Zodiac Academy 2: Ruthless Fae

TORY’S RUN-IN with Max last night was all we could talk about over breakfast. He might have been a total asshole, but that Siren song thing was kinda screwed up. And though we may have had his deepest fear in our grip now, we weren’t gonna stoop to his level and exploit it. Besides, the knowledge that Tory knew his darkest secret was probably enough to torture him psychologically.

When the bell rang, I headed to Tarot with Tory, Sofia and Diego, my gut knotting over revisiting Astrum’s classroom. The stark reminder of his violent death made my neck prickle as we passed by the patch of ground where he’d been found. It had now been covered with wildflowers by someone with the Element of earth and I supposed that meant the FIB had taken whatever evidence they needed from the area.

We soon arrived in Mercury Chambers and as we filed down the gloomy staircase to the classroom, Kylie’s voice carried to me from behind. “You’d think she’d just shave it off. Every time I see that ugly bald patch I’m tempted to do it for her.”

I clenched my jaw, determinedly ignoring her and giving Tory a shake of the head. When she flexed her fingers anyway I gave her a look that said she’s not worth it.

“Do you think she knows it’s even there?” Jillian whisper-giggled.

“Maybe not,” Kylie said loudly. “Hey Darcy!” she called, her voice sugary sweet. I still didn’t turn around. “Do you know you’re missing a chunk of hair on the back of your head?”

“Now now, settle down.”

My blood chilled at the sound of Professor Washer’s voice and as the crowd parted ahead of me, I spotted him in Astrum’s place at the centre of the Tarot room. The large, circular table ringed around him and though he was thankfully not half naked like he usually was in our Water Elemental Class he still made my skin crawl fully clothed in a white shirt and floral tie. He swept his hazel locks out of his eyes, shooting me a lopsided smile as I dropped into my seat.

He spread his hands on the table before me, lowering his head to speak just to me. “Don’t worry about your hair. There’s still plenty left to run your fingers through.”

I shuddered as he walked away.

“Maybe you should shave it off,” Tory whispered.

I released a laugh and Washer looked back over his shoulder, glancing between us hopefully as if we’d been checking him out.

Unlikely Professor Pervert.

Washer clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Now, although we are all deeply saddened by losing our exceptional Tarot Professor, I have taken on the role temporarily until the Academy hires a replacement. I am not quite as adept at reading the cards as he was, but I assure you I know how to use my hands. So today’s lesson will focus on palmistry.”

A low current of groans sounded from a few of the girls who were gifted with the Element of Water and I shared the sentiment. Kylie sat up straighter, seemingly unaware of Washer’s overly familiar behaviour with his students as she tossed him a bright smile.

He swept a hand over his hair again, making his shirt ride up to reveal the tanned skin beneath.

“Heave,” Tory said under her breath, faking a vomit beside me.

I covered my mouth as she continued the act and Washer’s eyes slid onto her. “Is everything alright, Miss Vega?” He moved toward her and the brush of his Siren gifts tickled me like feathers against my skin.

Tory drew away, quickly nodding. “I’m fine.”

“Good,” he purred deeply, but he didn’t leave as he reached out to take her hand. “I’ll start with a few palmistry demonstrations.”

Tory grimaced as she let Washer take her hand and he started painting his finger across the lines on her skin. Her eyes unfocused a little and a dreamy smile pulled at her mouth as she stared at him. I wanted to slap the guy for forcing emotions on my sister. What the hell was wrong with this creep?

“You have quite the exciting taste in lovers, don’t you miss Vega?” he purred seductively and a faint frown pulled at Tory’s features. 

Sofia had explained that the most powerful Sirens could actually look at your memories and apparently Washer was strong enough to peek inside Tory’s head. I grimaced at him, prodding Tory in the ribs to try and help her snap out of his hold.

When he drew away and his eyes fell on me, I hurriedly dropped down to rummage in my bag, pretending to search for a pen.

“Your hand, Darcy,” Washer encouraged with a devilish note to his tone.

Ergh- no no no.

His influence rushed into me and I felt him stealing away my resistance, replacing it with perfect willing. I stared up at him as I held out my hand and lust dripped through my body, tugging at everything inside me. How could I have thought he was so disgusting just moments ago? His face was so rugged…his hands so smooth…his skin such a perfect golden hue.

