“I was still so new to using my magic alongside a shield team. I didn’t know how to control it properly. When the bane attacked one of the guys, I lost control. I was overloaded. I was dying, bleeding out energy, and the only way to save my life, the only way to stabilize my core, was to form an emergency axis bond with the closest compatible shield.”
“Nightfall,” I realized, the horror of the situation washing over me. “That’s how you bonded so early.”
She nodded. “It was a trauma bond pretty much. Forged in complete panic and pain, engineered by the Assembly because Nightfall had been so resistant to traditional candidates. I’d betmy life they did it purposefully. They almost killed me just to force us together.”
A swell of rage built up inside me. Nightfall had believed she manipulatedthem? They had the audacity to callhera liar when she’d literally been the victim of a near-lethal setup designed to enslave her to them? My hands curled into fists. I wanted us to portal straight to New York and beat the entire miserable shield to a bloody pulp.
Rowan looked like he was ready to do the same. The air around him dropped in temperature, his Aquarius magic frosting the edges of the stone bricks.
“Jupiter,” I said, stepping closer to her. I reached out and gently grasped her upper arms. I waited for her to look up at me. When her eyes met mine, I made sure she saw nothing but absolute certainty. “Dominion was reckless. The Assembly is corrupt. What they did to you was an atrocity.”
She swallowed hard, a single tear escaping to track down her pale cheek.
“But you’re at Imperium now. We do not play political games with people’s lives. The containment cells in that arena are forged with magic and powered by the leylines of the earth itself. They do not fail. They cannot be rigged. And you have us. We aren’t going to let anything touch you. You have my word on that, Jupiter. My life for yours.”
She looked between us, the panic in her eyes slowly beginning to recede, replaced by that stubborn, beautiful resilience that made her so entirely captivating. She wiped the tear from her cheek with the back of her hand and let out a long, shaky exhale. “Okay,” she whispered. “Okay yeah. I’m being an idiot. I know you won’t.”
“Do you want to skip the session? I can tell Professor Saris you weren’t feeling well. No one will question it.”
“No.” She straightened her spine. “No, I’m not going to let them take this from me too. I can’t be afraid of the dark forever.”
“That’s my girl,” Rowan grinned.
We turned and pushed open the heavy iron doors, stepping out into the observation deck of the combat arena. The room was massive, ringed with reinforced glass looking down into a sunken stone pit. In the center of the pit, three Class Two scavengers—hideous, multi-limbed creatures made of dark matter that only Aelari could see—thrashed against their invisible containment tethers, screeching at the scent of fresh magic.
Jupiter flinched at the sound, but she didn’t step back. I moved to her right side, and Rowan took her left. We stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her as Professor Saris, a scarred veteran shield warrior, began calling out instructions to the class.
Two other shield teams entered the arena just as Professor Saris finished explaining the day’s objectives. I recognized them immediately—Stormwatch and Daybreak, two of Imperium’s most respected combat units. Stormwatch was led by Gabriel Turner, a powerfully built Cancer designation with a reputation for strategic brilliance. Daybreak was headed by the twins, Samuel and Marlena Frosh, whose synchronized fighting style was legendary among the student body.
“Jupiter Black!” Gabriel called out, his face breaking into a genuine smile as he approached us. “I’ve been hoping to meet you properly. Your reputation precedes you.” Jupiter paused beside me, immediately on alert, and I didn’t blame her a bit. “All good things, I promise,” Gabriel continued, extending his hand to her. “Your portal work is already becoming legendary around campus.”
Jupiter relaxed and shook his hand. “Thanks. Still working out the kinks, though.”
Marlena stepped forward, her platinum blonde hair pulled back in a severe braid. “We’ve been watching your morning sessions with Stardust. Impressive control for someone who’s only been working with spatial manipulation for a few years.”
“You’re welcome to join us sometime,” Rowan offered, his voice friendly but with that underlying possessiveness I recognized all too well. We were all fighting the same instinct—to keep Jupiter close, to protect what was ours.
Ours. Is she really ours to protect? Or is this just some desperate dream?
I noticed movement on the observation deck above. A group of female students had gathered, their eyes tracking the shield warriors below with predatory hunger. I recognized several of them as axis candidates from prominent zodiac families, all hoping to secure a prestigious bond.
“Your fan club is here,” I murmured to Rowan, nodding toward the deck.
He glanced up and groaned. “Bloody vultures. They smell fresh meat.”
Jupiter followed our gaze and snorted. “Let me guess. They’re desperate to catch the eye of any available shield warrior?”
“Got it in one,” I said. “Though they’re particularly interested in Stardust since...” I trailed off, not wanting to bring up Eliza.
“Since you’re technically available,” Jupiter finished, her expression softening slightly. “That must get old fast.”
“You have no idea,” Rowan muttered.
Jupiter gave us a weak smile. “Don’t be too hard on them. It probably sucks being on the other end of this, hoping a shield team will pick you over dozens of other candidates. If I wasn’t a warrior axis, I’d probably be just as thirsty as the rest of them.”
Gabriel chuckled. “Right you are, new girl. My shield has our eye on a couple of them up there, but we haven’t madeany formal declarations. Honestly most of them are sweethearts when you get to know them, not to mention incredibly powerful.”
Professor Saris clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. “Alright, warriors! Today’s exercise will test your adaptability. I’ll be assigning mixed teams to handle the bane specimens.”
