said, swigging from a glass of champagne in his hand. “Do you want to?” His voice was smooth, not seductive but inviting all the same.

“I’m gonna say no,” Tory said.

“Sounds about right,” he muttered and I couldn’t help but notice how detached he was from the crowd, how he seemed to hover with nowhere to be. Just like us. “Have a fun night then.”

He gestured for us to leave but Tory and I shared a look, a decision passing between us to stay for a little longer.

“What’s your name?” Tory asked, her tone slightly warmer this time.

“Gustav Vulpecula.”

“That’s quite a name,” I said with a teasing grin and he flashed a bright-toothed smile at me.

“That it is. Handed down from father to son for generations. But do you want to know a secret?” He leaned in closer and the mischief in his eyes made Tory and I lean in too. “I hate it. So most people call me Gus.” He winked, stepping back.

“What brings you to the oh so mighty Dragon household?” Tory asked dryly and Gus chuckled.

He turned, sliding something off of his shoulder and I found a large camera in his hand. “I took some new portraits of Lady and Lord Acrux before the ball. You’ll all get one before the night is out.” His eyes trailed over us. “Well, maybe not you, huh? I hear there’s a little tension between you two and the Councillors.”

“Who told you that?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes. “The room, Miss Vega. I only need to look around and see the way they’re all looking at you.”

“Well you’re spot on. I’m pretty sure they hate us but they’re pretending not to. I’m Darcy,” I held out my hand. “This is Tory.”

He nodded, clasping our hands briefly. “At least I’m invisible here, I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of all those sharp stares like you two are.” He threw a glance over his shoulder at the door we’d exited. “Are the Heirs in there?”

“Yeah,” Tory rolled her eyes. “Being their usual dickish selves.”

I glanced at her quickly, unsure if she should mouth off about them in a room full of their supporters.

Gus looked between us with a serious expression, inching closer and lowering his voice. “You don’t speak to them like that do you? You’ve gotta be careful what you say to people with their kind of power.”

“Well they usually start it,” I said, pressing my lips together. I didn’t exactly want to discuss this but I wasn’t going to let this stranger make assumptions about us without defending ourselves.

“Like at the Fall party?” he whispered in a deathly quiet voice and I sucked in air.

“You know about that?” Tory demanded, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Of course. There’s nearly two thousand kids at that school. Sure, it was only a third page story instead of a front page due to Ling Astrum’s murder but still…” He shook his head, his expression sad. “You two have been through the mill. Did they really cut your hair off?” he asked me, eyeing my full locks in disbelief. “Or maybe that bit was exaggerated?”

“No,” I said sullenly. “Seth did it. And then he wore my hair on his wrist as a trophy.”

“He didn’t,” Gus breathed in shock. “How did he get so close to you?”

I hugged my arms, embarrassed as I whispered, “Well I stupidly kissed him.”

“Seth was acting nice all week,” Tory added. “Like he really cared about Darcy. It was vicious, just like them.”

“Shitting stars,” Gus said under his breath. “So they did try to drown you?” he asked Tory in horror and she nodded stiffly.

“In Lunar Leisure; they Coerced me to jump into the pool then froze the surface. Professor Orion had to get me out.”

Gus let out a low whistle. “Sounds like it’s been hell. I’m sorry.” He frowned sympathetically. We fell into a discussion about that night and it felt kind of good to open up about it. Even Tory and I hadn’t really spoken about it since. And I was starting to feel like we had at least a few people on our side here.

Orion bowled through the crowd like an oncoming storm and grabbed both of Tory and I’s arms.

“What are you doing?” I gasped as I tried to pull my hand free.

He bared his fangs at Gus, his eyes flaring with rage. “Get the fuck out of here.”

Gus released a dogish bark then scuttled off into the crowd, disappearing in an instant.

“Shit,” Orion hissed, glancing around as people looked our way. He tugged us closer, his eyes flitting between us and my heart hammered violently in my chest at his expression.

“That guy is a Teumessian Fox and a damn reporter,” he hissed.

“A reporter?” I echoed in alarm.

“Yes and he used his Order gifts on you. Foxes are sly, they get under you defences, befriend you then draw the truth from your lips. Why Lionel thought it was a good idea to let…” He trailed off, glancing over his shoulder and drawing us further into the corner of the room. “Dammit, Lionel set you up. Fuck. What did you tell that guy?”

“We told him about the night of the Fall party,” Tory said in horror.

