Zodiac Academy Fated Throne - Caroline Peckham Page 0,228

remain here with everyone now.

I ducked into Darius's room as Darcy moved into mine and I looked around for a moment before snagging one of his hoodies from the end of his bed and taking it with me. I wasn’t going to let myself overthink the fact that I slept better when I was wrapped up in his clothes than I did without them. They were just warmer than mine. And comfier. And smelled all kinds of nice.

Darcy was already showering when I made it inside and I pulled my clothes off, using my water magic to wash instead of waiting for a turn then using air to dry myself off again before pushing fire though my veins to warm up. Then I pulled on Darius's hoodie and made myself and Darcy little crowns made of white rose vines just to use every Element before crawling into the bed and waiting for her. It was pretty damn cool having all the Elements and I was in the mood to celebrate our win.

There was a fire burning in the grate and I bit my lip as I looked at it, trying to figure out when Darius had managed to sneak in here and get it going for me since we’d returned. It wasn’t like I needed any help in lighting a fire, but the room was always so nice and warm when it had been burning for a while and the constant flames meant that I always woke up with my magic fully replenished every morning too.

When Darcy reappeared wearing a pair of my pyjamas, I grinned as I tossed the crown onto her head and she laughed as she settled herself back against the pillows.

"Look at us, practically queens already," I joked, grabbing a huge bar of chocolate from my nightstand and tossing it to her before cursing as I realised my second bar was gone. Fucking Seth. I knew it was him. Always sniffing about my snacks. I was gonna have to set up some kind of snack trap to keep him out of my shit if this kept happening.

"Can you actually imagine it?" Darcy asked, breathing a laugh. "Us ruling a damn kingdom?"

"I've been thinking about it and I have some ideas," I said seriously. "Like first of all, I'm thinking there could be some pretty epic race nights at the palace if we build a circuit through the grounds. And every month I can beat Darius's ass at the race."

"Sounds good. No need to worry about all that political crap."

"Nah," I agreed. "We'll make the Heirs our Councillors and let them deal with that shit. Make me queen of partying and I'll be a happy duck and you and Orion can fill the palace with little baby Vampires to satisfy the kingdom's need for more Heirs."

"As if," Darcy balked. "There is no me and Orion. Not anymore."

"Right. So why are you blushing? Do you wanna tell me what happened in that tomb or are you gonna make me guess?" I teased.

Darcy groaned loudly, slumping back on the pillows as she took a big bite of chocolate. "I dunno, Tor. We were looking for the Imperial Star and then somehow we were arguing about everything that had happened and I was just so mad at him all over again then suddenly he was just there and he...I..."

"So you're telling me that while we were all out there fighting for our lives you two were making out in the dark?" I teased and she groaned, yanking a pillow out from under me and covering her face.

"No, it wasn't like that," she protested, her voice muffled by the pillow and I snatched it away from her again.

"So what was it like? Are you getting back together?" I asked hopefully and her face scrunched up angrily at that suggestion.

"Fuck no. He doesn't just get to rip my heart out, stamp on it, leave it to rot for six months then dust it off and start it beating again. We're just...he’s just...I’m just...nothing."

She looked so broken by that statement that it cut into me and my heart twisted with sympathy for my twin as I burrowed down into the covers beside her.

"Maybe you should think about forgiving him?" I suggested in a small voice.

"What?" she gasped like she never would have expected to hear that opinion from me and I grimaced at the words too, but I stood by them.

"Look, I know I'm always the first to tell people to get fucked