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Serpent Bearer

EMILIA

A t first light, Destiny and I, clad in leggings and sports bras, linked up with Faye and made our way down to the Elemental Sphere.

I’d arrived back at Luna yesterday, but today was my first real day. Today I’d be back in class, back in the rhythm of everyday life, which felt so unnatural, I could scream.

My heart had been racing since I’d woken up. I couldn’t shake the jitters skating across my skin.

I had no idea what to expect. What would it be like without Natalia here? Without Nyx here? How were the girls going to respond to me being here?

I was about to find out.

Sunlight spilled through the Sphere. I looked up at it, to let it drench my face and wake me up.

My breath caught.

The quartz dome was clear —completely translucent from the inside, so we could see the sky. Which was fathomless enough but the magic didn’t stop there. The crystal architecture had been charmed to reveal the stars in daylight. Hundreds of them twinkled around and upon us, surrounding the blaring sun that rose in the east. The sun was in the belly of a constellation outlined in gold.

Ophiuchus.

The ethereal outline of the serpent bearer seemed alive, moving just like Nyx’s tattoos. Depicted as a man carrying an enormous writhing snake.

My heart thudded painfully.

“You okay?” Destiny murmured, making me jump.

I pried my eyes off my sister’s constellation that loomed over us like a warning or an omen. “Yeah. Fine.”

I tried to ignore all the eyes on me.

The Luminary stood in the center of the Sphere, dressed more casually than I’d ever seen her before. Loose, gold gypsy pants that tightened around her ankles. A matching top. Her platinum hair was done in tight braids coiled like a sleeping snake at the back of her neck. A crescent moon gem glimmered between her brows. We locked eyes briefly, and she smiled, but it didn’t linger.

We formed a ring around her with our yoga mats. Before we started, I looked around the room, studying the girls. Every single one of them bore tattoos of their “big three.” All of them were in highly visible places—arms, collarbones, a few girls even had them on the side of their faces, along their hairlines.

The Luminary led us through a series of stretches, exercises, and breathwork. Then, she guided us as we shifted to Intentions. She had us sit down cross-legged with our eyes closed. Spines straight, chins up.

She spoke softly, beckoning our minds and magic to merge.

I gasped as the magnetic tug in my chest bloomed to life. It spread through my veins, warm and charged, settling in my hands and head. Then it lifted, leaving me all together. To join forces with the auras of the girls around me. I couldn’t help but open my eyes. With heavy, labored breathing, I relished in the euphoria of power. All of us together, one giant beating heart.

I couldn’t imagine a single force on the planet that could penetrate the shield we emitted.

The moments stretched on for what felt like ages before the Luminary guided us to center ourselves back in our bodies and whisper the words for completion.

I felt a steady hum within me of my connection to the wards.

When we finished, I felt light-headed. I turned to Destiny, gauging her reaction. Granted she was used to this and I wasn’t. She beamed at me when we made eye contact. “Awesome, right?”

I didn’t know what to say so I just nodded.

“Beautiful session, girls.” The Luminary rose to her feet, eyes sweeping over each of us. “Today we will be branching off into two groups. All fourth and fifth years will meet the Earth Priestess in the Terrarium Room for Advanced Herbology and Potions. First, second, and third years, you will be with me in the Lecture Hall. You have an hour to shower and get ready. Don’t be late!”

With a long sigh, I put the brush down and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was nervous about class, so I’d dolled myself up. A layer of protective armor in the form of curled hair and glam makeup. It felt wrong somehow, though—maybe because I was never one to wear makeup. It felt like a mask.

“Oh, wow!” Destiny’s outburst made me jump and whirl around. She was lying on her bed, blackmirror in hand, gawking at me through wide eyes and a dropped jaw. “You look hot!”

I scoffed, heat flooding my cheeks. “Thanks.”

She hopped up from her bed to stand beside me. “You nervous about today?”

There was no point in lying. “Yeah. I am.”

