The morning air was crisp as I made my way across campus to Lydia’s dorm. Students were already heading to breakfast,giving me curious glances as I passed. I kept my head down, not in the mood for questions about why I was back at Dominion. When I reached Lydia’s room, I knocked softly. The door flew open almost immediately, and I was engulfed in a fierce hug.
“Jupe!” Lydia squealed, squeezing me so tight I could barely breathe. “I’ve been so fucking worried about you!”
Tye appeared behind her, his face breaking into a wide grin. “There’s our girl!” He pulled me into a bear hug, lifting me off my feet. “Damn, you look good, got muscles and everything. London must be treating you well.”
I laughed, feeling some of the tension from the past day melt away in an instant. “You guys have no idea how good it is to see you.”
They ushered me into Lydia’s room, which was much the same as I remembered, cozy and cluttered, with textbooks stacked on every surface and fairy lights strung across the ceiling. We settled onto her small couch, Tye sprawling in an armchair while Lydia and I squeezed onto the loveseat.
“So we heard about what happened last night. The attack on Draco and Eris. Is everyone okay?” She must have seen the question in my eyes because she waved me off. “Nothing’s a secret around here, you should know that.”
I groaned, tucking my legs beneath me. “It was close, but Lucas was able to pull the toxin out of Draco’s system. Eris just has a concussion.”
“Lucas?” Tye raised an eyebrow. “As in, Stardust Shield Lucas Bennett with the nice ass?”
A blush crept up my neck. “That’d be the one. He’s an Aquarius. His water manipulation abilities were perfect for extracting the neurotoxin.”
Tye’s grin widened. “So the rumors are true? You’ve got yourself some new eye candy panting after you? I bet it’s got Nightfall in a fucking panty twist.”
Lydia swatted his arm. “Tye! That’s not the important part.” She turned back to me. “I’m just glad everyone’s okay. What happened exactly?”
I gave them the rundown—the dart through Draco’s window, the neurotoxin, my desperate portal to Imperium, and the attack on Eris. As I spoke, their faces grew increasingly concerned.
“This sounds like a professional hit,” Tye said when I finished.
“I know. I think someone’s after the shield. Maybe because I’m the Ophis? One of the blue-blooded families who wants me out of the picture?”
Lydia frowned thoughtfully. “It’s possible, but it would make more sense for them to want you on their side. The Ophis designation is one of a kind and powerful.”
“Unless they see you as a threat,” Tye suggested. “But there’s another possibility.” He leaned forward. “What if this was a ploy to lure you back to Dominion? To get you to come back to your shield team?”
I hated that they’d come to a similar conclusion as me. “You think someone staged the attack to bring me back?”
“It’s not impossible,” Lydia said with a shrug. “The timing is suspicious. You’ve been at Imperium for weeks, and suddenly there’s an attack on your former shield the moment you start getting close to Stardust?”
I sat back, my mind racing. “Ifanyonewanted to bring me back to Dominion, it would be one of them—Percy or Aiden’s dad. They’ve always been obsessed with the idea of their sons being at the top of the social hierarchy, especially with the famous Ophis.”
“Charles Callahan would definitely have the resources to arrange something like this,” Tye agreed. “And Aiden’s father has connections to some pretty shady Assembly officials.”
I filed that thought away for later. I’d need to look into it when I got back to Imperium.
“Enough about me,” I said, forcing a smile. “How are things with your new bonded mates?”
Lydia’s face lit up, a blush spreading across her cheeks. “It’s amazing, Jupe. I never thought I’d find something like this. Rafe is so protective, and Valeria...” She sighed dreamily. “They make me feel so safe and wanted. You haven’t even met John and Alex yet.”
“I’m happy for you, Lyd. You of all people deserve it.”
“What about you?” she asked. “Are you and Stardust...?”
I hesitated, unsure how to answer. “It’s complicated. We’re not bonded, but there’s definitely something there. I’m taking it slow this time.”
‘You sit on a throne of lies,’Noodlewouldhave said if I hadn’t left him in the room with the guys. There was absolutely nothing slow about what I was doing with Stardust.
“Smart,” Tye nodded knowingly, as if even he didn’t buy my bullshit. “No rushing into anything.”
“How’s your human girlfriend doing?”
Tye’s eyes brightened. “Actually, I’ve petitioned the Assembly to let me bring her in on the secret. I’ve been seeing her for so long now, and keeping this part of my life hidden is killing me.”
