Ch. 701..705: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 701-705

Chapter 0701

 

I moan in horror as the tent floods with people, as they stomp out the lingering flames and try to pull Tony's body away from me. I scream against it, holding onto him, not wanting to let him out of my sight.

But Luca is there, crouching behind me, murmuring to me to let him go to let the doctors help him - to unclench my hands that are clinging to Tony's uniform. Luca's words don't register with me for a moment as the medics come flying in, as people begin to shout to notify the command about the dead Cadet on the floor, about what they assume was a fight that broke out -

But Luca's hands are calm on mine, and he slips his fingers beneath mine and unfolds them -

And then they lift Tony, and they take him away.

And I completely lose my mind.

I scream out all of the horror and fear that's racing through my body, through my blood.

How - how can the whole world have fallen apart in thirty seconds -

Gibson - Atalaxia - flashes of knives coming right for my face - the sting of the cuts across my palms -

Tony in front of me - Luca's roar and his fangs - and then blood -

Blood, everywhere. Blood all over my friend, blood still all over me.

"I've got you, Ari," Luca murmurs to me, pulling me up into his arms and then up off the floor, his whole body shaking as he does, as I cry and sob out what sounds like an endless wail.

"You need to stay right the fuck where you are," a superior officer commands, putting a hand out to Luca. "This is not finished -"

I just sob, turning my face into Luca's chest.

"I'm taking him to the king," Luca snarls, pushing past, pushing through people -

"You're taking him fucking nowhere -" the officer shouts.

But suddenly the flaps fly open again and more people come flying in - tall men, their scents so familiar.

"Ari!" Jackson barks, sending people flying as he shoves them out of his way, crossing the tent to me with Rafe and Jesse and my father in his wake.

"She's fine," Luca says, his voice trembling as he steps towards our group. I moan, reaching for my father, wanting his steady presence, and Luca only hesitates for a second before passing me over into my father's arms.

"What happened?" Rafe barks, glaring around at everyone, going still as he sees Gibson's body on the ground and the blood -

A great deal of blood - far more than could be produced by one boy.

"I'm going," dad growls to Rafe. "Handle this. Get answers. Report to me." He turns, sharp, heading immediately for the entrance as I curl tight against his chest. I call to my mates as my father carries me out, begging them to come with me, feeling it when they both comply, silently following my father as he carries me down the path between the military tents. As we go, we leave a path of Tony's blood in our wake as it slowly drips from my sodden clothes.

Hours later, I still can't stop crying.

I sit on the little bed set up for my father in the command tent, my clothing changed, my hands freshly bandaged in white linen, Jackson by my side and Luca seated on the ground at my feet.

The entire tent is silent except for

the soft sound of my sniffing as tears slip unendingly down my cheeks. Jackson keeps a hand steadily on my back, his wolf curled defensively around mine in my souls, snarling at every sound.

Otherwise, though, we sit in silence.

Luca and I already briefed everyone three times on what happened, or what we think happened.

Now the only thing to do is...wait.

Ridiculous. It all feels so ridiculous to just...sit here, while Tony is somewhere else, dying or dead because he saved me.

Ridiculous that someone came and

softly cared for and bandaged my hands. That I took a fucking shower and washed all his blood away, that I'm clean and nice, my hair freshly braided with my mates warmat my side.

And Tony... Tony's not.

I sniff harder, thinking that it's not worth it. That it wasn't worth it – not for me. Not if we lose him.

A horrible, terrified moan slips from my lips.

"Stop thinking like that,” Luca pleads, turning his sad brown eyes up to me. "Tony made his choice. He was

But Jackson just growls at him, low, and Luca sighs and turns his face down.

My heart reaches out to Luca, too, because I owe my life to him as well. He took a life for me - something that can't not leave a stain on his soul.

Grief hits me again, because I owe so much to all of them. To everyone. Debts I'll never be able to pay.

I hang my head, tears starting again, and Jackson tilts me towards him, letting me rest against his chest.

Chapter 0702

We all turn towards the entrance, though - me going stock straight with fear - when the flap lifts and a silhouette appears. I shy away from it, remembering again Gibson's dark form against the door -

“It's just me,” Jesse says, seeing my fear and reaching out a hand for me as he steps into the tent. “It's all right, Ariel.”

Shaking a little, sniffing hard, I straighten up. "Is Tony okay?"

Jesse's face falls a little as he steps into the tent and lets the flap fall, slipping his hands into his pockets. "It's not good, cousin."

I moan, my head falling. Jackson snarls again and I hear Jesse sigh at Jackson's implicit command to stop saying things that upset me. But I shake my head, declining to be coddled, because I need to know.

"They don't think he's going to survive?" I ask.

Jesse sighs, deep. "They don't know," he murmurs.

