Page 72 of The Bound Zodiac

But not everyone was happy.

I caught a flash of blonde hair and icy blue eyes. A woman was shouldering through the crowd, gaze fixed on me with naked disgust. Lyssa. Eris’s Dominion stalker, the one who’d tried to sabotage us for months while her bestie Melissa created bogus messages, making me look like a liar to my shield.

She swept past, heels clicking, and hissed “myth bitch” under her breath as she went by.

I snorted at the stupid-ass high-school insult, and stuck my foot out just enough. Her heel caught my toe, and she went sprawling forward, arms pinwheeling. She hit the floor with a smack loud enough to silence at least a dozen conversations.

There was a small, perfect moment of silence. She glared up at me, face going splotchy red, but there was nothing she could say. Not here. Not now.

I turned away, letting the crowd swallow her humiliation. Percy’s voice purred in my head, ‘That was hot.’

‘Ten out of ten,’ said Jamie.

I kept my face neutral, but inside I was cackling.

The Assembly kept coming. I was introduced to at least thirty more people, none of whose names I remembered. Their hands were cold, their smiles colder. But I played along. Meanwhile, the guys formed a loose half-circle behind me, silent, imposing, making sure nobody got too close.

At the far end of the ballroom, the headmistress herself was waiting, ringed by security and her own shield. She smiled at me, arms open, and we did the obligatory photo op.

We stood in front of the massive glass windows for a formal portrait. The Assembly’s photographer lined us up. Noodle flicked his tongue, clearly enjoying the attention.

Percy’s father stood at the edge of the crowd. Beside him stood Mr. Reece, Aiden’s father, taller, leaner, with ash-blonde hair gone white at the roots. He had the same golden eyes as his son, but colder, flatter. He was smiling, but it didn’t reach anywhere near his eyes.

My stomach dropped through the floor. I hadn’t seen either of them since Dominion. Since the attack on Draco and Eris. We’d never found the attacker. But I’d always known that Charles had arranged it. That they’d sent someone to hurt my shield as a way to lure me back to Dominion.

My hands curled at my sides, nails biting into my palms, and for one glorious, blinding second I imagined myself crossing the ballroom, grabbing Charles Callahan by his expensive lapels, and smashing his face into the nearest marble column until his teeth scattered across the floor like pearls.

Noodle tightened around my neck. ‘Not worth jail.’

I breathed. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. The rage didn’t leave, but I was pretty sure I could pretend for a little while.

They were coming toward us. I felt Percy go rigid beside me. Through the bond, his emotions were a hurricane of fury, shame, defiance, and underneath all of it, a deep, old hurt. Aiden was worse. His magic was spiking, the bond humming with barely contained Leo fire, and I caught the faintest whiff of smoke.

“Steady,” I murmured, so quiet only they could hear. “Not here. Not tonight.”

Percy’s jaw unclenched by a millimeter. Aiden’s hands, which had been fisted at his sides, loosened.

Charles reached us. His smile was practiced, polished, and completely empty. “Miss Black. You look well.”

“Mr. Callahan.” I extended my hand, because I had to, because the cameras were watching, because the entire Assembly was watching. His grip was dry and firm, and I wanted to break every finger. “It’s been a while.”

“Indeed it has.” His eyes swept over me with the clinical detachment of a man appraising livestock. “The Assembly speaks very highly of your progress. We’re all quite impressed.”

“Thank you.” The words tasted like ash. “I’ve had excellent teachers.”

His gaze flicked to Percy, and something dark moved behind his eyes. A warning. A reminder. Percy met it head-on, chin lifted, jaw set, and I felt the bond surge with something fierce and protective. Charles’s mouth tightened, just barely, and he released my hand.

Aiden’s father stepped forward next. “Jupiter. A pleasure.”

“Mr. Reece.” I shook his hand too. “I hope you’ve been well.”

There was that flat, soulless smile again. “The Assembly keeps us all on our toes. But we’ve been following your training with great interest. We’re looking forward to the demonstration tonight. Very much.”

“We won’t disappoint then,” I said, and let my own smile sharpen to something that was not friendly.

Charles turned to Percy. For a long, loaded moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them crackled. Then Charles reached up and clapped his hand on Percy’s shoulder, hard enough that I saw Percy’s spine lock, and leaned in close.

“Maybe you’re not a total loss after all,” Charles said. “We’ll talk later.”