Ch. 481..485: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 481-485

Chapter 0481

 

I sit up straighter, surprised. "The one with the crown?" I ask, a little horrified at the idea. "Or - the one next to him?"

"The one next to him," Ben says, nodding seriously, and I feel a whoosh of relief - because the one with the crown...my wolf raises her hackles at his memory. There was something wrong with him. But the one next to him - I suddenly remember the pulse that went through me when our eyes locked. Not a mating bond – no, I'd recognize that anywhere – but...a connection.

A real one I can't explain.

"Did you find out who he is?" I ask, excited.

"Of course I did, Ari," Ben says, leaning back in his chair and waiving a dismissive hand at me. "What do you think I did all midwinter? Actually, Rafe is the one who told me who it was."

"Really?" I ask, my eyes going wide. "Does Rafe...know?"

"No, only you know," Ben says, looking at me a little hard, and I nod quickly to reassure him that I'm keeping the secret. The stakes are high, after all, on this one. "But...I asked some questions about the Atalaxian delegation and got enough information out of him to figure it out."

"Well come on, Benny," I growl, smacking the table between us and making him laugh. "Spill! I'm dying here!"

"All right, all right," he says, leaning his arms on the desk and grinning at me, I think enjoying himself more than he has in a while now that he has someone to talk to about this. "His name is Elias. He's the son of a minor Atalaxian Prince named Calvin, their third child."

My eyes go a little wide at the name, because I recognize it.

"What?" Ben asks, frowning at me.

"My mom knows Calvin, I think," I say, nodding eagerly. "She really likes him - her one friend in Atalaxia.”

"Yes, that's what Rafe said too," Ben says, nodding. "Which gives me hope. It's hard enough having a mate who is Atalaxian - if his dad is cool enough that your mom likes him, hopefully Elias has some progressive politics as well and doesn't like...hate women. Or himself, for being gay." My face falls into a grimace then, thinking of how horrible it must be to grow up liking people of the same gender as you in a world where that's a crime punishable by death. God, Elias - I don't know him at all, but my heart already goes out to him. And for Ben's sake on top of that, I want to do everything I can to help.

"So, what are you going to do?" I ask quietly. "What are we going to do?"

"We?" Ben asks, raising his eyes to mine a bit.

"Benny, you know I'm going to do everything I can to help you find your mate and keep him safe," I say, a little fiercer than I usually am, putting my hands flat on the desk between us. "But I'm also sure that your clever little clockwork brain," I point a finger at his forehead now, turning it in a circle like the shifting gears of a complicated machine, "is already turning with ideas. So? What do we do?"

Ben beams at me then, I think liking the metaphor as well as my instant, open offer of aid. But he sighs deeply and drops his eyes when he starts to think on what we're up against. "Obviously, I want to get him out of there, Ariel. If anyone finds out about our bond - even if he is a minor prince or whatever they will make an example out of him. But...I mean, I don't even know if he wants to leave - would he give up his whole nation to start a new life here, with me? I mean, he'd be a...traitor to his world. To his family."

My wolf turns anxiously in my soul at the mere idea of it, because if I had to choose between my mates and my country...

God, I don't know if I could do it.

But then again, my country loves and supports me and wouldn't kill me if my mate was a woman instead of a man. It is different. I bite my lip, torn.

Chapter 0482

 

"My very lackluster current plan," Ben continues on a sigh, lifting his eyes to mine, "is to study really hard."

I burst out laughing at this, shaking my head, because he sounds like me in this moment - diving into homework like it's going to save the world.

Ben grins, sensing the direction of my thoughts, but carries on. "I want to become an Atalaxian ambassador fast - a real one. One that your father sends over to Atalaxia as part of a mission. I mean, I want to help end the war, but also being there could...I don't know, give me a chance to talk to Elias. To learn what he wants and needs, figure out...more of a plan."

I go a little pale at the idea of Ben going to Atalaxia as an ambassador - because it's already dangerous for any of our countrymen who go over there, but with his sexual identity...

"Don't forbid me, Ariel," Ben says, again reading my mind, his face softening at my clear worry. "You'd do it too, if Jacks or Luca were on the line." And as I consider that, I pull in a deep breath and nod, sitting up straighter. Because he's right - I'd do it in a heartbeat, in an instant. And I'd be looking to do more. "That's all a very long-term plan, Benny," I say quietly, holding his gaze. "Don't you want to move faster than that?"

