Ch. 501..505: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 501-505

Chapter 0501

"Oh," I say, stepping aside quickly so he doesn't bowl me over as strides out the door. And then I quickly follow as he moves down the hall, doing my best to stay at his side even if it means that I have to do a ridiculous little trot instead of a walk. "Where are we going?"

"Outside," the Captain says, glancing down at me. "I'm making the call, Shrimp. Your training record thus far suggests that you should focus on one weapon and that you can handle it."

My eyes light up as I glance down again at the bag over his shoulder, thrilled suddenly, dying to know what's in there.

But the captain's rich laugh brings my eyes back up to him as he pushes a door open and we step out into the sunshine. "Don't get too excited, Princess," he murmurs, shaking his head and beginning to stride across the field with me in tow. "Your training is about to get very, very monotonous." Desperate to know what he means by that, I follow quickly as the Captain leads us over to one side of the field with what looks like...god, I don't know, a telephone pole? With a big flat wooden deck on top? As we go, we talk quietly about my missing comrades - both of whom he informs me failed the Chemistry exam, to my chagrin – as well as the need for snipers within our nation.

"As you can thus imagine," the captain says, slowing his pace a little as we approach the pole. "Your training in this field is very important to us, Clark. I fought hard for Neumann to pass one of the other boys through, but he refused - said he wouldn't have a dummy in his classroom or up in the blinds."

I frown, glancing upwards, wondering if that's what this is - a blind.

“Welp,” The Captain says, giving my shoulder a little shove towards the pole, which has metal spokes sticking out on either side. “Up you go, Cadet.” My eyes go wide as I return them to him. "Me? All the way up there?"

"What," the captain says, laughing at me a little. "You're not scared of heights, are you?"

I scowl a little, because the truth is that I am, just a little bit - they make my knees go wobbly. But, well, I guess it's time to get over that. I reach out for the first handle but before I do, the Captain stops me and slings the bag over my shoulder. I stumble backwards a little bit at the weight and he laughs at me.

"Gonna have to get used to that," he says with a happy sigh. Then he gives my shoulder another friendly shove and I start up the pole, pulling myself up arm over arm, step by step, secretly grateful to Rafe and Jesse for making me do so many pull-ups.

When I get to the stop, my arms are shaking both from the strain and also, a bit, from the dizzying height. I mean, I'm probably not even that high up...but god, it feels like it, on this tiny platform that only has a single very flimsy-looking rail all around it.

I quickly scoot backwards on my butt to make room for the Captain, who follows behind me. "W-why are we so high up?” I ask, reaching anxiously for the rail to steady myself.

"Because," the captain answers, looking at me evenly as he pulls his whole body up onto the platform and sits as casually as if he's having a picnic in a meadow. "The grounds around Atalaxia where the majority of the fighting is happening right now are rigid and cliffy with lots of vantage points that make it quite auspicious for a sniper - especially one who can shoot far and from great heights. I'd usually start a young Cadet like you on the ground, but if we have to send you to the front, I want you trained in the kinds of shooting that will best benefit the cause."

I look at the Captain seriously and give a single nod, letting him know that I understand, that I'll work hard at it.

"Good," he says simply, turning his attention back to the package in front of him. I lean forward, eager, as he unzips it. And when he finally pushes the canvas back?

Immediately I let go of the rail, forgetting all about my fear of heights. Because what's inside...god, it's just so...pretty.

Chapter 0502

 

"Wow..." I whisper, leaning forward, my hand shooting out to touch the long, slim silver rifle that the Captain lifts out of the bag and sets up straight, balancing it on its two bipod legs so it stands up on its own. At the last second, I pull my hand back, not sure if I should.

"Go on," the captain says, and I look up into his face to see a proud smile there. "I had this commissioned for you about a month ago - just got delivered over the weekend. Damn lucky you passed that Chemistry exam, too, because if the military had to pay for a lightweight miniature rifle like this that no one else could use..." his cheeks puff out as he imagines it. "I'd have hell to pay to your uncle."

