Ch. 126..130: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 126-130

Chapter 126

“Mom,” I say, catching her arm and stopping her before she heads to the door. “Are you… are you mad at me?” My voice breaks a little on my question, my eyes smarting with tears as I look at her, worried.

“Oh, baby,” she murmurs, shock and concern suddenly on her face. “Why would you think that?”

“Because,” I say, heaving a little shrug. “We we lied to you for months. And I did

something really dangerous. And I almost died, and showed up all bloody with two mates and it must be so weird –”

Mom laughs a little, taking my face between her hands and shaking her head at me. “Oh, sweetheart,” she murmurs, and then she nods. “If I’m being honest, I could have done without the blood and the near–death. But I’m not mad at you – sweetie, I’m proud of you.”

My mouth twists in sudden surprise, and my eyes fill with unexpected tears. “You’re – you’re what?”

“Baby,” she wraps me in a hug as she speaks, “you are doing something difficult that nobody has done before. And it’s kind of kicking your ass!” I laugh, tears slipping down my cheeks as I nod and hug her back.

“Yeah,” I reply, my voice shaking. “It kind of is.”

“But look at you,” she says, pulling back and beaming into my face. “Look at you, baby! You’re kicking its ass too! You are finding your way, doing something you’re passionate about, and you’re succeeding. Ariel, my love,” her own eyes fill with tears now, “I’m so proud of you. I’d scream it from the rooftops for everyone to hear if it wouldn’t get you instantly kicked out.”

mu taare away

I laugh, and hug my mom again, and then we take a few moments to wipe before we head off to breakfast. Before we go, I tuck the little notes left on my bed into the back pocket of my Cadet uniform and prepare to go negotiate with my dad, the King.

Breakfast goes better than I thought it would, right from the start. It’s a short, unfrilled affair – just the four of us gathered around for coffee, and some toast and fruit, at a little folding table in the back hall. Cora isn’t here, unfortunately she headed home after patching up some minorly–wounded cadets and sending Jesse off with a kiss.

As I pour my coffee, I realize that my mom has probably been up all night – that after I fell asleep she probably spent every minute rushing around from room to room, healing all the

cadets who were injured in the Examination. I see the signs of it now that I look for them the slight circles under her eyes, the yawn she hides with her hand.

But I just smile, and don’t call her out – because even though mom is full of jokes and would just brush it off, I know that she has the biggest heart of anyone in the world.

I resolve, again – for the thousandth time to try to be more like her.

“So,” dad says, his voice all business as he offers me the basket of toast, which I grab perhaps too eagerly, loading up my plate with a serving size that is more like Rafe’s usual breakfast than mine. “We’re going to strike a deal.”

“We are?” I ask, crumbs spilling from my mouth as I speak with my mouth full.

Rafe just smirks at me, and I give him a little glare before I chew and swallow, focusing on

our dad.

“Despite what you all think,” dad says, looking evenly around the table at us, “I do listen to you, and I am reasonable. I am not pleased with the fact that we were lied to, and that Ariel was put into an unnecessarily risky situation.” He levels his gaze at me now, and I sit up straighter, as I always do when I’m in trouble with dad.

“But,” he continues, and I go very still, hope beginning to swell in me. Dad folds his hands, continuing to look at me evenly. “I am aware that yourself at this Academy,

you have prov Ariel. You have…passed the tests that weeded out other candidates, tests that were as much about cleverness as they were physical prowess – about finding out how to pass, even if your physical makeup didn’t make that easy for you.”

I frown a little bit here, my mind wandering to consider that I wouldn’t have been highly ranked enough to enter the academy or to pass the Examination if it hadn’t been for

Jackson. That Jackson really did pull me through.

no wrong with th

Is there though? Is there a rule that every Cadet at the Academy must be a lone island of physical strength? Is there nothing useful about having good friends, and the right friends?

My dad continues talking, though, and so I push the question aside to mull over later, uncomfortable with it but needing to concentrate.

“So here’s what we’re going to do,” dad says, reaching out for an orange and beginning to peel it as he begins to lay out our plan.

Chapter 127

“There’s one last trial before you’re fully enrolled,” dad says slowly, peeling his orange in one long strip. “And that is your academic finals. If you pass those, then I won’t fight you on returning to the Academy.”

I gasp, thrilled, leaning forward to thank my dad with all of my heart.

–

you

“But!” dad says, holding up a finger. “I won’t have it a secret anymore. not from the officials, and not from your professors. At least, those you work with. If you pass your finals, we will have a word with each of your professors. And if they refuse to work with …” he shrugs, meeting my eyes. “I’m not going to force them, Ariel. And you shouldn’t seek to either. It is…too dangerous a world, to not be working with people who are betting against you.”