“Your love line tells me there’s a forbidden romance in your future,” he whispered, his finger circling on a small break in the line on my palm. “A stormy sea is coming, Miss Vega, but you will ride it well.”

I sighed softly, but something niggled in the back of my mind. He’s a Siren. And a lecherous pig.

I shoved back against his influence with all my might, channelling power into my veins and the strength of his hold started to recede. He chuckled, stepping away. “Who’s next?”

Diego folded his arms, glaring at Washer with a stay away expression but it didn’t matter, Washer only had eyes for the muscular guy beside him, leaning in with a predatory grin.

“God,” I whispered to Tory. “How does he get away with it?”

“I heard he gets a lot of sway because of his Order,” Sofia breathed, leaning past Tory to speak to all of us. “He’s allowed to use his powers on us because he needs emotions to regenerate.”

“I guess so long as he doesn’t actually screw a student that’s alright then,” Tory said sardonically, pursing her lips. “I’d rather cut off my nose than lay a hand on him or any other teacher in this school for that matter.”

“Even Orion?” I blurted before I could stop myself.

Tory looked at me, her eyes widening in surprise. “Yes, especially Orion, Darcy. Are you serious?”

“He’s just got that you know…brooding thing going on.”

“You mean the holier-than-thou assholeness factor?” she asked.

“That’s the one. I wouldn’t actually go there. Obviously.” I blew out a laugh, turning to look at the notes on my Atlas to try and hide my blush.

“Teachers wouldn’t dare lay a hand on students really,” Sofia said quietly. “I read the rule book when I arrived here-”

“Of course you did,” Diego chided and she threw him a mischievous grin before going on.

“Any teacher who crossed that line wouldn’t just be fired, they’d be power-shamed by the Celestial Council. Stripped of their rank in the whole of Solaria. Can you imagine?” She shuddered and genuine goosebumps raised across her arms.

“Maybe I can, I don’t think we could sink much lower,” I said with a half shrug.

Sofia shook her head seriously. “No, Darcy, it’s worse than you think. The whole Fae world would turn their back on you.”

“I’m kinda with Darcy here,” Tory piped up. “That sounds very familiar already.”

Sofia shook her head again. “Trust me, if you were power-shamed, you wouldn’t have a place in this school. You’d have to work your way up from the very bottom, try to earn respect back from even the weakest of Fae-”

“So!” Washer called out to the room, stepping back to the centre of the round desk. “I want you to all pair up, use the notes on your Atlas to do a palm reading of each other’s life lines. If you discover you are doomed to die tomorrow, please take your wailing into the hallway where I will come and comfort you.”

I turned to Tory, finding the same disgusted expression on her face as was on mine. “I would rather die tomorrow than be comforted by Washer in the hallway.” I whispered and Tory released a bark of laughter that made Washer look our way hopefully again.

We pointedly ignored him and Tory took my hand, starting to follow the line curving along the top part of my palm.

While she worked, my eyes drifted across the room to the large mural on the opposite wall. The Zodiac constellations were painted beautifully in splashes of silver with swirling names marking each one. Pisces, Aries, Libra, Leo, Capricorn, Taurus. Straight lines linking each star highlighted the shapes they created between them. Whoever had done the mural was incredibly skilled and I wondered vaguely if Astrum had painted it himself. At that thought, my heart weighed heavier in my chest and I looked to Tory with a frown.

“Do you think we’ll ever work out what Astrum wanted us to know?”

She kept her eyes on my palm but her brow furrowed deeply as she considered my words. “Probably not.”

“Tory,” I pressed and she looked up with a teasing grin. “Maybe I should show the card to Orion. He might know what it means.”

Tory considered that a moment then nodded. “I don’t trust him exactly, but after he saved my ass from the Heirs, I’ve warmed up to him by one-percent.”

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

We studied the life lines a while longer and it seemed like Tory and I didn’t have much to worry about in that department, although we had a worrying amount of ‘potential deaths’ which Washer pointed out could occur at any moment in time. Good to know.

“Now, let’s mix things up,” Washer said keenly. “You will re-pair then interpret your love lines.” He started directing people towards different seats and my heart sank dramatically when he paired me with Kylie.

