The song ended, and before I could respond, Lucas appeared at my side.
“May I?” he asked, holding out his hand.
I nodded, allowing him to take Rowan’s place. As we began to dance, I caught sight of the Nightfall Shield watching from the edge of the floor. Percy’s expression was thunderous, his dark eyes never leaving me. Aiden stood with his arms crossed, jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle jumping. Draco was speaking rapidly to Eris, who looked like he was about to storm across the dance floor.
“They seem upset,” Lucas observed mildly.
“They’ll survive,” I replied, forcing my attention back to him.
“Will you?” he asked.
The question caught me off guard. I’d been so focused on appearing strong, on not letting anyone see how thoroughly shattered I felt, that I hadn’t really considered whether I would actually recover from this.
“I have to,” I said finally.
Lucas nodded, guiding me in a graceful circle. “For what it’s worth, Jupiter, what happened to you at Dominion is not how things are done in London. We protect our own.”
“I’m not looking for protection,” I told him, perhaps more sharply than intended.
“No, I don’t imagine you are.” His smile returned. “But perhaps a change of scenery might help you to realize that the small bubble around Dominion and its elite is shrinking every day, and you don’t have to remain inside it.”
As Lucas and I finished our dance, a bell chimed through the hall, signaling the beginning of the formal presentation ceremony. The crowd began moving toward the raised dais at the far end of the ballroom, where Director Waverly now stood behind a podium adorned with the Assembly’s crest.
“If everyone would please take their places,” she announced, her voice magically amplified to reach every corner of the room. “We will begin the formal axis presentations.”
Lucas gave me a small bow. “I look forward to seeing you in London, Jupiter Black,” he said, his eyes twinkling with something that might have been anticipation before he rejoined his shield.
Percy appeared at my side instantly, as if he’d been waiting to pounce. “We need to take our places,” he said.
I nodded stiffly, allowing him to guide me toward where the other members of the Nightfall Shield were waiting. My parents caught my eye from their table, my mother giving me an encouraging smile that made my chest ache.
The ceremony began with Director Waverly’s formal welcome, followed by lengthy speeches from Assembly officials about the sacred bond between shields and their axes. I barely listened, too aware of Percy’s arm brushing against mine, of Aiden’s eyes boring into the side of my face, of Draco and Eris standing rigid with tension beside us.
“Now,” Director Waverly announced, “we will formally present this year’s new axis bonds, beginning with Dreadwatch Shield.”
Rafe stepped forward with his shield, three great looking men, and the beautiful woman Valeria. When Lydia was called to join them, my heart swelled with pride. She looked radiant as she took her place beside Valeria, her smile genuine as Rafe formally announced her as their chosen axis.
“The bonding ritual will take place within the month,” he declared. “We are honored to welcome Lydia Harlow as the heart of our shield.”
The crowd applauded warmly. I caught Lydia’s eye and smiled, genuinely happy for her despite my own heartache. Shedeserved this, a shield that would value her, protect her, love her properly.
Three more shields presented their axes. Each announcement received polite applause and congratulations. And then?—
“The Nightfall Shield,” Director Waverly called.
My heart stuttered in my chest as we moved forward. Percy led us, with me slightly behind him and the others flanking us in perfect formation. As we reached the dais, I felt all eyes in the room fixed on me, hundreds of gazes burning with curiosity and fascination.
“The Nightfall Shield wishes to present their axis,” Percy said, his voice strong and clear. “Jupiter Black, the first Ophis designation to manifest in recorded history.”
He turned to me, extending his hand in formal invitation. I hesitated for just a heartbeat before placing my fingers in his, allowing him to guide me to stand in the center of their formation.
“We formally recognize Jupiter Black as our bonded axis,” Percy continued, and I could hear the strain beneath his professional tone. “The bond was formed six weeks ago at Dominion Academy.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd, and I realized suddenly that this was more than just curiosity.
An elderly Assembly member stepped forward, his eyes bright with unshed tears. “After all these millennia,” he said, his voice quavering with emotion, “the Ophis returns to us. You may be our way back home.”
The room erupted in spontaneous applause, people rising to their feet in a wave of movement that caught me completely off guard. I froze, stunned by the reaction, my mind struggling to process his words. Our way back home? What did that mean?
