The series follows twin sisters Tory and Darcy Vega who, after being raised in the mortal world, discover they are Fae princesses with a claim to the throne of Solaria in the Fae Realm. Upon enrolling at the magical Zodiac Academy, they find their claim contested by the four Celestial Heirs: Darius Acrux, Caleb Altair, Seth Capella, and Max Rigel—all sons of Celestial Councillors who have ruled in the absence of a royal heir to the throne. Over the first four books, this antagonistic relationship evolves into a set of complex, slow-burn romances built on the escalated enemies-to-lovers trope that defines the bully romance subgenre. In the first novel, The Awakening, the Heirs, who believe the throne is theirs by right, initially subject the twins to relentless bullying and life-threatening torment, culminating in nearly drowning Tory when they trap her under ice in a brutal hazing ritual. Darcy and Orion intervene to save her.

In the series’ second installment, Ruthless Fae, Tory and Darcy decide to fight back against the Heirs attempts to torment them and prove they belong at the academy. During a climactic Pitball match, dozens of Nymphs, the enemy of the Fae, swarm the stadium, forcing those in attendance to fight for their lives. Tory and Darcy join forces to summon a massive, winged creature made of red and blue fire to drive off the invading Nymphs. The Fae interpret the incident as a declaration of war from the Nymphs.

In the third book in the series, The Reckoning, Darcy and Tory’s powers grow stronger and their support among the student body builds, encouraging them to assert their rightful claim to the Solarian throne. Tory finds herself increasingly entangled with two of the Heirs, Caleb and Darius, with whom she feels both hatred and arousal, and Darcy enters into a forbidden romance with Professor Orion. On the night of the Lunar Eclipse, Tory and Darius find themselves drawn to each other and nearly share their first kiss, but they’re interrupted by Lionel and forced to participate in a dark magic ritual to summon the power of the shadows. 

The fourth book in the series, Shadow Princess, follows Darcy and Orion’s quest to rescue his lost sister, Clara, from the clutches of the Shadow Realm as Darius and Tory continue to grapple with the complicated, love-hate pull that they feel to one another. Darcy and Orion’s ritual succeeds in bringing Clara back to the Fae Realm, but she returns as the Shadow Princess, a corrupted version of her former self, who attacks and mortally wounds Orion. Meanwhile, the stars ordain a Divine Moment for Darius and Tory, prompting them to accept or reject their Elysian Mate bond. Tory rejects Darius as her mate, leaving them Star Crossed—cursed to lives without love.

Cursed Fates is the fifth book in the Zodiac Academy series and begins immediately after the climactic events of the previous novel. With help from Darius and Seth, Darcy saves Orion’s life. Clara joins forces with Lionel, pushing the Heirs and the Vega twins to unite as allies against a common enemy. Their vow to keep Lionel from seizing the throne of Solaria for himself drives the events of the novel.