Perfect.

I grabbed my things, moving over to sit in Jillian’s vacated chair as she headed over to take mine next to Tory. Kylie leaned away from me like I carried rabies, her upper lip curling back. Her hand shot into the air as she turned to Washer. “Sir! I’d like to re-pair with someone who isn’t trying to steal my boyfriend’s throne.”

“Now now, do be civil, my dear.” He looked between us. “You make a lovely pair.” My insides churned as he surveyed us too long and I sensed Kylie recoiling from him too.

“Total creep,” I whispered when he moved away, hoping to at least make it through the class without this being completely unbearable.

She stared at me for a moment with a tight pout in place, then finally nodded. “Yeah, you got that right.” She snatched my hand, turning it over and studying the love line, her nails pinching my skin.

The silence between us became so uncomfortable I simply had to break it. “So you’re a Medusa-”

“And?” she went on the defence and I sighed, giving up on this already.

“And I’ve never seen a girl sprout snakes out of her head, that’s all.”

“Well I bet you wish you could so they could cover that ghastly bald patch,” she said promptly and I scowled darkly, pulling my hand out of her claws.

“Why do you hate me so much?” I whisper-shouted, furious that she continued to treat me this way. Wasn’t it enough that I’d had my hair sheared off by her heartless boyfriend? And she’d damn well filmed the whole thing.

“You’re a threat to Sethy’s throne,” she said, her eyes flashing and her shoulders squaring.

“I don’t want his throne,” I said for what felt like the thousandth time since I’d arrived in Solaria.

“Swap hands,” Washer called out and I took Kylie’s hand. She reluctantly uncurled her fingers to let me see her palm, but I couldn’t concentrate to try and do a reading.

“I thought Fae fought their own fights,” I said, staring determinedly at her hand as angry energy burned through my veins.

“I am fighting my own fight. I’m fighting to keep his eyes off of you,” she blurted, then froze as if she hadn’t meant to say it.

I looked up at her, shocked that she would still think Seth gave a damn about me. Or that he ever had. “He pretended to like me, he cut my hair off and you recorded it. How can you possibly think I’m a threat to you?”

She blinked heavily and for a moment I thought she was going to cry. “Because you’re beautiful and every time you’re in a room he stares at you. And when you’re not there he can’t stop looking at that disgusting bracelet of hair he made. He wants you to bow to him, but given half a chance he’d have it both ways and have you under his arm too,” she said nearly all of it through her teeth and turned bright red as she did so. Tears splashed down her cheeks and I was left in complete and utter shock as she sprang from her seat and ran from the room.

I suddenly noticed how close Washer was standing and felt his power radiating through the air. He’d fed on her pain, her sadness, and drawn it all out for me to hear and him to feast on. Was everyone in this school just hunting for their next goddamn piece of meat?

He hounded after her toward the door and it only took half a second longer for Jillian to sprint after them, calling her name.

My mind reeled from what she’d said and I had to conclude that she was completely deluded.

“Ha! Posted. Kylie’s gonna flip.” Tyler started laughing as he finished posting something on FaeBook. A tell-tale ping told me I’d been tagged and I took in a breath to ready myself for an impending earthquake as I tapped on the notification on my screen.

Tyler Corbin: Just witnessed a Major Meltdown after Washer sucked out two truths and a lie from @Kylie Major’s mouth.

Truth: @Darcy Vega makes @Seth Capella drool

Truth: We’ve all seen him sniff the bracelet (no one blames you, bro)

Lie: He wouldn’t actually have a Vega Twin under his arm, but he might take one under his sheets once or twice.

#majorfail #suckedbyasiren #majorenvy

“Bastard,” I breathed as laughter rang out around the room. I looked up to find Tyler smirking at me while pretending to casually massage out a kink in his shoulder.

Fury crashed through my chest in a wave. “Seth Capella does not-” Ding!

I glanced down at my screen, discovering that Seth had replied to Tyler’s post. And that was saying something as the Heirs rarely ever replied to anyone’s posts.

Seth Capella: FUN game. Let’s flip it around and play two lies and one truth @Tyler Corbin.

Your mom was the best lay of my life.

Your dad was the second.

Your face is going through a brick wall the next time I see you.

(hint: both of your parents suck in bed).