I bite my lip, considering it quickly, my mind sweeping over the Captain, and Neumann, and Alvez. The last of the three, obviously rather indecently, if I’m being honest – does not have a problem with working with a young woman. But the other two…

–

“And,” dad continues, focusing on the fruit, “the boy who shot you – Wright? He has not yet gone through his tribunal for attempted murder –”

My eyes go wide as I consider that…well, yeah. That Wright broke the rules when he shot me in the stomach.

“So,” dad continues, flicking his eyes to me. “I want you taking no risks, Ariel. Your tests, and the room. Those are the only places I want you until we get that boy out of that school.”

”

“Okay,” I say suddenly, giving a terse nod. “Okay, I accept it.”

“All right,” dad says, nodding seriously and looking down at his fruit and fighting his smile.

I take a second to look around at Rafe and mom, who are both beaming at me with excitement, but then I can’t help it I’m up out of my seat with a shout joy and throwing myself at my dad, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Thank you, daddy,” I whisper, and a rush of warmth and joy runs through me when my dad wraps his big arms around me, hugging me back. “I love you so much.”

“I believe in you, baby,” he says, pulling back to smile at my face, his own filled with a thousand emotions I couldn’t even begin to name. “I always knew you were tough, that you’d do big things. We’re…we’re very proud. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, dad,” I say, grinning at him feeling so, so incredibly lucky to have him as my dad,

and my mom as my mom, and my brother as my brother. “Don’t worry. I know.”

“Good,” he says, setting me on my feet and gesturing towards the table. “Then eat up, because your marksmanship final is today, and you’ll need your strength.”

“Today?” I gasp, my eyes going wide. “Wh–what!?”

“Yup,” dad says, his mouth twisting up at the corner. “Part of the joy of Examination is the

second surprise that immediately after it, your finals begin. Hope you studied, trouble.”

–

I look over at Rafe to see that his face is likewise pale.

“Holy crap,” he says, his eyes meeting mine. “We – we have

– we have to go.”

I throw myself back into my seat and begin eating as fast as I can. Rafe matches my pace as I slurp down my coffee and stuff toast into my mouth along with strawberries, melon –

whatever will fit.

My parents just grin at each other over their plates, eating at a leisurely pace.

I haul my butt up the final two flights of stairs to our level, my head hanging back on my neck, my eyes almost shut in my exhaustion. The past thirty–six hours…

–

I mean, honestly, the past ninety–six hours if we’re counting the examination –

Or, wait

is it seventy–six? Or one–twenty? I groan again, hating my brain for trying to do more math as I slog towards our bedroom door. God, I feel like my brain has gone through a meat grinder.

The past day and a half has been insane with finals. Rafe and I barely showed up, via helicopter, in time for our afternoon tests. I burst into the marksmanship final panting, but on time, and the Captain shook his head at me but let me participate. I passed, of course – it’s my stronger of the my two examined subjects, and the Captain patted me on the back with a proud smile after it was done.

I almost passed out, though, when I was told that my Chemistry examination was twenty- four hours later. That night I was a mess, trying to cram the entire textbook into my head. Jackson came by the room, of course, worried – but Rafe and I managed to convince him to go away, to let me study. I think it was only the sheer anxiety in my eyes that made him agree to it. And thank god Jesse wasn’t there when Jackson came – because I could not absolutely could not – manage any more revelations with this exam looming.

Chapter 128

I was similarly frantic that night in the dream state with Luca. He clasped me in his arms, desperate to hear my story, to know that I was safe. I told him, briefly, what happened, and then begged him to let me go, to sleep, because I absolutely could not turn my mind away from the Chemistry test I knew was waiting for me the next day.

Luca kissed me so softly, so sweetly, and said of course that he’s rooting for me, and he can’t wait to see how well I do. And then we ended the dream with him wishing me the best of luck, though he assured me I didn’t need it.

So, of course, I woke up just riddled with guilt. Because Luca – he’s been so, so sweet to me, and I am keeping a very real secret from him now. Somehow it was different when Jackson was just a mate a vague, unreal connection. But now that Jackson knows, and that we’ve acknowledged each other, and we’ve bonded?

God, but it’s different.

All of these thoughts and memories weigh me down as I head down the hallway to my door, as I twist the handle and push my way inside.

Both Rafe and Jesse cheer the moment I step into the room, but their cheers fade awkwardly when they see how wrecked I am.

“Oh, jeeze,” Jesse says, striding across the room and immediately shutting the door and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Honestly, Ariel, you looked better post- examination when you were all covered in blood.”

“That’s because I had hope,” I moan, letting him lead me over to the couch, where Rafe is waiting with my favorite green blanket. As soon as I sit down he lays it over me, tucking it in at the sides. I smile up at my big brother, loving him.