"Is mom coming?" I raise my eyes to my cousin, desperate for him to say yes.

But Jesse just pauses and looks at me, I think deciding what to say.

I flash my teeth, a growl building in my chest alongside my demand.

He just sighs and shrugs. “I don't know, Ari. They didn't tell me."

I clench my jaw, frustrated, and look away.

The flap opens again and two nearly identical dark heads appear. I sit up straighter, looking between my father and my brother. "Is he okay?"

Dad just sighs and snaps his fingers at Jackson and Luca, demanding a little space so he can sit and talk to me. Luca immediately gets to his feet but Jackson hesitates.

Dad huffs a laugh but then raises an eyebrow at Jackson, who swallows his growl and stands, taking two short steps to the side and leaving a space on the bed for my father to fill. Dad smiles just slightly, I think liking Jackson's protective instinct even if it is mildly inconvenient sometimes. Then dad sighs and sits on the bed with me, putting an arm around me and pulling it close.

"We don't have any updates on Anton, my dear," dad murmurs, pulling me close. "I'm sorry. The doctors say it's very critical, but they're doing their best to save him."

I fight hard against the moan that tightens my throat and nod my head, knowing that my grief won't help anything and that dad didn't come here just to tell me that.

"I'm sorry, love," dad murmurs, holding me close. "I never wanted this for you. I knew how deeply it would sink into your heart."

I nod, unable to deny it. Because, I mean, everyone else has seemed to hold it together very well while I am going to pieces.

But then again, nobody sacrificed themselves to save them today. So perhaps I have more reason to go to pieces.

The flap raises again and Roger comes inside, looking around the tent with a stern expression, the cheerful and funny man from this morning completely wiped away. My eyes fall to the set of battle gear tucked under his arm.

"The question is," Roger says with no preamble, "why that boy attacked now. If he's been some kind of sleeper spy for Atalaxia from the beginning, why would he have waited until today? And why attempt to take out Ariel, when he'd have had the chance to take out Rafe and Jesse for months when they seemed like the more powerful of the Sinclair Cadets?"

“It's true,” Jesse murmurs, crossing his arms and looking at his dad. “We've all been wary around Wright, but I never gave a thought to Gibson. He's just been a little...toad. Hopping around, completely innocuous."

"Which made him a great sleeper agent," Rafe murmurs. "Absolutely below suspicion."

I sniff hard, angry at myself for not asking these questions first. But my mind - it's so soaked in grief, so bogged down that I don't think I can think of...anything, let alone theories and motives.

Jackson's wolf turns in a tight,

protective circle around mine,

growling at me, angry that I'd

critique myself in a time like this. wolf howls and stumbles into him,

•My el

ducking her head beneath his,

wanting to be close and still and

warm. Jackson's wolf complies with her demands, standing strong, dipping his head lower brush his muzzle warm against hers, letting her know that she's safe.

Or, as safe as she can be.

"That boy must have known," dad murmurs, looking around at the rest of our group. "Must have known, somehow, that Ariel is growing more powerful, becoming central to our ré attack plans. Which means either that we've got a spy in our midst or that the boy was just good at his job and figured it out himself." Dad shrugs. "Either way..." he sighs, shaking his head. "We have to assume that Atalaxia now knows

the threat that Ariel poses to them.

And that they're trying to take her out."

 

Chapter 0703

 

Luca's head snaps up. “So that's it, then, right? We get her out of here, now? Lock her away in a bunker somewhere until we blow that entire nation to pieces?"

"As tempting as that sounds," dad murmurs, pressing a kiss to my hair, "we can't risk it. Any individual truck leaving the battlefield now will be a major target. They know we're launching an offensive tonight – they'll be watching for changes, watching us try to sneak her out of here."

I sigh, feeling completely out of my depth and very, very tired, my mind hardly able to turn from any thoughts except worry for my friend dying somewhere in this camp.

Alone, apparently.

Why is he alone? Why are none of our friends there with him?

I scowl, lifting my head, glaring around the room.

Ben, Jackson murmurs directly into my mind, sensing my worry. We sent for Ben. He's there with him now.

I pause for a moment, considering this, but then I nod, mollified.

"So, what the hell do we do?" Jesse asks, glaring around the room.

"Well, none of you hot heads are going to like it," Roger snaps, crossing his arms. "But the best move here is to make no changes."

Rafe growls, proving Roger correct. "We are not sending Ariel out to -"

"Look, they don't have enough firepower to blow up this entire camp, or else they would have done it," Roger snaps. "But if this boy got orders from them to attack Ariel specifically, then we have to assume that they know the basics of what we have planned at least. Any changes to that basic plan are going to be us panicking and trying to get her out of here. Any deviations are going to be a massive target."