My heart pounded out of tune as I sensed the anger behind his words. Tyler turned as white as a sheet as he placed his Atlas down on the desk and stared at it without blinking.

When class was finally dismissed, I was more than glad to make my escape from the room and head back to Aer Tower. The day was finally over and I fully intended on doing nothing but lazing in my room all evening with my friends and practising some Elemental magic.

As we walked along the circular path around The Orb, a notification pinged on my Atlas. I was half tempted to ignore it, sure it would be nothing but another FaeBook post designed to ruin my day. But curiosity got the better of me and I took it out, finding an official message waiting for me.

Your Liaison has been rescheduled for 7pm tonight with Professor Orion.

A small smile crept onto my face and I hid it quickly before the others could see, rearranging my features into disappointment. “Looks like I can’t hang out all night. Orion’s rescheduled my Liaison.”

“You can show him the card,” Tory reminded me. “Maybe he’ll know something.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Diego asked uncertainly.

“He helped them before,” Sofia said. “Besides, the worst he could do is dismiss it and then you’re in the same position anyway.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Diego said with a shrug, shifting toward Sofia and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, turning a pastel shade of pink as he ruffled her hair. The two of them hadn’t defined things since the formal and I wondered if Diego was ever going to pluck up the courage to officially ask her out.

Tory looped around them to my side, rolling her eyes at their backs. The sun was already low on the horizon and bathing the campus in a dim amber hue. My horoscope had said today was going to be the start of a deep, undying love and I had the feeling it had meant my love for this Academy. It might have been filled with cut-throat Fae and have danger lurking around every corner, but it was also the most wonderful, spell-binding place I’d ever been. And it was starting to feel like home.

***

Seven pm and Orion was predictably late. I’d even dragged my heels on the way to his office to account for it, but he still hadn’t arrived.

I sighed, on the verge of giving up as another few minutes ticked by. The hole I’d cut through his door was now fixed and I wondered if the desk was intact too. I wasn’t looking forward to my Saturday detention this weekend. Whatever way Orion disciplined students, I imagined it was no fun at all. Didn’t he once say corporal punishment is totally legal here? Holy shit, I hope it’s not that…

It was almost half past when I gave up, heading back through the corridors of Jupiter Hall with a frown etched into my features. Astrum’s card was burning a hole in my pocket and I so longed to ask Orion about it. Amongst other things. And okay, maybe I’d been half a percent eager to see him. I didn’t know what it was that drew me to him. He was obviously good looking. Like slap-you-in-the-face hot. He was also a mega asshole most of the time. But those two things tended to be a dangerous combination and I was definitely a sucker for it.

I headed out of the building, following the curving pathway around The Orb, the fresh night air brushing against my skin. I wandered along, soaking in the quiet as I wondered whether the others would still be hanging out in Diego’s room like they had been when I left.

“Look who it isn’t,” Seth’s voice hit my ears.

My blood ran cold as I spotted him with Kylie and a group of his wolf pack standing under the light of a lantern. On the floor between them was Tyler Corbin with a bloody face, his nose skewed to one side and his hand raised as he tried to hold off the junior who was cupping flames in his hand.

I halted in my tracks, feeling like a deer in headlights as they spread out across the pathway to stop me from advancing.

Seth moved to the head of the group with a smirk wrapped around his beautiful features. “It isn’t the queen of Solaria. It isn’t the object of my affections and it isn’t a girl with blue hair.”

Kylie puffed up her chest at his words and I scowled, my eyes falling on Tyler. He might have brought this on himself but I still pitied him; he was a warthog about to be ripped into by a pack of lions.

“Leave him alone,” I told Seth, my hands beginning to shake as fear took a violent hold of me.

“He got what he asked for,” Seth snarled. “Just like you did, Vega.” His eyes were two frozen lakes and I fought the urge to back up as he took another step toward me.

“Hey wolves?” he called to his pack, jerking his head to beckon them forward.

Kylie stepped aside to let them pass and the group closed in around Seth, nuzzling his arms, his neck. He smiled hungrily at me, pawing at the backs of his friends. “Who wants to go hunting?”

