Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Eris
One week after the Abyss incident, and the entire academy was still buzzing about our unexpected bond with Jupiter. Every hallway I walked down, conversations hushed as I passed, then erupted into frenzied whispers once I was supposedly out of earshot.
Everywhere we went, eyes followed. A shield bonding with an axis was always big news at Dominion, but this? This was unprecedented.
I could feel Jupiter’s presence in the back of my mind like a silver thread connecting us. It wasn’t intrusive, more like knowing someone was in the next room even when you couldn’t see them. Since the bond had formed, my magic felt different. Stronger, with reserves I’d never accessed before.
“Eris?” Jupiter’s voice broke through my thoughts. We were in one of the training rooms, preparing for our first official practice as a bonded shield. “You okay? You’ve been staring at that practice dummy for five minutes.”
I grinned, adjusting the wraps around my hands. “Just thinking about how much it resembles Percy when he first wakes up.”
Percy shot me a glare from across the room where he was meticulously checking his weapons.
Jupiter smiled, and I felt a ripple of amusement through our bond.
That was something I was still getting used to, feeling her emotions alongside the guys.
Sometimes they came through crystal clear, other times just faint impressions.
Healers said the bond is still stabilizing, still finding its balance.
Draco entered the training room, carrying a stack of books. “Found some historical references to shields with Ophis axes. Not much, but it might help us understand what we’re dealing with.”
“Any mention of how to break the bond if we wanted to?” Aiden asked, joining us. His tone was casual, but I felt Jupiter’s flicker of hurt through the connection.
“No one’s breaking anything, dick,” I said firmly. “We saved her life. She saved yours. The bond happened. We deal with it.”
Aiden raised his hands in surrender. “Just asking the question everyone’s thinking.”
“Not everyone,” Draco muttered, setting down his books.
The door opened again, and Director Waverly entered with two Assembly officials in tow. They’d been hovering around us all week, monitoring the bond, taking readings, asking endless questions. I was getting sick of feeling like a lab rat.
“Good morning,” Director Waverly greeted us. “How are you all feeling today?”
“With all due respect, ma’am, if you ask me that one more time I’m leaving,” Percy snapped.
She had the grace to look slightly apologetic. “I understand your frustration, but this is a unique situation that requires observation. Today’s training session will help us assess the bond’s stability during combat scenarios.”
Jupiter crossed her arms. “And if the bond starts to fade? What then?”
One of the officials, a thin man with glasses who’d introduced himself as Dr. Mercier, stepped forward eagerly. “If the bond shows signs of weakening, we have several reinforcement protocols prepared.”
“Without our consent?” Draco asked.
Director Waverly cut in before the situation escalated. “No decisions will be made without full consultation. Today is observation only.” She gestured to the center of the training room. “Shall we begin?”
As we moved through combat drills, I could sense Jupiter’s position without looking, and could anticipate her movements before she made them.
When she called on her Ophis magic, I felt it echo through my own system, amplifying my Gemini abilities until I could create more duplicates than ever before.
I’d gotten up to twenty duplicates of myself, all of them appearing completely solid.
It was exhilarating. The power flowing between us was intoxicating, but the intimacy of the connection left nowhere to hide. Every doubt, every fear, every moment of uncertainty was shared.
By the end of the session, we were all drenched in sweat but buzzing with energy. The bond hadn’t weakened, if anything, it felt stronger.
“Remarkable,” Dr. Mercier murmured, reviewing readings on his tablet. “Magical integration is advancing rapidly. At this rate, full synchronization could occur within weeks rather than months.”
Director Waverly nodded. “Good progress. We’ll schedule another session for tomorrow.”
After they left, Jupiter slumped against the wall, exhaustion finally catching up with her. “Does anyone else feel like they just ran a marathon while also being dissected?”
I reached out to help Jupiter. “Come on. You need food after using that much magic.”
“We all do,” Draco agreed. “Dining hall?”
Jupiter hesitated. “Maybe I’ll grab something and eat in my room. Less staring that way.”
“Fuck that,” I said. “They’re going to stare regardless. Might as well give them a proper show.”
That earned me a genuine laugh, and the feeling of her amusement rippling through our connection made my chest warm in a way I wasn’t ready to examine too closely.
“Fine,” she conceded. “But if Melissa starts something again, I’m not responsible for my actions.”