"Of course I do," he says, turning up his hands like he's helpless. "But I mean, what else can I do?"

I bite my lip, considering my next words carefully. “Actually," I say, the word drawn out in my hesitation. “I think you should tell Rafe.”

Ben goes still as he stares at me. "You want me to tell my crush about my mate, the Atalaxian Prince, his enemy?"

"Yes!" I say, tossing my hand up as if it's the easiest thing in the world. "Tell the Prince you're crushing on about the Prince you're mated to!" A grin breaks onto my face as I suddenly realize something. "Honestly, Ben, you do have a type."

He laughs at this, I think relieved to do it, his head tilting back on his neck as he does. When he raises his head to look at me, wiping a little tear from his eye that's not all mirth, I can see that some of the tension has gone out of him. "I do, don't I," he says when his breath comes back to him, smiling at me. “I like ‘em fancy and empowered."

"Good looking brtes, too," I say, screwing my mouth to the side. "But honestly, Ben, I know that you have this idea that things will be different between you and Rafe if you tell him that you like guys, but...Rafe knows a lot about the inner workings of the Atalaxian court and he could talk to dad about best plans for getting Elias out of there - if that's what you guys decide is best. I think it would honestly be...the fastest way to actually getting you in touch with him."

Ben sighs, nodding even as he looks away from me out of the window. "I'll consider it," he says after a moment, his eyes going a bit hazy as he thinks it through.

"Good," I say softly, my own mind turning about other avenues. But honestly, I know so damned little about these politics and this war that I'm extremely limited in what I can offer him right now. I curse, again, the stupid gender bias that sent me to ballet class while Rafe and Jesse learned politics and war.

I make a point, mentally, to steal my brother's textbooks and work hard to fix this ignorance as soon as I can.

But honestly, when the hell will I have time to do that?

Ben and I spend a good deal of time in that peaceful silence, looking out the windows, thinking our thoughts and sorting through our own plans. But eventually I sigh, and glance at the dainty little clock in the corner, and realize that we only have a few minutes left before Ben has to walk me to magic class.

"So," I say, slapping my hands down on the leather arms of my chair and making Ben jump out of his reverie. "What does all of this mean for you and Rafe, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Ben asks, likewise glancing at the clock and grinning at me as he starts to gather his books.

"I mean, did you like...stop having a crush on him the moment you saw your mate? Did he wipe away the idea that anyone else could ever be cute?"

 

Chapter 0483

"It doesn't work like that, Ari," Ben says, smirking at me. "What are you suddenly immune to all other men's charms now that Jackson and Luca are in your life?"

"Yes," I say, my eyes falling half shut in derision. "Two is enough. I don't need any more crushes."

"Well, if Rafe wants to make out before Elias comes around," Ben says, smiling fondly at me as he stands up and offers a hand, "then I'm game. But I don't think that will be happening anytime soon, for more reasons than one."

"More than his particularly inconvenient singular desire for women, you mean?" I ask, taking Ben's hand and letting him pull me to my feet. "That, yes,” Ben says, stuffing his books into his messenger bag as I do the same. "Along with the fact that he's seriously gone on Daphne."

"Is he?" I ask, going a bit still in shock as I stare up into Ben's face.

He turns to me, his brows going up. "Are you...surprised?"

"I mean, a little," I say, coming back to myself and moving towards the trap door. Ben moves with me, bending down to unlatch it. "I mean, know they're...dating or whatever. But he...he really likes her?"

"That's what he told me," Ben says, a little hesitant now, looking up at me as he pulls the door open. "He hasn't talked to you about it?"

"No," I say with a little scowl as I start down the stairs, Ben following. "But...he's never talked to me about girls. Ever. So I guess it's nothing new. But he really said that?" I look over my shoulder at him.

Ben shrugs. “He told me that he's never felt this way about a girl. He's pretty gone on her - I don't think he's used to women who are that independent, and he quite likes it. But pay attention, Ari, these steps are steep - if you break your neck going down the stairs I'll have to face your entire family and I'm not up to that."

I nod as I laugh, looking forward and paying attention to where I put my feet as the pair of us wind our way back down to the main part of the library. But even as we move back to the reference desk and Ben receives a light, flirtatious scolding from the librarian about abuse of the special collections room, I can't quite pay attention to my current surroundings. As I hurry down the halls with Ben at my side, I get lost in my thoughts.