Fear raced through me as the wolves started howling to the sky, cupping their hands around their mouths. Seth stalked forward and in an act of fury, I raised my hands and drew magic to my palms. Fire flickered and I threw all of my energy into it, casting it out of me in a ferocious wave. It tumbled out of control, a huge flame bursting toward them as if it was fuelled by gasoline.

Seth threw up his arms and a glimmering blue shield arced around him and his friends, dissolving the fire as it touched it. I lost sight of them all behind a sheet of smoke, my pounding heart crashing against my ribcage.

A piercing howl tore through the air and Seth’s huge white form burst out of the smoke, making me scream in alarm. I fled. It was the only logical thing to do. I wasn’t trained. I couldn’t fight so many at once, but could I outpace a damn Werewolf?

No chance!

I veered sharply right, the snap of jaws sounding dangerously close to my ear. I sprinted toward the nearest building, half falling into Venus Library and running down the first aisle.

The doors banged open behind me and I cursed as the sound of heavy paws bounded through the cavernous room.

“Mr Capella!” the librarian shrieked. “Take your games outside, there are ancient texts in here that don’t need your drool all over them. If you’re looking for the Vega girl, she went that way. But please continue your hunt in Fae forms.”

I mentally called the librarian a million names under the sun as I hurried to the back of the library. Continue your hunt? You bitch!

An emergency exit glowed up ahead and hope beamed through me as I ran toward it, pushing the bar.

An alarm bell rang out and panic tore through me as howls cut the air to shreds.

“In Fae form!” the librarian begged but the rush of paws was all I needed to hear to know they weren’t obeying.

I ran out onto the grass, turning left and tearing along into the shadows, half blind as I raced for the cover of the next building. I ran my hand along the back wall of Mars Laboratories, desperately searching for a way in.

“Awoooo! Get her Sethy!” Kylie’s voice sailed after me followed by her laughter and I had the feeling she was riding one of the wolves.

My hand scraped nothing but stone and I picked up my pace again, though every second I wasted brought me closer to being caught.

Come on, there must be a way in. Please please.

I wasn’t fast enough. And there was no way in. Nowhere to run.

A hand shot out of nowhere and dragged me through a door just up ahead of me. I was plunged into absolute darkness and a scream bit at my throat just before a palm slammed down over my mouth. I was dragged against a hard body as the door clicked quietly closed, my back to their front.

The scent of cinnamon stoked a fire in my belly and I stiffened as I realised who had come to my aid.

“Absolutely silent,” he breathed in my ear and I nodded against his hand.

“Look over there,” Kylie’s voice was muffled beyond the door and my mouth dried up.

I recoiled against Orion, barely breathing as I waited for that door to be found. For the wolves to tear me from his arms and rip me apart. Professor or not, he surely couldn’t take on a whole wolf pack if they were determined to sink their teeth into me.

The sound of heavy paws padded loudly beyond the building and my heart beat like a rabbit’s in a cage, so loud I feared they’d hear it. Orion probably could with his enhanced senses. But the wolves hadn’t found me yet, so that had to be a good thing.

My skin prickled with heat where the press of his chest and stomach met my back. I shut my eyes, willing my thoughts onto why I was hiding and nothing else.

“She’s not here,” Kylie sighed in frustration. “Try down near Jupiter Hall.” The sounds of the pack headed away and the breath fell out of my lungs in a shuddering tumble as Orion removed his palm from my mouth.

The muscles in my legs twitched as I prepared to move but Orion’s hand suddenly sailed around my waist and stopped me from stepping forward. My heart beat a forbidden tune and I stilled entirely, frozen in place.

We were flush to each other. And I only realised how intimate this was now that I was no longer in fear for my life. Yet I didn’t try to move again and he didn’t either. I wasn’t sure if I was holding my breath or if the air was simply stuck in my lungs and refusing to come out.

The most rational reason for him holding onto me was that he was about to bite me. He’d saved me from facing an Heir so I guessed I owed him. The other reason though…oh holy shit the other reason…

His fingers found my skin between my shirt and waistband and heat weaved a frantic whirlpool through my belly, pushing lower into the deepest regions of my body.

So against the rules.

Must move. But I want to stay.

I felt his breath in my hair, the heat, the desire. My instincts told me he wanted me, but that was pure insanity. I just couldn’t come up with any better reasoning though. He made my thoughts hazy and my morals fray. He was my teacher. And I knew he’d lose his job if anyone saw us like this. Maybe more. And maybe I could lose my place at Zodiac too.