I laugh a little, shaking my head as I lean forward and run a hand over the barrel and the forestock. “You had it made for me? It's...small?"

"To your specifications, yes," the captain says with a proud sigh. "It's one-of-a-kind and top of the line, Cadet, so. Don't drop it off the blind or anything. Cost a pretty penny. Want to see how she shoots?"

Desperately pleased I look up at the Captain and laugh a little, nodding eagerly.

He grins back at me and then we sit close together as he points out the features of the gun, shows me how to assemble and disassemble it, and then how to load it with the bullets from the bottom of the bag. When he's finished with that, we both lay out on our stomachs and he points out the white target below on the other side of the field.

I blink, doing a double take because...I mean, it's so small from this vantage point that I didn't even notice it at first. Surely, that's too far away! "Are you serious?" I murmur, a little appalled. "Shouldn't I shoot at something...closer to start?"

"You'll be shooting ten times that distance in a few weeks," the Captain murmurs, making my eyes fly wide. But he doesn't look over at me, instead peering through the rifle's sight and recalibrating it. "Now be quiet and watch what I do."

I do as I'm told and the Captain narrates his actions as he lays down his stomach and positions himself next to the gun, telling me how he's taking aim, how he's attempting to control his breathing and his body movements, how he's paying attention to the way that the breeze is blowing. Then, once he's ready, he moves his finger to the trigger and deftly pulls it.

To my surprise, the gun barely makes any noise - just a little puffing sound, no louder than a snap. The Captain stays still for a second and then sits up.

I glance over at the target and then back at him. “Did you hit it?" I whisper, a little breathless.

"You tell me," the Captain says, smirking proudly, and then he pulls the scope deftly off the rifle and hands it to me.

A little tickled at the fact that it doubles as a spyglass, I look through the scope and gasp when I see that he did indeed hit the target - not precisely dead center, but still a solid shot.

Eager, laughing in my excitement, I lower the scope and push it back at him. "Put it back on! Let me try!"

The Captain, pleased, laughs at my enthusiasm but does as I say, showing me how to reattach the scope and then helping me lay down flat on my belly. He then coaches me through my position and my steps, helping me adjust when necessary. Finally, I take in a deep breath and pull the trigger.

But to my disappointment...

Nothing changes down the scope.

"Crap," I mutter, lifting my head up and peering at the target without the aid of the scope, as if that will change something. "I...I missed."

"To be expected, Cadet," the Captain says patting me warmly on the back. But I scowl and sit up, folding my legs beneath me, a little disappointed. He laughs at me again, shaking his head. "What, did you think it would be easy?"

Chapter 0503

"Well, it's fancy," I say, gesturing to the gun. "And it has a scope. You point the crosshairs at the target and you shoot - it should work!"

He laughs at me again, I think genuinely pleased and entertained. "It's going to take a long time to get good at it, kid," he says, smiling at me and patting me on the shoulder. "You've got to learn the gun, how to adjust to the height, the wind patterns, your own bodily movements. Then once you've done that, I want you to master it sitting, and standing. Then we'll move the target further out, and so on."

He nods to me, smirking as my eyes go wider and wider at each item on the list.

"It's going to take a long time, kid," he says. "And I want you out here every day practicing on your own time. If you only come once a week with me, it will take seven times as long to get you where we need you."

My mouth falls open a little at this because when - when the hell am I supposed to fit that in!?

"Problem with that order, Cadet?" he asks, an eyebrow going up. "Because I can take the gun back..."

I snap my mouth shut and straighten my shoulders. "No sir," I say immediately, putting a possessive hand on my new favorite possession. "I'll do it. I'll...figure it out."

"Right answer," the Captain says. "Now let's get out of here." Together we pack up the gun and sling it over my shoulder, heading down the makeshift ladder towards the ground. I hold my breath almost the whole way, hating going down much more than I hate going up, and only half listening to the Captains instructions about saving my targets from my individual practice so that he can evaluate them.

He only pulls my attention fully back to him when my feet are on the ground and he says my name.

