Zodiac Academy Fated Throne - Caroline Peckham Page 0,216

breathed and I swallowed the dry lump in my throat. A thumping rang in my ears, the noise like a Siren’s song that called to me. But nothing in this world could make me turn away from Darcy right then.

“I don’t know.”

“You’re hurt,” she said in a choked voice, brushing her hands close to the burns on my arms.

“I’ll heal,” I promised. “We just need to get out of here and get our magic back.”

“You’ve passed the test. A new Master of the Zodiac Guild is born,” an ethereal voice filled my head and Darcy stiffened as she heard it too. “Protector of the royal line, safe keeper of the heart.”

Light shimmered from under the lid of the sarcophagus at the centre of the room. It shined brighter and brighter as I pushed to my feet and helped Darcy up beside me. We walked together and when I took her hand, she didn’t pull it free. I glanced at her as we approached it and I pushed the lid open to see inside. An object sat in the empty grave, illuminated with a brilliant whiteness. I reached out toward the blinding light, my fingers brushing a rough stone.

I wrapped my hand around it when nothing bad happened, taking it into my palm and a jolt of white hot energy ran through me. I looked down at my forearm in shock, finding the shimmering mark of a sword igniting beneath my flesh. It was the exact same as the one Jasper had had and my mind spun with all that meant. The new Master of the Guild? Holy fuck.

“Vega princess, half of one whole. Seek the palace in the deep. Where the last of them lie,” the voice spoke once more.

“Please tell me you’re also hearing the star talking to you?” Darcy whispered and a low laugh escaped me.

“Yeah, I hear it. Fuck, it’s pretty.” I turned it over in my palm, the rock rough and glittering like diamonds.

“Son of my last keeper,” it whispered to me. “Do what the King could not.”

“What couldn’t he do?” I asked in confusion.

“Do what the King could not,” it repeated then the light faded and the star sat peacefully in my palm like it wasn’t a magical talking rock that had come from the heavens.

I held it out to Darcy and her eyes widened.

“It seems like it wants you as the keeper,” she said.

“I can’t take it home to Lionel, beautiful,” I said with a smirk, my mood going through the roof at the fact that we’d actually pulled this off. We’d gotten one over on that fucking asshole at last.

She reached out and took the star, brushing her thumb over it before pushing it into her pocket.

“We need to get back to the others,” she said firmly but paused, suddenly reaching into the sarcophagus and picking up a single Tarot card. The Chariot.

Shock rattled through me as I recognised the swirling silver writing on the back. It was another message from Astrum. Darcy moved closer so I could read it too.

You’ve found the final card.

The stars have aligned, my duty is done.

When all hope fails, Vega Princesses, find courage in the light.

“That’s it,” she gasped. “This is the last one.”

“The Chariot means taking control,” I said hopefully. “Taking the reins and-”

“Getting on the path to victory,” she finished with a wide grin then tucked it into her pocket. “Let’s go.”

I scooped her up and shot out of the room, racing back through the maze of tunnels and up the stairs into the tomb.

The sound of grinding stone said the door was opening and Darcy urged me on as I rushed forward to get out.

A cacophony of noise reached me as I found our friends holding off a pack of Reaper Hounds right outside the tomb. My heart lurched and I slammed my hand over Darcy’s eyes as I shut my own.

“We’re here!” I shouted and an earth shattering boom sounded before a Dragon’s roar filled my ears in a clear command.

“The rings,” Darcy said urgently, trying to fight her way out of my arms, but I wasn’t letting her go, not for fucking anything.

I turned, cracking my eyes open and grabbing the silver rings from the tomb door and the whole thing sealed itself once more.

“Get on!” Tory screamed and I shut my eyes again as I turned back towards the sound of her voice. Her hand curled around my arm as she dragged me and Darcy toward Darius.

“Shut your damn eyes,” I