She ran her fingers through my hair, locking eyes with me in the mirror. “I won’t lie, it will probably be rough. The narrative about your sister is turning them into feral creatures starving for gossip. But that will fade, Emilia. It won’t last. Plus, you have me and Faye. We’ll be a solid front, okay? Just keep your head up and your eyes forward. Ignore them. Let them salivate and don’t offer them a single crumb.”

Despite myself, I chuckled. “That’s exactly what I planned on doing.”

“Perfect. Let’s go.”

The Lecture Hall took me by surprise. Hardly any aspects of Luna Academy had reminded me of mortal schools, but this room was set up exactly like an auditorium in a mortal university. A sloped floor set up with stadium seats, split into sides by a single set of stairs, all facing a slightly raised platform and a giant projector screen. The screen read: Luna Academy students please sit on the right side .

Destiny grabbed my arm excitedly. “Let’s sit in the back!”

I let her lead me, pretending not to hear the whispers or feel the eyes glued to the back of my head.

It won’t last. It won’t last .

One could only hope.

Faye smiled at us as she came up the steps and took her place beside us in the top row. She and Destiny chatted, and I tried to be involved, but my mind wandered. I watched the girls flood into the auditorium. Each of them spotted me, their eyes either widening or narrowing when they did. I stared back. It seemed to unsettle them enough to bugger off.

Soon, the right side of the auditorium was full. I glanced at the empty seats on the left, wondering what the point of this was.

The answer arrived before the thought was even finished

I heard them before I saw them. A kerfuffle of footfalls and hollers was the dramatic prelude of the Veneficus boys’ entrance. They burst through the door like a sports team making their debut on the field.

The Luna girls gasped and cooed as the stink of testosterone filled the hall.

Each boy was clad in a sharp black jacket with a white collared shirt and tie underneath. Had they always had uniforms? I couldn’t remember, but they looked good. Really good. I tried to ignore the way my heartbeat accelerated as I studied each of their faces as they filed up the stairs and took their seats on the left. They whistled and pitched cheesy lines to the girls as they passed, which cast blushes across the cheeks of my feminine classmates. I fought an eye roll. I didn’t understand how they could be so easily—

My glare collided with Michael’s from across the room.

It was a physical crash . I sucked in a sharp breath, nearly losing control of my magic. My fingers froze over, and the floor under my feet almost did too, but I reined it in. Time moved slowly and our gazes stayed locked as he ascended the stairs. Seconds stretched as I remembered a prince in a star-encrusted crown who found me in my dreams.

But he was even more bewitching in the waking world. He pulled his lip ring between his teeth as those deep brown eyes ate me alive. He looked different—older, somehow. Less punk, more formal. Clad in his sleek black Veneficus jacket that fit his frame just right and flanked by two guys I didn’t recognize. A tall blond and a more feminine-looking male, whose head was buzzed like Destiny’s. The dusting of hair on his scalp was bleached platinum. His eyes were piercing green—I noticed because he, too, was staring at me.

Had the entire hall gone silent or was it just my brain?

When Michael tore his eyes from mine to file into a row of seats, I released a breath and realized I was fucking winded.

Goddess .

“Grand rising, divine starseeds!” The Luminary’s voice rang through the auditorium, efficiently killing the chatter. She stood down on the raised platform, her hands folded in front of her body, eyes sweeping over us. Her robes fell to the floor around her like a pool of liquid gold. Her hair was braided down her back, and her silver crescent moon pendant was placed over her third eye.

Standing beside her, was a man cloaked in dark robes with skin the color of old paper. He had his hands folded over the top of his staff as it rested in front of him. His straight black hair fell to his shoulders, his eyes beady and unsettling as he scanned them over us. When his gaze paused on me , my heart tumbled. I swore he sneered but his eyes moved away so quickly I thought I’d imagined it.

“And a warm welcome to the boys of Veneficus,” the Luminary continued. “Thank you for joining us today for this special lecture. For those of you who are not familiar, this is the head Chancellor of Veneficus, Aro.” She gestured to the male beside her, and he gave a slight bow.

“Thank you for having us, Luminary.”