"We need you, Ariel," the Captain says, clapping a warm hand on my shoulder. I look up at him, surprised and a little awed that he's not calling me Clark, pretending that nothing's changed. "Our army is currently lacking in sharp shooters - we've got a few grunts that can shoot from a distance, but a real sniper? Who can put a hole in a quarter from a mile or more?"

I blink a him in shock because - does he seriously think I can do that someday?

"You could make a real difference in this war, Ariel," the Captain says seriously, tightening his fingers on my shoulder. "Besides, the sooner you get good at this, the more desirable you'll be as a candidate in the Games. Not that I imagine either Jackson or your brother will let you be picked last, but if you can actually snipe - you'll be a help instead of a hindrance."

I frown as I look up at him, taking a step back. “Wait, what are you talking about?" I ask, tilting my head to the side. "What are the Games?"

He laughs again, shaking his head at me. "Why don't you know these things, Ariel? Every other Cadet in this school knows what's coming up this semester."

I scowl, looking away, embarrassed. "The boys...kind of tell me what I need to know when I need to know it."

"Well, then be sure they tell you about this," the Captain says, giving me a steady nod and turning back to the castle. "No time for it now. Let's get you in for your lesson with that madwoman Neumann insisted on hiring for you."

I can't help it – I burst out laughing as I trot at the Captain's side with my new rifle slung over my shoulder, eager to keep up.

Chapter 0504

 

"You're late!" Faiza says, sing-song, as I push open the door to her office and skitter inside.

"I know, I'm sorry," I say, panting a little as I shut the door behind me, leaning against it as I try to catch my breath. "I had to learn how to put my rifle away, lock it up."

“Rifle?” she asks, raising an eyebrow, instantly interested. I grin, nodding eagerly, and Faiza likewise smiles at me from where she's sitting behind her desk with her feet up on it, lounging back in her chair. "Cool," she says, her eyes flashing, genuinely intrigued.

"It is cool," I sigh happily, pushing away from the door and taking my seat across from her.

"You know, I never got into guns," she says, pulling her feet down and leaning across the desk towards me, leaning her weight on her elbows. "Knives just seem so much more...personal."

I just stare at my tutor, shaking my head at her. "Sometimes, Faiza," I whisper, wrinkling my nose, "you say the weirdest stuff.”

She bursts out laughing and leans back again in her chair, grinning at me. "So," she says on a happy sigh when her laughter fades. "Have you been practicing?"

"Yeah, but I'm crap at it," I mutter, with a sigh and reaching into my bag, pulling out the sack of marbles she gave me and tossing them onto the desk. "Everyone found me out. Absolutely everyone."

The last time we met Faiza began to teach me the basics of pickpocketing and sleight of hand, which apparently are going to be incredibly useful to me in my future life as a spy for this nation - though how, especially if I'm stuck up in a sniper blind, I haven't yet quite figured out. But apparently, the easiest way to learn how to pickpocket is to start not by sneaking things out of people's pockets - but sneaking things into them.

Unfortunately, Rafe, Jesse, Jackson, Luca, and Ben all caught me as I attempted to slip marbles into their pockets at varying points over the past two days. So did Blaze. Daphne I almost got - until I realized that her dress didn't have pockets and the marble went clattering to the floor. "Booo, Ariel," Faiza says, frowning at me in disappointment. "You know that you have to be punished for this now, right?"

"What?" I gasp, sitting up straight and staring at her. "Why!? How!? It's not my fault I'm bad at this!"

"You're being punished because, one," Faiza says, pressing her fingers delicately to her chest, "punishments are the great delight of my life. And two, because you're privileging your other lessons over mine! This is just as serious as sniper rifles and poisonous substances, Ariel! Those disciplines are trying to teach you how to use weapons, but I'm trying to teach you how to become one. This is essential stuff, even if it feels basic!"

I sit back in my chair, nodding. Because when I think about it, I suppose she's right - I did let that practice fall to the back of my homework plate. "Ariel," she says, snapping her fingers in my face and making me look at her. "Listen to me when I say this."

I sit up straight, intrigued by her serious expression, her lack of glib remarks.

