Zodiac Academy 6: Fated Throne
Fated Throne: Chapter 52

Two Nymphs cornered me against a wall, pinning me down beneath them as I fought furiously to try and get free. The one with curving horns was throwing fire at me, burning my side with a sadistic, raking laugh as I howled in agony.

I clawed at them with my paws, but the bastard didn’t stop even as I sliced into its side with Phoenix fire.

I heard Darcy yelling my name and red and blue fire billowed up into the sky from somewhere across the pit, telling me she wasn’t going to get here in time. A gap opened up between them and I dove forward to try and get free with a bark of determination, but another Nymph blocked my path, its large probed hand cracking against my face and knocking me back down.

They rattled deep and hungrily as the three of them fought to pin me in place, each of them desperate to be the one to steal my power as they killed me. Fear hit me as they forced me onto my back in the sand and the huge one with the horns reached down to rip my magic from my heart. Fuck, no, I’ve got too much life to live. I never told Cal how I feel.

An arrow slammed into the skull of the one holding my paws and it exploded into shadows as a second arrow narrowly missed the horned Nymph above me. The large beast roared a challenge, leaping over me and running toward Max as he descended from the sky, casting a huge blast of fire from its hands.

Max shielded with air as I scrambled onto my paws, yelping from the aching burns on my side, the scent of singed flesh and burnt hair reaching me from my injuries.

I lunged at the final Nymph with a fierce savagery, tearing into its throat and shaking it ferociously as it screamed and shrieked in my jaws.

My muscles trembled as the pain of my injuries began to overwhelm me, and my grip on the Nymph slackened for a moment as I almost passed out but with a determined growl, I managed to fight the feeling off and cling on.

With a vicious jerk of my head, the Nymph’s neck snapped and it burst into shadow as I staggered, my front legs giving out. I tried to push myself up, but darkness curtained my vision and I stumbled instead, crashing into the sand with a whimper of pain.

A blur of motion ran toward me and my heart lifted as I raised my snout, readying to greet Caleb. But it was Orion who slowed in front of me, dropping down and pressing his hands to the burns covering my body. The pain ebbed away as he worked and I let out a low whine as I wheeled my head around to lick his face, making him grunt in annoyance. Lance Orion came for me. He loves me like a pack mate.

“This is only because Blue would hate me if I let you die,” he growled and I gave him a Wolf’s grin, my tail pounding against the sand. Sure it is.

When he finished healing me, I jumped to my feet and jerked my head toward my back in a clear offering for him to get on.

“Not in your lifetime, mutt.” He shot away from me, cutting down a Nymph with a furious blow of his sword and I sighed internally. There goes my future best friend.

I took off across the sand as a few of the Nymphs retreated towards a wide doorway that led beneath the amphitheatre and Max worked to break down the shield stopping him from following.

Darcy fought with the horned Nymph with the savagery of her father and I howled my joy before turning and leaping out of the pit into the stands.

I snapped at the heels of the crowd as they fled, knocking them down with my huge paws and spotting Rosalie’s beautiful silver form ahead of me, leading a pack of Oscura Wolves. I howled to her in greeting and she turned her head, barking in reply.

I sprinted through her pack until I reached her at the front and we ran side by side, trampling any unlucky piece of shit who got in our way.

I hunted for Caleb in the madness, but there were too many Fae running all over the place. It was impossible to replace him. I just hoped he had made it to Tory already, because we had to get her away from Lionel. Then maybe one of us would be lucky enough to get a shot at killing him.