Orion nodded stiffly. “Most of that has been leaked anyway, so you’d better count your lucky stars that he didn’t get anything more damning on you. If anyone else starts asking about that night or your time at the Academy run the hell away, got it?”

We both nodded and he rolled up his sleeves, turning away.

I caught his arm. “Where are you going?”

He gave me a dark smile that set my pulse racing. “Fox hunting.” He shot off into the crowd and my hair was pulled forward by his momentum.

“Shit, I hate these people,” Tory hissed and I nodded, a scowl pulling at my face.

“The sooner we’re taught to defend ourselves against other Orders, the better.”

“Grain-free granola, these champagne bubbles are going right through me. Which way to the bathroom?” Hamish Grus called out in his booming voice, appearing further along the ballroom.

“Let’s go after him and make this party worthwhile,” I whispered and Tory nodded, her mind clearly on the same track.

“We’ll corner him outside the bathroom,” she said.

We hurried after him as someone gave Hamish directions through a door and along a vast corridor. We held back as we followed and Hamish strode off ahead, humming to himself as he went. He soon turned through a door and the scent of potpourri carried from within it.

We stopped beneath a painting of a Dragon who appeared to be eating a Pegasus whole, its yellow legs protruding from the beast’s jaws.

Nice.

Hamish reappeared and we pretended to be admiring the painting as he approached.

“Well bless my goslings, a solo audience with the Royal Heirs. How the stars are shining on me today.” He bowed low and we smiled kindly, patiently waiting for his display to end.

“It’s quite the piece, huh?” Tory jerked her chin toward the painting and Hamish looked at it, his eyes darkening to pitch.

“It’s a filthy insult to the Solarian Orders. Dragons are not better than any other, they just like to think they are.” He moved nearer, waggling his finger angrily at the picture. “They’re a bunch of slippery wangadoodles if you ask me.” He cupped his mouth in disgust at what he’d just said. “Do forgive me, your highnesses, I don’t normally have such a dung tongue, but I just get so wound up when it comes to equality.” He shook his fist.

“You’re honestly not offending us,” I promised. “And I totally agree with you.” I grimaced at the picture. “If this is what all the Dragons are like, I don’t want anything to do with them.”

“Professor Orion seems very close with Darius,” Tory said airily and I assessed Hamish’s reaction closely.

He pursed his lips, nodding stiffly. “That grizzly gherkin and his family have always worked closely with the Acruxes.” His brows knitted together sharply. “Unfortunately, that relationship doesn’t always work in the Orions’ favour.” He sighed sadly and I sensed we were getting closer to what we wanted to know.

“Mr Grus…do you know someone called Clara Orion?” I asked tentatively.

His spine straightened and he glanced up and down the hall. “Gravy balls, where did you hear that name?”

“Just from one of the students at school,” Tory said quickly and Hamish nodded slowly.

He smoothed down his large moustache, his lips twitching as he seemed to decide what to say. “This is entirely classified, but as you are the true rulers of my kingdom, I will divulge to you what I know on the subject. You see, after your poor mother and father were murdered, my gifts as a Royal Constable were better served in the FIB. I joined them for many years but the last case I worked for them four years ago…” He shifted uncomfortably, looking up and down the hall again. “It was the disappearance of a young woman called Clara Orion.”

“Did you find her?” I breathed.

He shook his head, his expression grave. “No, things got very shady indeed while I conducted my search. My investigation led me to the door of the Acruxes. The last time she was seen alive was here, you see, in this very house.”

My heart thundered in my ears and a cold ball of ice formed in my stomach.

“I pushed for a more thorough search of his grounds and for Lionel to give more information about why Clara didn’t make it home that night. But between him and Clara’s mother, Stella, I could get nothing from them. The bond between their families is iron clad. Even Stella wasn’t forthcoming with information about her own daughter. In fact, the only one who seemed devastated by the loss of Clara, was her brother, Lance Orion.”

A pang of sympathy pulled at my heart for Orion. Whatever had happened to his sister, I had the feeling it was something terrible.

Hamish glanced along the hallway back toward the ballroom. “I fear the Acruxes have ears everywhere in this place,” he said ominously. “Come, let us return to the party.” He marched off down the corridor and Tory and I headed after him. 

Questions whirled in my mind, but the moment we stepped back into the ballroom, the crowd descended on us. We were showered with false compliments and dragged in two separate directions as the vultures took their pieces of meat at last. 

Behind their smiles was a calculating gleam which unsettled me to my core. And I wondered if any of them were keeping wicked secrets for the Acruxes that involved Clara Orion.