Zodiac Academy Fated Throne - Caroline Peckham Page 0,266

but it’s also game playing. Caleb doesn’t deserve that,” I pushed and he considered my words before nodding.

“Dammit, you’re right. Why are you always right?”

I laughed, tossing my hair jokingly. “It’s because I’m one of the true queens.”

He growled and I grinned, but he didn’t bite the bait. We all avoided the fact that we’d have to fight for the throne one day. It was simpler that way. Besides, with Lionel in power, that future seemed so far off and impossible it was easy to forget we might all clash again eventually.

We reached the exit and Seth pulled off his sweatpants, putting them in his gym bag which I took from him, hooking it over my shoulder. He opened the door, leaping out of it and shifted into his huge Wolf form.

I jogged forward to climb on his back, quickly casting an illusion over myself so no one would see anything but swathes of white fur in my place. Then I cast an air shield around us to keep us dry and he took off across the wet grass, his nose in the air as he breathed in the scents of the evening.

I clung to his fur, keeping low on his body as he ran faster and faster, tearing past the Earth Observatory and circling around to The Wailing Wood. The darkness was thicker between the trees and there were other Orders out too, creeping amongst the shadows.

Seth raced on through the wood, weaving between the large boughs and making my heart leap with exhilaration. We soon arrived at Aer Tower and he slowed his pace, padding up to the door while I raised a hand to cast air at the Elemental symbol above it. Seth nosed the door open and started running up the stairs, knocking people aside as he took several steps at a time.

There were posters on the wall warning of some sort of wild monster man that Kylie keep harping on about it, saying it had attacked her one night a few weeks ago. I guessed it was just a way to try and get attention, but it hadn’t worked. The only Fae who gave her any notice these days were the others K.U.N.T.s. And even they didn’t spend actual quality time with her. But whenever I felt remotely sorry for her sitting on her own pining for a friend, I vividly remembered her up on that stand in court, telling the whole kingdom that she had been the one to catch Orion and I. I would never forgive her for that. And if she spent the rest of her time at Zodiac alone because of it, then she was getting off lightly.

Seth slowed as he reached the corridor that led to my room, waiting for the students around us to file away before charging down it. I slipped off of his back, unlocking the door and turning to say goodnight but he pushed into my room.

“Damn Wolf,” I muttered as I followed him inside, shutting the door and locking it tight before casting a silencing bubble around us.

Seth shifted back into his Fae form and I tossed him his bag. He took out some boxers, pulling them on before throwing himself onto my bed and making himself comfy. He didn’t always stay here, but I had to admit I slept better when he did. With Tory having to pretend she was still controlled by the shadows, I couldn’t stay with her unless we slept at King’s Hollow. And without company, I barely got a couple hours sleep. So as weird as this was, I also wasn’t going to make him leave.

I kicked my shoes off, grabbing an elastic from my nightstand and pulling my hair up into a ponytail then dropping down beside him on the bed.

“Don’t you miss your pack when you stay here?” I asked as I hooked an Astrology textbook out from under my pillow and propped it up on my knees.

Professor Zenith wanted us all to study the Seventh House for a pop quiz she was throwing tomorrow. We’d been studying it all week, and as it was ruled by Libra and Venus (Orion’s star sign and the damn love planet) I was constantly reminded of him. The Seventh House’s other name was the House of Partnership too so that was just a bundle of coincidences I didn’t need right now.

“Not really,” he said, looking guilty as he rolled toward me and rested his head on my arm. “Do you wanna