“I kissed her,” Lydia repeated, looking both terrified and thrilled. “And Jupe... she kissed me back.”
“Holy shit, Lyd. What brought that on?”
She pushed her salad around with her fork. “I was just so tired of watching her with Rafe, pretending there wasn’t thisthingbetween us. So I found her in the ancient magic section, and I just went for it.”
“And then?”
Her blush deepened. “And then we ended up in the restricted section at the back of the library, and... well...”
“Lydia Harlow!” I gasped, delighted. “You fucked in the library?”
“Shh!” She looked around frantically, but no one was paying attention to us. “Yes, okay? We did. And it was incredible. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
I reached across the table to squeeze her hand. “I’m so happy for you.”
“There’s more,” she said, her expression turning serious. “She talked to Rafe and the rest of Dreadwatch after. They want me to consider becoming their axis.”
My jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”
She nodded, a mixture of excitement and fear in her eyes. “They’ve been watching me for months apparently. Valeria said they’ve all been drawn to me, but Rafe was the most vocal about it.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. Part of me is terrified. This is a huge decision. But when I’m with her, when I feel the way she touches me...” She shook her head. “There are real feelings there. Not just physical attraction. I wasn’t expecting that.”
I thought about my own experience with the Nightfall Shield, how what had started as a reluctant bond had grown into something I couldn’t imagine living without.
“If it feels right you should go for it. Being an axis is complicated and messy and sometimes overwhelming, but when the bond clicks into place, it’s like finding a piece of yourself you didn’t know was missing.”
“That’s exactly how Valeria described it,” she said, looking relieved. “Rafe said they’d give me time to decide, but they’re all hopeful.”
“Dreadwatch would be lucky to have you. And I can’t think of a better shield for you, the guys all say good things about them.”
Lydia’s smile was blinding. “Really? You’re not just saying that?”
“I’m genuinely happy for you, Lyd. And a little proud that my best friend might be the axis of one of the most powerful shields at Dominion.”
She laughed, finally taking a bite of her salad. “Look at us. Who would have thought we’d end up here?”
I shook my head, still amazed at how much had changed in such a short time. “Not me. But I’m starting to think maybe this is exactly where we’re supposed to be. Like the stars aligned or some cosmic bullshit.”
“Jupiter Black, getting philosophical on me.”
I was about to respond when I felt a sudden spike of adrenaline through the bond that stopped me cold. “Lyd, I have to go, something’s wrong with one of the guys…”
“Do you need help?” she asked, eyes wide.
“No, I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow though.”
“Keep me posted,” she said. “And Jupe? Thanks for being happy for me.”
“Always,” I promised, giving her a quick hug before leaving.
TWENTY-ONE
Aiden
I was sittingin the common room when I heard the insistent ping of message notifications coming from Jupiter’s room. At first, I tried to ignore it, focusing on the combat strategy report I was reviewing, but the sound was persistent, every few seconds, like someone was desperately trying to get her attention.
