Fated Throne, published in 2020, is the sixth novel in the Zodiac Academy romantasy series by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. The series, set in the fictional world of Solaria, has a significant following on TikTok and is being adapted for television. The authors are a prolific writing duo known for their interconnected universe of dark romance and fantasy novels, including the spin-off series The Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac and Darkmore Penitentiary, which are also set in Solaria.

Fated Throne continues the saga of twin Fae princesses Darcy and Tory Vega and their allies, the four Heirs of Solaria, in their fight against the tyrannical Lionel Acrux. In the aftermath of Lionel’s usurpation of the throne, the group must race to find the mythical Imperial Star, a powerful artifact that could shift the balance of power. The narrative explores themes of Expressing Agency Through Defiance, The Corrupting Force of Absolute Power, and Sacrifice as Expression of Love and Loyalty.

This guide refers to the 2020 second edition e-book published by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of bullying, graphic violence, physical abuse, sexual assault, emotional abuse, sexual content, cursing, suicidal ideation, and death.

Plot Summary

Darcy and Tory Vega are powerful Fae princesses who grew up in the human realm before returning to their homeland of Solaria to attend the Zodiac Academy (where young Fae train and learn magical skills). Darcy and Tory’s arrival in Solaria sparks a complex series of rivalries, feuds, and romances; their claim to the throne of Solaria is particularly disruptive to the four Heirs: Darius Acrux, Caleb Altair, Seth Capella, and Max Rigel. Each of the Heirs have been groomed to eventually follow in the footsteps of their parents and jointly rule the Kingdom. Prior to the start of Fated Throne, Tory and Darcy have become friends with the Heirs: Darius’s father, Lionel Acrux, is determined to seize the throne and the twins work alongside the Heirs to stop him. Tory has a complex romantic history with Darius, while Darcy has a secret relationship with Lance Orion (a former professor at the Academy). 

The novel opens shortly after devastating events. Tory has been captured by Lionel and a magical Guardian bond compels her to protect and obey him. Lance Orion is imprisoned after being outed for his illicit relationship with Darcy; to protect her reputation, he lied and claimed to have coerced her into the relationship. Darcy doesn’t understand why Orion has seemingly rejected her and grieves for him as well as her sister, while Darius is enraged by being forced to watch his father manipulate and torture Tory (whom he loves). Darcy, the Heirs, and their supporters (including their loyal friend Geraldine, and Darcy and Tory’s half-brother Gabriel) desperately hunt for the Imperial Star: a magical talisman that will allow them to defeat Lionel and save Tory. 

Lionel uses a combination of dark magic and political stratagems to crown himself King of Solaria and move into the Palace of Souls, the Vegas’s ancestral home. He is aided by Clara Orion, Lionel’s sister, who is magically bonded to him and fiercely loyal. He begins imposing segregationist laws and creating discord within the Kingdom: all Fae are members of an Order (including vampires, werewolves, sirens, and more) and Lionel pits various Orders against one another while prohibiting them from mingling. 

However, unbeknownst to Lionel, Tory and the Heirs achieve some significant victories. They administer an antidote to Darcy, which weakens Lionel’s magical hold over her. She becomes aware of his manipulations and is no longer loyal to him but maintains the pretense of still being under his influence. Although still held under house arrest by Lionel, Orion works alongside the group to obtain key information about where the Imperial Star is located. After a dangerous mission, aided by their friends, Orion and Darcy successfully retrieve the Imperial Star. 

As these events take place, complicated emotional dynamics unfold amongst the characters. Seth nurses a secret crush on Caleb but is too shy to tell him. Max has romantic feelings for Geraldine (a close friend and ally to the twins) but is unsure whether she returns them. Xavier, Darius’s younger brother, navigates beginning his studies at the Zodiac Academy and embracing his identity as a member of the Pegasus Order (typically viewed as one of the lower-ranking orders). Orion and Darcy navigate their fractured relationship, with Darcy still nursing feelings of betrayal due to Orion rejecting her after he went to prison. They eventually reconcile and admit they still love one another. Meanwhile, once Tory is no longer under Lionel’s magic, she begins to rebuild her relationship with Darius. Although Tory and Darius are bound by a Star-Crossed curse that triggers dangerous storms whenever they are alone together, they eventually defy the curse to cement their bond with a sexual encounter. 

Time passes and the need to defeat Lionel becomes increasingly urgent. During a lavish Christmas party, Darcy and Lance Orion infiltrate the estate owned by his mother, Stella Orion. They are searching for a magical hat that once belonged to a Nymph named Diego. Despite being a Nymph, Diego was close with and loyal to Darcy, sacrificing himself to protect her. The hat will grant them the ability to magically see events from the past. The hat reveals key information about events from the distant past: A Nymph princess named Lavinia once allied with an Acrux ancestor (from whom Lionel and Darius are descended) to wage war on a Vega queen. Lavinia lost the battle and was betrayed by her Acrux ally. She was banished to the shadow realm and has now possessed the body of Clara Orion, Lance’s sister. Clara died, but her spirit is trapped in a liminal state, and Lavinia magically possesses her body, explaining why she appears to be working as Lionel’s ally. 

Lionel and Clara arrive and attack Darcy and Orion, using magic to subdue them. They imprison Darcy and Orion and then Lionel (now aware that Tory has been betraying him) reinforces his magical hold over her. The next day, Lionel stages a public execution for Darcy and Orion at the palace amphitheater. He unleashes Nymphs, forcing them to fight for their lives. However, the Heirs and other allies arrive and begin fighting alongside them. Tory, trapped by Lionel’s magic, must passively watch the battle unfold. While these events are occurring, Darius is absent: a prophecy warned him that he must urgently intervene to prevent the imminent death of a Vega princess. While the battle rages in the arena, he makes his way through a magic cave where he is offered the choice to prevent Tory’s death at Lionel’s hands. Darius can save her by agreeing to a deal: Tory will live and all magical bonds that impact either of them will vanish. However, after one year, he will pay for the deal with his life. Desperate to save the woman he loves, Darius agrees. 

Back at the arena, Tory is unaware of the deal but immediately feels the magical impacts of being free from the compulsion to protect Lionel. She attacks him, seriously wounding him. Meanwhile, Orion stabs Clara’s body with a magical sword, allowing her spirit to finally be at peace. However, Lavinia is released from Clara’s body and appears in her true form, becoming even more powerful. She places a curse on Darcy, the effects of which are not known. Facing a Nymph army, Orion, Tory, and Darcy know they must retreat. They order their allies to stand down and then flee, now fugitives from the crown.

The story concludes with the Heirs and Vegas on the run. Although they do not yet know about Darius’s deal, Tory and Orion are both impacted, and Darcy is worried about the new dark curse imposed by Lavinia.