By the time I made it out into the hall, Roxy was already at the far end of it and I called out to her as I broke into a sprint to catch up.
She made it onto the stairwell in the centre of the house before I caught up to her and she turned back to look at me with an eyebrow raised like she had no idea what I might want.
“What did he do to you?” I choked, my heart racing as I reached for her, but she shifted so that I couldn’t catch her hand and I could have sworn fear flickered in her eyes for a moment before she hid it again. “Tell me and I’ll rip him apart for it. Tell me what I have to do to break you out of this.”
“Out of what?” she asked in a cold tone.
“The shadows, Roxy, you need to break free of them, you need-”
“Why would I do that?” she asked dismissively. “The shadows bring me more pleasure than you can even imagine. They feed my soul and steal my pain. Maybe you should consider joining me in them.”
“Joining you?” I sneered. “The girl I love would never-”
She stepped forward suddenly, her hand pressing to my chest right above my heart as we stood eye to eye with her on the steps.
“That pain you feel doesn’t have to rule you,” she said, moving so close that her lips almost brushed mine but the look in her eyes was hollow, bottomless, void. “You could join me in the dark. We could have it all.”
“What about love?” I murmured, my hands slipping around her waist as I drew her closer to me, wanting to hold on to her until I forced her to come back for good.
“I only love my king,” she breathed.
“No,” I snarled fiercely, denying her words with every fibre of my being. “You don’t love him. You’d never love him.”
A dark laugh escaped her as my grip on her tightened and a swell of power burst from her hand where it was pressed to my chest, the shadows slamming into me and knocking me back against the heavy doors at the front of the house and pinning me in place.
“Let me know if you change your mind,” Roxy said dismissively, turning away and continuing up the stairs towards my father’s quarters without a backwards glance.
The shadows held me against the door long after she’d walked away and by the time she released me, she was long gone.
I hunted the entire house for her, but she’d disappeared once more. And I felt her loss all over again, just as sharply as the night she’d been taken. Or maybe even more so. Because until now I’d had hope that I could save her if I could only find her. And now I had to fear if I would ever get her back again.
“B oy,” Father’s voice was firm and cutting, carrying from his office and making dread carve a hole through my chest.
I placed my suitcase down, straightened my shirt and took a breath as I approached the door. I could get through anything now. I was about to leave for Zodiac Academy and my magic would be Awakened. I literally couldn’t freaking wait. I’d gotten a sum total of three hours’ sleep last night and had had to wait all damn day for this moment. But it was night time now. The stars were awake, and soon my magic would be too.
I pushed the door open, lifting my chin as I faced the man who sent fear prickling along my limbs. After everything he’d done, there wasn’t a scrap of love in my heart for him. It was hard to remember a time there ever had been really. Admiration maybe, awe, respect – before I realised he didn’t deserve any of those things. But any dislike I’d had for him had turned into a potent hate after everything he’d done, the lives he’d destroyed, and the ones he still planned on destroying.
He was dressed in a fine tailored suit, his broad shoulders emphasised by the fitted blazer and his blonde hair pushed back and styled perfectly. He stood from his chair behind the desk, rising to his imposing height.
“Close the door,” he commanded and a razor blade lodged in my throat as I pushed it shut with a sharp click that echoed on through my skull.
Father moved around the desk, gazing down his nose at me with undisguised disgust. “You understand the way the wind is blowing, don’t you boy?” he asked in a dangerous growl, but he went on before I could figure out what he meant. “The throne is mine for the taking, I will be Solaria’s King. And that will make you of great interest to the students of Zodiac Academy. My arm has been twisted into allowing you to attend, but do not underestimate my influence upon you even when you are no longer under this roof.”
I clenched my jaw, keeping my tongue from spilling out a single stupid word. I wasn’t going to test him tonight. Not when freedom was so close that I could hear it screaming my damn name.
Father went on, “You will keep your head down and the press will barely know you exist. You will not take interviews unless I tell you to, you will not cause a stir, let alone a scandal. And you will return home whenever I demand it, is that clear?”
“Yes, Father.” I bowed my head, playing the good little pawn. I just wanted out. The only problem was Mom. She’d come to me last night, making me swear I’d build a life for myself at school, that I wouldn’t worry about her. But how could I do that? Leaving her here was unbearable. I just didn’t have a choice.
“Good,” he said dismissively. “Go downstairs, Portia will be conducting a brief interview for The Celestial Times before we leave. I will announce your Elements and House to the press after your Awakening is done, then there shall be no more focus on my worthless, spare son.”
I nodded stiffly, turning away with that bittersweet slap to the face still stinging my cheek and heading out the door, his heavy presence following me. I grabbed my suitcase and carried it downstairs where a porter was waiting to take it from me. Darius had already gone back to Zodiac a few days ago, insisting he needed a head start on his work and Father had let him go because he always wanted his special Heir to be ahead of the game. I knew better though. Darius had told me himself he was going out Nymph hunting with the other Heirs and Darcy Vega. He’d been telling me about their hunts all summer so I could live vicariously through his stories. I longed to join them, it sounded like something from one of my Xbox games. A real life adventure. And now I was getting my magic Awakened, maybe it wouldn’t be too long before I really could help. Though I guessed I knew in my heart that I had a lot to learn before I’d be of any use. Still…
Voices carried from out on the porch, the front door half open and my father’s hand suddenly landed on my shoulder as he steered me outside. When I looked up at him, I found him wearing one of his false smiles, his teeth on show and a decent attempt at pride glowing in his eyes. I slapped on my own smile which was equally fake and we stepped outside where the press had set up some lights facing the porch and Mom was there chatting with Portia in a flowing green gown.
“Ah, here’s the man of the hour!” Portia exclaimed, her blonde hair bouncing as she hurried up the steps toward me. “You look dashing, Xavier. Let’s get a few pictures with your parents.” She positioned me between them and they both moved in close as the photographer started shooting. I looked up at Mom with a grin and she shot me a wink that warmed my heart.
When the shoot was done, Portia questioned me about my feelings over being Awakened and starting school, and I was able to let out the bursting emotions inside me over it all. Because I was fucking excited. Star damned crazy happy about it. And by the time I was done telling her about it, my jaw was aching from how hard I’d been smiling.