Zodiac Academy Fated Throne - Caroline Peckham Page 0,181

the shape of a fist before slamming it into his junk at least as hard as I would have punched him if we didn't have an audience.

Orion cursed, doubling over and dropping his drink so that the glass shattered and several of the Dragons looked to him in shock. They hurriedly looked away again like he didn’t exist and one pinched face woman loudly said, “For shame.”

I bit my lip as I slowly took another drink, hiding my amusement as Orion tried to subtly cast healing magic on his balls while pushing himself upright again.

"Why?" he hissed and I cut him a look that said 'you know why' to which he muttered beneath his breath something along the lines of me being a fucking psychopath and feeling sorry for Darius if that was how I treated his junk.

"If you recall correctly, I offered you one chance not to fuck things up with her and promised castration if you hurt her," I said casually. "So really you're getting off lightly."

"By the stars, you're a monster," he growled.

"Damn straight I am," I agreed. "So fix it and I won't have to elevate your punishments."

"Elevate?" he asked, his voice raising an octave and making me smirk into my drink again. "If you elevate it, I won't be left functioning."

I cut him a look and mimed snipping a pair of scissors with my fingers while he grimaced, shifting a protective hand over his balls as he shook his head in horror at me.

Darius and Mildred swept around the centre of the dance floor and my amusement fell away as I watched them. She might have had a frame almost as big as his and feet which in all honesty looked even bigger than his, but she had clearly been taught how to do all of these fancy formal dances. The two of them moved around the dance floor in perfect synchronisation and as I watched them, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if we failed to get hold of the Imperial Star. What if all of our plans and goals and aims to thwart Lionel and dethrone him just didn't work out?

Was this the life I was destined to lead forever? Watching Darius with that nasty troll of a girl as he danced with her at parties, was forced to marry her, had little pure-blooded Dragon babies with her. All while I was cursed to spend my nights warming Lionel's bed and following his every command in the vain hope that we might one day find some way to break this bond he'd put on me.

My chest tightened as I watched Mildred's vomit-yellow dress sweeping out behind her, Darius's hand resting on the small of her hairy back. His eyes met mine through the crowd and I could see that same ache there, that longing for a different life which I could see no path to. Because even if we did manage to take the throne back from his father, it wouldn't change this curse I'd put on us. We'd still be Star Crossed, destined to be alone, pining for each other forever.

Was this all my future held? Looking at him across crowded rooms and wishing I'd made the other choice?

"He really does love you," Orion said in a low voice which jolted me out of my staring and I cleared my throat as I dropped my gaze down to my feet.

"I'm not an easy person to love," I muttered.

"Neither is he. That's probably what makes you so perfect for each other."

I hmmed lightly but not really because I didn't agree, more because it seemed so pointless to even consider it. Nothing could change our fates now anyway.

"I actually came over here to hang out alone in the corner so that I could feel less shitty," I teased. "You're kind of a downer, you know that?"

"I'm a heartbroken criminal who has now had two careers destroyed before I've even turned thirty," he growled. "So you really shouldn't be surprised by that. Besides, what do you want me to do about it?"

"Be more fun," I joked and he rolled his eyes.

"Fine. You wanna play a game?"

"What kind of game?" I asked.

"That was a joke."

"Your delivery requires some work. Come on, you've promised me a game now. Why don't I guess what the pompous douche hats are saying to each other and you can use your bat ears to tell me if I'm right?" I suggested.

"Sure. But don't blame me when it's nothing but