Move, Darcy, move!

I turned around, finding my resolve but his arm remained in place so it lay on my back instead. His fingers curled into a ball, keeping me close, not letting me escape. It was dark, but a slit of light was cast from a door further down the hall to our left. Just enough to see by.

If I look up at him, I think I’ll burst apart into a million heated fragments.

But if I don’t, I’ll never see the answer to my question in his eyes.

I forced my gaze up to meet his and felt the spell break, dashed to pieces on the hard look in his eyes. His face morphed into something stony, distant. His throat bobbed and he pushed me firmly back.

“They’re gone, so move,” he growled, sending a jolt through me at the sudden loudness.

I backed up, staring at him as my anger began to grow. I hadn’t done anything. He was the one who’d wrapped his damn arm around me.

You definitely ground your ass against him.

Maybe for one single second but that was it!

“Sir-”

“Don’t you dare talk back,” he snarled, shoving the door open. “MOVE!”

I scampered out onto the grass, furious with myself, with him. With this stupid academy. With Seth for driving me in here like a fox chased by hounds. 

Tears burned my throat, my eyes but no way were they gonna fall until I was locked in my room without the chance of anyone seeing them. And even then I knew it would be better if I just swallowed them down, never letting another tear out until one day I choked on them all. A Siren would have had a field day if they found me now, sucking up all this emotion coursing through me.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Orion snapped and my spine straightened as I glanced over my shoulder at him as he stood in the doorway. He wore a shirt and smart trousers but his hair was suspiciously damp, speaking of a recent shower.

I raised my hands, giving him a stumped expression, completely baffled by his question. “Er, back to my room?”

“We have a Liaison session to complete.”

“Which you didn’t show up for,” I pointed out, incredulous that he was suddenly acting like I was a misbehaving student. He definitely initiated that ass to crotch hug- jerk!

“Pitball practice ran over. And besides, I’m here now aren’t I? That counts as showing up.” He turned his back on me, heading across the grass in the direction of Jupiter Hall as if he expected me to follow.

“That doesn’t count. And what were you doing lurking around the back of Mars Labs anyway?”

He glanced back over his shoulder, cocking an eyebrow at my tone. My heart stuttered but the berating I expected didn’t come. “I wasn’t lurking, Miss Vega, I came to check out the commotion. Now if you’re done questioning me, let’s move.”

I remained in place, both furious and flustered by his crazy mood swings. “I’m not coming,” I hissed, knowing he’d hear me no matter how quietly I said it. I turned in the opposite direction, folding my arms as I marched toward the path, wanting to get back to my room before Seth showed up again.

A blur in my periphery alerted me one second too late as Orion swept me off my feet and tossed me over his shoulder. I yelled in alarm, smashing my hand into his back on instinct. “Let me down! Are you insane?!” I kinda hoped another teacher would hear, but as he marched me onto the pathway under the full light of the lamps, I sensed he didn’t have any worries about being seen. But surely this was against the rules?

“Professor Orion put me down this second!” I demanded, my cheeks flaming. At least I’d had the foresight to put some damn jeans on in place of my school skirt. Or this would have been a hundred times more embarrassing right now.

“Good evening, Professor. Having a little trouble with a student?” Principal Nova’s voice carried from ahead and my mouth fell open in disbelief.

“Nothing to worry about, just Miss Vega skipping Liaison.”

“Well I’m glad to see you rounded her up.” Nova tutted, passing us by without a second glance.

I gasped in horror and Orion released a low laugh.

“I’ll walk, alright? Just put me down,” I ordered.

He didn’t say another word until we stepped into his office a couple of minutes later and he dropped me into the seat in front of his desk.

I flattened the choppy ends of my hair which were now sticking up all over the place, shaken to my core. Orion yawned broadly, lowering into his Ottomon on the other side of the desk and casually taking out his Bourbon, pouring himself a glass.

I laced my fingers together to stop them from shaking, staring at him with a mixture of rage, frustration and absolute embarrassment. I wanted to demand he tell me what the hell he was playing at by running his hands all over me five minutes ago and then turning on me like an enemy soldier. But my lips simply wouldn’t part. My vocal chords were on lock down so I just stared, waiting for an explanation that I probably wasn’t going to get.