The Luminary waved her hand at the projector screen, which I realized was a hovering slate of black crystal. Obsidian or onyx, I couldn’t be sure. She cast her magic at it, erasing the words from before, replacing them with Power Corrupts .

“I want you all to study these words and feel what comes up inside you,” she said, her tone light but solemn.

The words gave me a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Aro jutted his staff toward the screen, and new words appeared below the Luminary’s.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely .

My heart was a heavy stone rolling in my chest.

“An old saying,” the Luminary explained. “And through the ages, it remains true. No single individual, monarchy, or political faction, should ever have absolute power. But sometimes, like a tragic anomaly, it happens. Naturally, or otherwise.”

“As Celestials, we naturally possess fathomless power, which is a great blessing and also a burdenous responsibility,” she went on. “In the Old World, we didn’t have to hide when we used this power to serve the realm. We were the stewards of magic, which made us the ultimate protectors. Over time, however, some mortals became jealous. They didn’t see us as protectors but as overlords. Radicals came out of the woodwork and started preaching their word, and soon there were whole legions that turned against us. Brotherhoods and cults were formed. They stole scriptures and texts from us and used the wisdom inside to invert our sacred rites and rituals. Including blood magic. This was how the vampire bloodline was born—beings we know today as Underworlders.”

“Power corrupts,” Aro chimed in ominously. “Especially when it’s given to those who were not meant to have it. These brotherhoods may have transcended their mortal form but—for a price. They were shunned by nature, no longer welcome to walk under the sun. They became slaves to the shadows, trapped in an endless loop of insatiable bloodlust. No matter how much they consume, it will never be enough. They live their lives starving in the dark. Always craving, never satisfied. In the beginning of their time, they were killing humans in droves . Mortal history remembers it as a plague. In a way, that’s exactly what it was.”

The Luminary nodded. “Back then, Celestials tried to eradicate the vampire species. However, their numbers grew too high. There were too many of them, and no matter what the circumstances are, as Celestials, the keepers of wisdom and high magic, we cannot condone genocide. So, instead, we developed a Code for them to live by, one that follows the rules of Divine Law. As long as they live by it, we leave them alone.”

“What is the code?” a girl in the front row asked.

Aro’s lip curled at the outburst. “We are not taking questions at this time.”

“The Code is confidential,” the Luminary answered. “All we can tell you is that it prevents them from senseless killing.”

“Until the Clash of Spirits,” Aro muttered darkly.

The Luminary’s expression turned grave. “For every action, there is a reaction. Empires rise and fall. No tyrannical regime rules forever. And usually, the power that corrupts is the power that is imbalanced. Power that has been forced, born of greed, or stolen, like that of the Underworlders, or mortal monarchies that have existed over the ages. But sometimes… Sometimes, that imbalanced power is not stolen, but innate.”

The Luminary and Aro shared a loaded look.

“The Hallows Eve terrorist attack is a great and terrible example of how power, even that which is natural, corrupts.” Aro’s words were harsh and ricocheted through the room like a thrown dagger.

My stomach plummeted.

The Luminary cast holographic images of the symbols for Ophiuchus and Scorpio over the obsidian screen.

“Sometimes, for reasons unknown to us, Celestials are born with their stars in dangerous and volatile alignments. Nyx Morningstar, for example, is an Ophiuchus sun.”

The walls were breathing.

Several people turned in their seats to glance at me.

“Now, something you must understand about people born with their sun in Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer, is that they typically possess an innate sense of resentment. A venomous, bone-deep rage. Ophiuchus was banished from the zodiac wheel, exiled and hidden from the collective—therefore individuals with it in their big three feel scorned by the world, by life itself.”

The murmurs rippling through the room flayed me.

“Combine that with her starblood from Draco, and she’s the ultimate draconian starseed. A true dragon. Throw in her wrathful Aries moon—” The Luminary cast the Aries symbol to the upper left of Ophiuchus, “and her entitled Leo rising…” She added Leo to the upper right. “Well, we always knew her celestial blueprint was concerning. Backed by her golden fire, which is brighter and hotter than regular fire, and it is highly sentient and responsive to her will. It can melt stone like nothing. She could turn entire cities to ash with half a thought. With astrological influence like hers, it was only a matter of time before she started doing so.”