“Was it that bad?” Rafe asks, anxious, looking down as he stands next to me. “Did you fail?”

“I don’t know,” I sigh, shaking my head. Because it certainly feels like I did. The test was… insane. But what happened before it?

“I got…spooked,” I sigh, shaking my head.

“What?” Jesse asks, confused as he sits down on the coffee table.

“Well,” I say, looking between them and hesitating, because this news

–

they’re not going

to be very happy about it. “The other cadets – they wouldn’t give me a test booklet, at first. Kept passing them to each other around me.”

“What?” Rafe hisses, going still.

I nod, looking down as I continue. “Neumann asked what was going on and one of the other cadets spoke up, saying that I failed the Examination and shouldn’t get to sit the exam.‘

Rafe and Jesse gape at me, appalled. I take their silence as the invitation it is, nodding and moving on. “They said I was carried over the line, that I rely on my…my royal connections. to get through, and apparently now on Jackson, and that I don’t belong here.”

“What the fuck did Neumann say?” Jesse asks, already livid.

“He took my side,” I say, raising my eyes and looking between them. “He slapped a test. booklet onto my desk and said that I didn’t break a single rule and just because none of them was clever enough to convince a bigger cadet to build them a chair, and declare them governor, and carry them over the finish line, it didn’t mean it was wrong for me to use my resources wisely.”

I take a deep breath, carrying on. “And then, when they insisted it wasn’t fair, Neumann called them out. He said that if Jesse Sinclair,” I say, looking at my cousin significantly and letting him know that Neumann really did call him out by name, “had been carried bleeding across the finish line by the crown Prince that nobody would have countered it. That everyone would have called it noble, and applauded, and happily mark both of you as passing with flying colors”

Rafe and Jesse go still, looking at each other before returning their gazes to me. “He’s right,” Rafe said, nodding solidly. “That’s exactly what would have happened. What happened next?”

I sigh, shaking my head, wondering if I should even get into it.

Chapter 129

I sigh, shaking my head and moving on with it. “Neumann told all of my classmates that they were all being shitty people, that they were jealous, and that they were kidding themselves if they thought that trying to knock me out of the running because I’m physically the smallest and weakest was ever going to do them any favors, because they’re next on that list.”

Rafe works hard to keep from bursting into laugher, so I do it for him. My brother and cousin join in, even as I shake my head.

my

“I mean,” I say with a shrug, “it was good to have him stand up for me but it’s all stuff I’ve been thinking this whole time, isn’t it? That I don’t belong here, that I’m too small, that I’ve literally only passed both the candidacy test and the examination because Jackson helped me with both. And it sucked to have my classmates say it out loud, to suggest that I shouldn’t even be allowed to take the Chem final.”

“They just knew you were going to kick their ass in that too,” Jesse says, leaning forward to put a hand on my knee. “They are just jealous, Ari. This whole time they’ve been patting themselves on the back, telling themselves that they’re tougher than you, sneering at you saying you’d be the first to go. And here you fucking are, thriving.”

“I know,” I sigh, looking between them. “But…I mean, I wouldn’t be thriving without Jackson. Or you two. I’d be dead.”

“Neumann’s right,” Rafe says, sitting down in his chair and considering it. “There’s nothing in the rulebook that says you can’t rely on your friends to help you. Everyone just assumes you have to muscle through it all alone. When in fact, the best plan is probably to gather a strong group of

people with a lot of broad skills.” He smirks at Jesse and me.” Which is…kind of what we did. Which is cool, I think.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been so helpful to you two,” I say, sitting back with a sigh, still feeling kind

crap about it all.

of

dia

“You did help, Ari,” Jesse says, leaning forward with a warm smile. “You are the reason we met Daphne, the love of my life, who is obsessed with Rafe. So, thank you for my burgeoning heartbreak.”

I laugh at my cousin, sensing his joke and his sarcasm. “Yeah, I introduced her, and then she poisoned us,” I groan, covering my face with my hands.

“Yeah, we’re going to have to…see what else you can bring to the group, Ari,” Rafe says,

obviously kidding and laughing along with us.

The door opens, and Ben comes through, moaning in the same way I was. “I’m dead,” he mutters, shaking his head and leaving the door open behind him as he comes and slumps down on the couch next to me. “I am death, and I’ve departed my body, and now I’m a ghost. Can you see me? Am I corporeal?”

Jesse grins at Ben and pats his knee too. “Your finals go as bad as Ari’s did?”

Ben frowns and turns to look at me, considering. “Worse, by the looks of it.”