Orion sighed contentedly as he drank most of the measure he’d poured then planted the glass down on his desk. “I think it’s best we talk about the Nymph situation in Solaria. You were pulled out of class before the end of my lesson the other day so I’ll catch you up.”

I narrowed my eyes, wondering if maybe he had some sort of personality disorder I wasn’t aware of. He’d gone from volcanic hot to glacial cold in the space of five seconds and apparently he’d forgotten all about it.

“Sir…” I started, unsure how to phrase this in a way that was actually going to get a response.

“Miss Vega?” he asked, his expression totally innocent as if he had no idea what I was going to say.

I changed tact at the last second, realising I had another way to approach this. “I thought Fae weren’t supposed to intervene in other people’s fights.”

He scratched his beard then shrugged. “That was a wolf pack. It’s different.”

“Is it?” I narrowed my eyes. At least he answered.

“It’s my duty to protect you as your Professor.” He said professor extra loudly like that was supposed to make a point.

He pushed up his sleeve, his brow wrinkling as he scratched the red tattoo of the Leo sign there. “So Nymphs,” he said firmly and I sensed that was the end of my line of inquiries.

I sighed, resigned as I sat back in my seat. Maybe there had been some unbidden connection between us for a moment but rules were rules. And apparently now he was abiding by them.

“Everyone needs to be vigilant on campus. You shouldn’t travel around alone. If a Nymph were to absorb the magic of a powerful Fae like you, it could be disastrous for all of Solaria.”

Dread inched into my gut. “Surely there’s something you can do? Can’t you stop them getting on campus?”

“Obviously we have protection spells in place, but how the Nymph got in is still a mystery to the FIB. Which means we can’t be sure it won’t strike again.”

A bead of fear rolled down my spine and I nodded.

“So you and your sister will walk around campus with at least one other student from now on, especially after dark, understand?”

“Sure,” I agreed, more than happy to comply. I didn’t want to be caught off guard if a Nymph showed up. The idea was terrifying.

He drained the last of his bourbon and checked his watch. “Well, that’s the end of the session.”

“Are you kidding me?” I breathed.

“It’s eight o’clock,” he said with a shrug, rising to his feet.

“No – wait.” I got up too, reaching into my pocket and pulling out Astrum’s card.

He frowned as I placed it down on his desk, my heart juddering madly as I pushed it toward him. “Astrum gave this to me and Tory and I wondered maybe…if you might know what it means. He said you never really saw eye to eye but I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong?”

Orion’s lips pressed into a sharp line as he fished the card from the desk, examining it. “Astrum never thought much of me and my family,” he muttered, mostly to himself.

“Why was that?” I asked gently as his eyes remained fixed on the message inscribed on the card.

“He taught me when I was at Zodiac. He was a royalist and I was outwardly against them. And he hated me because of my own beliefs… amongst other things.”

“Oh,” I whispered, nodding.

Orion looked up from the card, seemingly dragged out of a daze. He frowned in a way that told me some deep hurt was concealed beneath all of those hard layers he hid behind. He stepped around the desk, holding the card out toward me. “I don’t know what this means. And I highly doubt I’m the man he would have wanted you to seek answers from.”

He remained close to me as I reached for the card and pulled it from his fingers. “What aren’t you saying?” I asked, sure he was holding back on something. A tightness grew in my chest like his mere presence was capable of sucking the air from my lungs.

He leaned in close, his breath a delicious cocktail of bourbon and danger. “There’s many things I’m not saying and for good reason. But I’ll tell you this… I’ve spent most of my life hating The Savage King and anyone associated with him too. Including you and your sister when you first came here.” His eyes flickered with shadows that threatened to tear me apart. “But I learned a long time ago that blood doesn’t define a person, so I shouldn’t have judged you so quickly. You’re unlucky to bear the title that you do. And I would never bow to either of you for many reasons. But you aren’t bad people. That being said…” His eyes travelled down me, the sensation of a zip opening along the line he cast with his eyes. “I will do whatever it takes to ensure Darius and the other Heirs sit on the throne of Solaria. And I urge you to never underestimate that vow.”