“And Solaris Adder is a triple Scorpio, with his starblood unknown.” Aro stared out at us with a haunted look in his eye. “His sudden emergence into the Celestial Society came out of nowhere. We have no record of him at all. He seemingly appeared out of thin air.

“Surprisingly, his triple Scorpio placements were not a concern,” Aro said. “Being born with your sun, moon, and rising in the same constellation is extremely rare and usually considered a positive omen. The triple Scorpio combination is dark, yes, but in an entirely deep and psychic way. The stars of Scorpio are like the deep ocean of the universe. All types of curiosities and mysteries exist within them. We were eager to see what kind of mystic Solaris would evolve into.”

My heart was going to fly out of my throat. If I weren’t stuck frozen, I would have stormed out.

“With so much history having been lost in the Burning Times, we have little knowledge of shadow summoners,” the Luminary stated. “There have been a few throughout the ages, but the records of their lives have been lost. We didn’t know what to expect when it came to Solaris…”

LIAR!

My chest heaved. I had to shut my eyes, my lungs filling with jagged ice as air sawed in and out of me.

She was lying. Our Luminary was lying .

She knew exactly what Solaris was and she had known the whole time.

How could she do this?

“Solaris Adder and Nyx Morningstar, as powerful as they are, they still know the Law must be abided by,” Aro continued. “For every action, there is a reaction—a karmic one. What you reap, you always sow, eventually. There are loopholes to this law, however. One is to get others to do your dirty work for you. Which is why they manipulated the Underworlders into carrying out their agenda on Hallows Eve. Technically, they didn’t…”

My heart was pounding too hard to hear.

They were demonizing my sister, not just with gossip or a media narrative, but with thoughtful, calculated astrology and spiritual reasoning.

My blood roared furiously through my veins, loud enough to block out the blasphemous psychobabble.

I was trapped in a nightmare. This couldn’t be real.

My sister was just a girl. She was just a fucking girl. I’d grown up following her around, hanging on her every word, obsessed with her. She was wild and chaotic and imaginative. She pushed limits and tested boundaries and had a thirst for trouble and danger. She was no saint, of course. But who among us was? No one .

I knew her. I know her !

She was impulsive and angry and volatile at times. She had never given people many reasons to like her. She was hot-headed and stubborn and knew she was hot shit. So what. That didn’t make her a malevolent spirit. She wasn’t a terrorist.

She was a victim.

She had been blackmailed. Kidnapped .

Everything they were saying was sickening lies neatly and brilliantly wrapped in cosmic truths. The idea they were selling may have been false, but the astrology was real.

When the girls sitting in the row in front of me started standing up, my brain crashed back into my skull.

I’d dissociated for the last half of the lecture and I was fucking glad for it. Destiny was trying to talk to me but I couldn’t hear her. I stood robotically, my eyes fastened forward, seeing nothing. Nothing but a world I didn’t belong in—a world I didn’t care to belong in.

“It is best to be thrust into our world and jarred awake. Then you see it as it is.”

Is this the fresh hell my mother wanted me to see?

But she—even she demonized Nyx.

The eyes on me, as I descended the stairs, struck my skin like a storm of assailing arrows. Their whispers grated me raw. I knew my friends were behind me but I still felt alone. I was alone.

Before I could reach the floor I was forced to stop by a girl standing on the staircase, blocking my way. The pity in her eyes as she regarded me made an ice-cold torrent of rage wash up my spine. “Emilia, right?” she simpered. “Hey, don’t worry. We all know you’re nothing like Nyx—”

Without a thought to what I was doing, I found myself pushing passed her and passed the throngs of mingling students down the stairs and out into the hall. I ran full tilt until I shut our dorm room door behind me, sealing it shut so not even Destiny could find me.