“I’ll hold her, you punch,” Aiden offered.
The five of us headed to the dining hall together. As expected, the room fell into that now-familiar hush when we entered before erupting into whispers. I kept close to Jupiter, feeling her discomfort through the bond.
“Ignore them,” I said quietly. “They’re just jealous.”
“Of what exactly? They are all literally here for the same exact reason, and there are plenty of shields left to bond with.”
“They’re jealous of you because we’re the most powerful shield Dominion has ever seen. That, and Aiden’s hair. It really is magnificent.”
She snorted, some of her tension easing. “It’s not that great.”
“I heard that,” Aiden called from ahead of us.
We got our food and found a table in the corner. As we ate, I noticed Jupiter relaxing incrementally, her shoulders losing some of their rigidity. I could sense her exhaustion but also her relief at not eating alone since her friends were still out.
“So,” Percy said after a while, “we need to discuss living arrangements.”
Jupiter paused mid-bite. “What about them?”
“Bonded shields typically share quarters. It helps strengthen the connection, especially in the early stages.”
“You want me to move in with you? All four of you?” Her disbelief came through loud and clear, both in her voice and through the bond.
“The shield quarters are designed for it,” I said. “Five separate bedrooms around a common living area. More space than the standard dorms.”
“Plus, it would be easier to coordinate training,” Aiden added.
Jupiter set down her fork. “I need to think about it.”
Before anyone could respond, a familiar blonde approached our table. My stomach dropped as Lyssa Martin stopped directly behind Jupiter, her perfectly manicured nails resting on the back of Jupiter’s chair.
“So the rumors are true,” she said, her voice carrying that false sweetness I knew too well. “The Nightfall Shield has finally chosen an axis.”
Jupiter didn’t turn around. “Abracadabra,” she said with a yawn.
“I’m curious,” Lyssa continued, her eyes fixed on me. “Was it planned all along? Did she orchestrate that little accident in the Abyss?”
Anger flared through the bond, not just Jupiter’s, but all of us.
“Lyssa,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her. “Not now.”
She ignored me, leaning closer to Jupiter. “Everyone knows the Nightfall Shield would never choose an outsider willingly.”
Jupiter turned slowly in her seat. “You are literally every mean girl cliche in the book, you do realize that, right?”
Lyssa’s perfect smile didn’t waver. “I’m just wondering how you managed it. What exactly did you offer them that the rest of us couldn’t? It couldn’t be money since both of your parents are lower class.”
“That’s enough,” Percy snapped, his fist hitting the table.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Lyssa said sweetly, still staring at Jupiter. “I was asking your new axis what special talents convinced you to bond with her so quickly. After all, Eris and I have been so close for quite some time and he never once mentioned her.”
I felt Jupiter’s confusion, followed by understanding and then a flash of something hot and angry.
“Lyssa, walk away,” I said, standing up. “This isn’t the time or place.”
“When is the time, Eris?” She finally looked at me directly. “You didn’t even have the decency to tell me yourself. I had to hear about your new axis from campus gossip. Or were you waiting until your cock was halfway down my throat before breaking the news?”
“What an odd thing to say,” Jupiter mused, arching a brow.
I had to agree with her. Yeah, I’d been fucking Lyssa for the last six months or so, but it wasn’t anything serious. I told her as much before I even touched her.
“We can discuss this privately,” I said firmly.
“Why? Are you ashamed?” Lyssa’s voice rose. “Afraid your new axis will discover what you really think of her kind? That night after declarations, while you were fucking me, when you called the thirteenth zodiac a myth bitch that should have stayed buried—”
“That’s enough!” I cut her off, my voice coming out as more of a growl.
Jupiter stood abruptly. Through the bond, I felt her pulling away, erecting walls between us. “I need some air. Enjoy the rest of your dinner.”
Before any of us could stop her, she was gone, weaving through the tables toward the exit.
Lyssa watched her go with satisfaction. “Was it something I said?”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I spat.
“Me? I’m not the one who jumped into bed with the first anomaly that showed up and spread her thighs for you.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Was it worth it, Eris? Throwing away years of friendship for someone you don’t even know?”
“We weren’t friends, Lyssa. We fucked occasionally, but it was never more than that and you know it.”
Her composure cracked, hurt flashing across her face before hardening into anger. “You made it very clear what I meant to you. I just hope she figures it out before she gets too attached.”