Because honestly, I never imagined that Rafe was...gone on Daphne like that. I mean, I knew he liked her, but I just thought they were...dating. Dating in the non-serious way that Rafe and Jesse have always dated girls - for fun, with no one really getting their heart broken.

But even if Ben does say that you can still crush on other people when you have a mate...I'm well aware that Rafe does have a mate coming down the line.

And that if Daphne is falling for him too...she's going to be the one who gets her heart broken.

My stomach twists as I think of my handsome brother getting too involved with my best friend - even if he never intended to. Even if he just started this because she's pretty and fun.

"Earth to Ari," Ben murmurs, snapping his fingers in front of my face.

"What?" I ask, looking up at him.

“We're here,” he says, smiling down at me, entertained. "Did you seriously not notice?"

"Oh," I say, turning to look at the familiar magic classroom and laughing at myself. "Sorry. Kind of got...lost in my thoughts."

"Yeah, you do that sometimes," he says, putting a fond hand on top of my cap and rubbing it around a little - like he's ruffling my hair. I grin up at him and swat his hand away.

"It's part of my charm!"

"Never said it wasn't!" Ben says, starting to walk away and giving me a little salute. "See you at dinner!"

"If I make it on time!" I call back with a sigh, turning towards magic class as I take a deep inhale of breath and put my worries about Rafe and Daphne and Ben and Elias - who I've never even met, not really - aside.

Because they're about to be replaced with a whole batch of other worries. Magical ones.

On a steep exhale, I step into the magic classroom.

 

Chapter 0484

When I walk into class, I grin to see that everyone else is here. Rafe and Jesse joke casually with Jacks while Tony lounges at his desk, his long legs sticking out from under it as he flicks through a book.

Of course, my smile fades as soon as I hear Alvez's voice to my left.

"Very nearly late...Clark."

My head turns sharply to see him grinning at me, as he so often does now, like he holds all my secrets in the palm of his hand. And I frown at him because, I mean, he's not holding those secrets over my head anymore, is he?

So why is he still grinning at me like a cat? What on earth does he have up his sleeve?

"Sorry," I say as the room falls silent, everyone looking towards me. I pushing the door shut. "Lost track of time."

Alvez waves a magnanimous hand towards the desks and I hurry in, sitting in an open spot between Rafe and Jackson that they very obviously saved for me.

"Good," Alvez says, folding his arms over his chest and looking around at us. "I must say - it is rare for a professor to come back over winter break at the Academy to find his class still entirely intact. I might have the singular claim to that this semester."

I raise my eyebrows at this, realizing that it's probably true, and I lean around Jackson to glance at Tony - the only one who I thought may actually have been at risk of not coming back. As I do, I find him already looking for me, and I grin as I realize that we simultaneously had the same thought about each other. His own face breaks into a smile as he nods to me, letting me know he's glad I'm still here. I do the same.

"So," Alvez says, drawing my attention back to him. "In such an impressive group, I have to admit that I'm a little...displeased. There should have been more progress in the development of your gifts this past semester."

"Perhaps," Tony drawls, a little bored, "If you gave us more instruction than 'hold hands' and 'try,' we'd be making more progress."

My eyebrows raise at the gall of him for a moment and I fight a smile. When I glance at Rafe, I'm pleased to see that he's doing the same. "Do I hear a critique in your words, Davis?" Alvez drawls.

"You can hear what you want," Tony says, much more relaxed than I'd be confronting a professor. "But if you're looking for a blatant critique, I'd say that this class is pretty much a waste of my time. No offense to my classmates,” he glances at us here, and I see the honesty in his eyes, “but I already know what my gift is and how to use it. I'm just sitting around while they figure out what they can do - I'm not learning anything."

"And how would you suggest I adjust my pedagogy?" Alvez says, leaning casually against his desk.

"More individualized attention, I suppose," Tony says, crossing his arms over his chest and staring steadily at the professor. "Or just letting me take a study hall, if there's nothing more you can teach me."

"Individual attention," Alvez says, a wicked smile taking his face as he turns his eyes to me. "Sounds like a wonderful idea."