“Did you fail?” I ask, anxious. He barely skirted through the Examination, I know, and my mom had to wound a broken wrist and a twisted ankle before sending him back here. That, combined with a failure…

God, it could be close.

“No way of knowing,” Ben sighs, resting his head back on the couch. “Hey, do we have any more of that wine that knocks you out for twenty–four hours? I could really use some of that

now.”

“Yes, can we get Daphne back up here?” I ask, looking longingly at the door, kind of wishing that she would come. I haven’t seen her yet since I’ve been back and I know she’s upset about her role in the Examination, that she thinks I’m mad at her. The two of us really need to take a minute to chat and renew our friendship.

“Why don’t you go get her, Ari?” Rafe says, stretching his hands over his head. “Bring her up – tell her to bring real wine this time. Finals are over, after all, and it’s our last night here. We could use a little celebration.”

“Go and get her,” I murmur in confusion, frowning at my big brother. And then my i mind flashes to the fact that I just walked back from my Chemistry final alone. Though it didn’t bother me at the time…I mean, why was I allowed to do that, when my brother and my cousin have basically been flanking me the entire time we’ve been here? And considering that someone just tried really hard to murder me in the Examination? “Wait, what’s going on?” I ask, looking around at them. “Why is… why am I suddenly allowed to walk around alone?”

 

Chapter 130

“Because,” Jesse says, patting my knee and then getting up, “you’re safe now, Ari. Nobody’s going to mess with you.”

“What?” I ask, my eyes following him as he moves over to his desk, writing something down on a piece of paper. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t have to worry about Wright anymore,” Rafe murmurs, flicking his eyes up to me and then down to his notebook he pulls onto his lap, where he’s started making a packing list so that we can go home for winter break. “He’s under full guard until his trial. Plus, everyone’s scared shitless of Jackson now after his display at the bridge, which we’ve all heard about. So, we don’t have to stalk you so much.”

“What these two are leaving out,” Ben stage–whispers to me, loud enough so that Jesse and Rafe can hear, “is that they also kicked the shit out of Wright at the warrior finals.”

“What!?” I gasp, appalled.

“We only kicked the shit out of him a little bit,” Rafe says, holding up two fingers held very close together in front of his face. “Just…a teeny tiny amount.”

“Rafe!” I shout, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at him. “You shouldn’t have done that – you should have just le

dad and the authorities handle it! This could get in the way of the

investigation!”

“I don’t know why you’re surprised,” Jesse calls on his way to the dumbwaiter with a note, blasé. “Did you think we were just going to let him get away with it?”

“It’s not your job to administer justice!” I shout, throwing out my hands.

“Well, whatever,” Rafe sighs, completely ignoring my outrage. “We weren’t even the first ones to do it, by the looks of things.”

“What?” I gasp.

“He had bruises everywhere,” Ben says, nodding and gesturing to his face. “Looks like Luca got to him, used him as a punching bag to practice his left hook.”

“Luca,“Rafe says, lifting his head and looking at Ben with a frown. “Why would he have done that? It was Jackson, obviously.”

“Why would Jackson have done it?” Ben asks, frowning back. “He did us enough of a solid carrying Ari across that field and up the mountain. Why would he do more?”

“Because,” Rafe says, frowning at him, confused. “He’s –”

“So!” I shout as I jump to my feet, trying to cause as much disruption as possible as I see that this is getting into dangerous territory that I absolutely do not want to touch. “We’re… we’re packing!? Winter break starts tomorrow? How are we getting back to the Capital?”

Ben just watches me carefully, but Rafe looks up at me with a frown. “By train, Ari. Why do you never know these things?”

“Why do you know them?” I ask, putting my hands on my hips and frowning at him. ” Seriously, are you getting like, text messages from the rail lines? Updates from mom and dad?”

“Ari, you know I don’t have my phone back yet –”

I’m pleased, honestly, that Rafe and Ben are so sufficiently distracted. But it’s all a waste, because the moment I get Ben talking about his own winter plans he’s coming to the Palace with us, I’m pleased to hear a sharp knock comes at the door followed by the sound of it opening.

–

I barely – barely! – have time to turn before Jackson is halfway across the room. And I only have a half second to gasp before I’m up in his arms, held close to him as he presses a swift set of kisses first to my cheek, and then to my lips. “How are you?” he murmurs, staring into my eyes, and I can feel his joy at holding me in his arms again thrumming through him. “How did Chemistry go- did you pass? You passed – of course you passed.”

His joy and the very physical pleasure of being swept up in his arms would be infectious, irresistible, even…if I wasn’t aware of every eye in the room currently on us.

“What…” Jesse barks out, and Jackson and I both turn our heads towards him. My mate makes no move to put me down. “What the hell is going on here!?”