Zodiac Academy Fated Throne - Caroline Peckham Page 0,175

that standard let's keep the rich dudes rich bullshit that went on in fancy ass boardrooms everywhere just dressed up prettily for a party instead.

The dress I was wearing tonight was actually something I might have picked out for myself and I was going to put that down to the people who bought the clothes rather than give Lionel any credit for it. It was a deep, forest green velvet that brought out the colour in my eyes and was backless, though the long sleeves covered my arms.

I walked down to the ball with Clara at my side as we followed Lionel. He had Catalina on his arm, looking stunning as always, perfectly made up in a silver dress that drew attention to her curves. Clara was pouting because he hadn't wanted her to take his other arm. Tonight was about showing his strength as a Dragon and he wouldn't be seen with anyone other than his pure blooded bride in front of all the others. But of course, Clara was petulant and childish and wasn't just going to accept that.

"Might I remind you that Guardians are only invited to this function as a courtesy," Lionel growled when she huffed dramatically for the eighth time as we passed a window with a view out to the huge wooden pavilion which was teaming with Dragon Shifters.

I looked over the hexagonal shaped building with its white roof and mid-level railings surrounding it and couldn’t help but appreciate how pretty it was. Apparently it had been built for my mother so that she could have musicians come and play for her whenever she wanted.

"If you are unable to behave, then I will send you back to my quarters and you had better believe I won't be kind when I return there later on tonight,” Lionel snarled.

"But Daddy," Clara whined. "I don't see why I can't-"

Lionel released his hold on Catalina's arm and whirled on Clara in the blink of an eye, a silencing bubble crashing over our small group as he reached out and grabbed her around the throat.

"Do you wish for Roxanya to become my favourite?" he threatened, and I fought a shudder at the implications of that.

Before I'd been brought back to myself, I'd wanted to be the favourite more than anything. But now that I was looking at it without the crazy tinted glasses, I realised the only real difference between me and Clara was that he called her his favourite and he fucked her. I might have had a need in me to please him and be close to him, but thankfully there had never been a stirring of sexual desire towards him in me. That said, I knew I would have done it if he'd told me to before. I would have gotten on my knees and done anything he wanted just to please him. Thank fuck for possessive shadow bitch nutcases.

"No, Daddy," Clara balked, throwing me a glare full of enough acid to melt the skin from my bones.

"Then go back to my room and wait for me there. I'll be along when I'm done with the party and you can show me how sorry you are then. Perhaps I will be merciful if you manage to do enough to appease me."

Clara looked half way between thrilled at that prospect and horrified about being banished but as Lionel's glare hardened, she murmured her agreement then shot away, wailing with tears, her sobs echoing off of the palace walls.

Lionel's gaze slid to me with a hungry kind of desire that sent a shiver of fear down my spine.

"You're going to be a good girl, aren't you, Roxanya?" he asked in a low and deadly tone as he reached out to slide his fingers around my throat the way he had to Clara.

"Yes, my King," I breathed as his nostrils flared and smoke trailed from them.

Lionel's grip on me tightened painfully and I had to fight against the urge to try and rip his hands from my throat with everything I had as Catalina released a whimper of distress.

"Sometimes I can see so much of your father in you," he murmured thoughtfully and rage built in me at the reminder of what the stars had shown us he'd done to our father.

This kingdom had never had a Savage King, it had been this hateful puppet master and his dark magic all along. All for this. He'd been plotting to take the throne even then, doing everything he could to