A shiver runs up and down my spine as I stare at the professor, as he stares back at me. As he makes his meaning perfectly clear with the way he lets his eyes drift away from my face and down my body. I tense in my chair, glancing to the left to see how Rafe and Jesse are reacting to this, but they look...completely normal. Just...staring at Alvez, waiting for him to go on.

On my right, though, Jackson lets out a low and rumbling growl that snaps everyone's attention to him.

Alvez's mouth curves into a pleased smile as he meets Jackson's eyes, almost...almost daring him to make a move against him.

I gape a bit, wondering what the hell is going on.

"Seriously," Tony says, staring around the room at all of us, "what the hell is going on?"

I start a bit, turning to stare at him, wondering if he read my mind or something.

But when I see his expression, I realize that he's just reacting to the vibe in the room the same way that Jackson and I are.

 

Chapter 0485

Jesse and Rafe blink and stare around, confused.

But Alvez claps his hands together, breaking the tension and ignoring Tony's question. "Let's move on. I'd like an update, please, regarding the status of your magic and if there has been any progress over the break. Davis, I'm assuming by your rather irritable protest regarding my teaching methods that you've had no progress on your abilities?"

"No, I've made no progress on my fully formed abilities, which I'd say is unsurprising," Tony says, dry. "What do you want me to do, take deeper breaths underwater?"

I laugh a little, unable to help it, and he shoots a smirk my way.

Alvez ignores it, turning to Jesse and Rafe, who report that they have not.

When the professor turns his eyes to me, I bite my lip a bit, torn about what to say. Alvez's eyes shine. "I'm sensing, Clark," he murmurs. "That you do have an update."

And then, even though I don't trust him, I decide to spill. Mostly because this is the only place we can really talk about magic as a group, where we can keep it a secret.

“I can light stuff on fire," I say, giving a casual shrug.

"What!?" Rafe bursts out, sitting up straight and staring at me.

"You didn't know?" I ask, turning to frown at him.

"Ari!" he sputters, Jesse looking around him at me likewise shocked, "No! I didn't know! What are you talking about!?"

"Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you," I say, grimacing a little. "I mean, Midwinter was really busy!"

Jesse and Rafe burst out at once, shouting at me for not telling them and demanding to know more information - what I can do, what I lit on fire, how I did it. But Alvez claps his hands together, again drawing attention back to him.

"Details, please, Clark," he says, slow and curious.

I glance at Jackson, who gives me a little encouraging push down the bond, and then I quickly tell the story of accessing my magic, and concentrating on the wood in the fireplace, and drawing on my magic to heat the wood to the point where it burst into flames. I'm quite careful to keep Jackson out of the story, though, implying that I was alone by the fireplace.

"So is your power fire?" Alvez asks, raising an eyebrow at me. "Or heat?"

I turn my head to the side, curious as I consider the question. "Heat, I suppose," I say eventually, remembering how Jackson, Seraphina and I spent the majority of the morning experimenting with how fast I can melt chocolate and candy, licking both off our fingers courtesy of my magic. None of it burst into flames, though - it melted before it got to a flashpoint.

"Fascinating," Alvez says, reaching for a notebook on his desk and tearing out a page, crumpling it up into a ball. "And would you mind providing a demonstration?"

"Um, okay," I murmur, sitting up straight.

"At your leisure, Cadet," Alvez says lazily, putting the crumpled paper on the desk and looking down at it. Almost as one, everyone else in the room leans forward to stare at it, almost as if they're afraid they'll miss it.

My stomach squirms a little under the sudden pressure, but I suddenly hear Jackson's voice in my head.

You've got this, Princess, he murmurs, proud. Don't let him shake your confidence.

I send a quick pulse of happiness and thanks down our bond and then exhale slowly, concentrating on the paper, reaching for that well of magic that I accessed so easily on Midwinter mourning.

But even when I find it, I discover that it's...well, it's kind of...tiny.

I blink in surprise at myself as my wolf walks over to the little pool, both of us wondering where the hell it went. Because on Midwinter - god, it felt like

an ocean.

Still, I pull on it, drawing from its strength and its power, and I feel the heat start to build within me, concentrating it on the little ball of paper.

But god it's...it's nothing like what it was. About a minute into the process, I realize that it's just not going to work - that the paper is, at best, going to get warm. That I just don't have enough power within me to make it happen.

I scowl, slumping back in my seat, frustrated - because where the hell did it go?