"These assignments - they might feel stupid right now - marbles in pockets, I know it seems silly. But being able to steal a quarter from someone's waistcoat eventually turns into being able to slip poison into a cup unseen. To being able to hand a note to someone without anyone else noticing – or distracting a man while you steal the key to his room. Okay? So just...give it the attention it deserves."

"Okay," I sigh, newly determined, a little disappointed in myself. "What is my punishment?"

A wicked grin takes Faiza's face.

"Your punishment,” Faiza says, leaning forward with a wicked grin as she pulls something out of her pocket and smacks it down on the desk between us. "Is learning close-up magic."

"What!?"

"Yes, I'm making you an amateur magician," she sighs, shaking her head sadly as she lifts her hand, revealing a deck of cards. "The worst fate that can befall someone. Your sexual appeal to literally anyone is about to take a serious hit, Ariel. Please apologize to the hot one for me."

 

Chapter 0505

 

I laugh a little, shaking my head at her, not getting it. "Please, Faiza. Explain."

"Look, close-up magic is nerdy as hell," she says, leaning forward and talking to me seriously now. "But it teaches you a great deal about how to do things in plain sight. And if you can't even sneak marbles into your sexy brother's pockets -"

"Oh, don't be gross," I sigh, wrinkling my nose at her again.

She just laughs, grinning at me, "then you clearly need to learn how to be faster and sneakier with your hands. It all makes sense."

I sigh, seeing her point and looking down at the cards. "Okay, I'm in. What do we do?"

"I'm going to teach you three card tricks," Faiza says, picking up the dark and flourishing the cards in a very cool way that lets me know that she is very good at this. “And I want them mastered in two days' time. Or else I'm going to make you learn how to mime or something even worse."

I grin, leaning forward and nodding to my teacher, letting her know that I'm game.

Faiza spreads the cards out on the desk and begins to explain and I concentrate hard, eager to get started.

I'm still messing with the cards, attempting to flip them around in my hand lightening-fast and without being noticed the way Faiza taught me, when I turn the corner in the hall towards the gym where I meet Blaze every night.

And I nearly drop the deck of cards all over the floor when I see Luca sitting on the floor outside my gym, his back pressed against the wall, reading a book of all things. "W-what are you doing here?" I ask, stumbling a little as I grasp at the cards, clutching them to my chest so they don't go flying everywhere.

Luca looks up at me, surprised, but then breaks into a grin, holding up a hand. "Sorry, sorry," he says, taking in what must be a pretty ridiculous sight - his mate, dressed as a boy, with 52 playing cards held flat against her body, each of them threatening to fall at any second. "I don't mean to interrupt – I'm just here as bodyguard to walk you back to the room when you're done your lesson."

I scowl a little, straightening up and managing to get some control over the cards, putting them back in order. "Did Rafe send you?" Stupid Rafe, so over-protective.

“He didn't,” Luca says, still grinning at me. "But I took his point quite seriously, Ari - you're still vulnerable walking these hallways alone. None of us are excited about the prospect of you going anywhere alone until you can protect yourself."

I sigh, rolling my eyes a bit but taking his point. Before I can ask anything else, though, the door to the gym opens and Blaze peeks out, immediately taking in both me and the big Alpha sitting on the floor. "You are late, pupil," he says, giving me a cheerful smile.

"Sorry, Blaze,” I say, grinning at him and hurrying towards the door. "I was just talking to Luca. But I'm here, and I'm ready!"

"Luca," Blaze says, turning the name over in his mouth like it's a mysterious new thing and looking down at my mate.

Luca looks up from his awkward position and gives Blaze a little wave. Blaze's grin grows wider.

"Is this creature yours, little bird?" Blaze asks, pointing down at Luca on the floor.

I laugh a little at the phrasing but nod, tucking the deck of cards away into my book bag. "Yeah, he's mine."

"Well then," Blaze murmurs, smiling between the two of us before he moves back into the gym, his voice floating along behind him as he goes. "You should bring it inside, then."

I laugh a little, turning to Luca with a shrug. "You want to come in?"

His smile back at me is brilliant. "Of course I do."