"I can't believe this," Rafe groans, turning and tilting his head back as he covers his face with his hands. "I can't believe you want to send Ariel to battle after this -"

I sit up straight, surprised. Seriously? Is...is that what they want to do?

Soft snarls come from both Jackson and Luca, who vehemently oppose the idea.

But Jesse just sighs, looking at me evenly, watching and waiting to see my reaction. "Ari?"

I tilt my head up and look at my father, wanting his guidance, knowing he'll know what best to do.

He sighs and looks down at me. "You're all grown up, Ariel, and a soldier," he murmurs. "You make your own choices now. My instinct is to pin you to my side where you'll be safe, but Roger is right - the safest place for you may be to blend in with the other Cadets in a nondescript part of the line."

Luca continues to growl but everyone else goes quiet, waiting for me to make a decision.

I take a long, shaky breath, and close my eyes, forcing my sluggish mind to think.

But even as I do, I already know what I want.

I want a clear head. I want Tony alive and by my side, where he belongs, a part of my team. I want to kick Atalaxian ass for even trying to stop me. And while I can't have one of those things right now, I can have the other.

"I want to go out into the field," I whisper, giving a nod.

Several protesting snarls break out in the room, but I ignore them.

"As nice as it would be to hide in dad's shadow and stay safe right now," I continue, opening my eyes and looking around, "I made a promise to this nation. I want

kick my ass if I gave up the chance témake a difference because I was crying too hard."

fight Tony would fight.et

Uncle Roger smirks at me, his pride clear on his face, and dad tightens his arm around me. "That's my girl," he whispers.

Roger comes forward quietly, offering me the battle gear under his arm.

I sigh and grimly accept it, tracing my fingers over the vest as I look down at it, noting that it's still the wrong size. “I think I need to be out there,” I murmur. "To help defeat the people who tried to kill me. Who hurt my friend."

Inside my chest, I feel both Jackson and Luca's wolves growl, a mixture of worry and pride in their grumbling fury.

n

The battlefield is dark when our transport finally brings us to our point on the field. When the vehicle stops, Rafe and Jesse are the first out, pushing back the doors and ordering the gathered mass of our Academy Cadet troops downand quickly into place by the huge anti-aircraft guns that are already here waiting for us to operate.

Luca and Jackson are by my side, of course, refusing to be elsewhere, as we move towards the back of the truck. Rafe looks worriedly at me as he holds out a hand for me, offering to help me down.

I just swat it away, hopping down like everyone else.

"Stop fussing," I mutter, too tired to muster real anger. "I'm fine."

Rafe just rolls his eyes and moves on as Jesse Barks out orders for where everyone should stand. I look

around as I move with my mo

the center of the formation,

adjusting my too-large body armor as go, staring around at the black

sky and all the stars scattered above it.

I mean, it's a gorgeous night. Almost too gorgeous for the kind of violence that my nation is planning to rain down on our enemies. But I can't find even an ounce of pity or regret in my heart for that - not now, not after today.

 

Chapter 0704

 

When Jackson, Luca and I find our spots, Jackson passes me a pair of binoculars from around his neck. "Check it out," he murmurs.

I frown up at him and then do as I'm told, looking through the lenses, observing the cliff's edge in front of me where the Atalaxians have entrenched –

a spot which they've been defending for months and which, tonight, we plan to break. To my surprise, while the sky is bright and shining on our side, clouds hang low over the Atalaxian cliff, lightening striking every few minutes.

"Oh, holy crap," I murmur, lowering the binoculars and passing them to Luca so he can see too. "Is that...is that Cora's doing?"

"I think so," Jackson says, glancing at me. “I mean, it wouldn't do any good to spread that news widely - Cora's powers aren't well known. But I know I'd rather fight dry than sodden and constantly worried that I'm going to be hit from a bolt from the sky."

"Speaking of which," Jesse says, coming up from behind us as Rafe finishes getting our set of troops into position and sending the transport van off. "Mind juicing me up, Jacks?"

"You got it," Jacks murmurs, reaching for my hand. Jesse places his hand on the back of my neck, knowing a little contact will do it, and I sigh in a bit of relief when Jackson's energy hits. I've been so, so tired all day since Gibson's attack - the energy feels good coursing through my veins.

I fill up my own reserves before passing some to Jesse. Then I turn to Luca with a frown. "You want to try it?"

"Try what?" he asks, frowning at me.

"Energy," I say, tilting my head towards Jackson. "From Jacks."

Luca hesitates but Jackson just smirks at him, which seems to rile something. "Fine," Luca snarls, grabbing my hand. “I mean, nothing's going to happen, but -"

His eyes go wide, his words falling short, when the energy begins to flow into him. I turn my head, interested, because honestly I wasn't sure that that would work.

"You sure you don't have magic, man?" Jacks asks, leaning around me to frown at Luca. "I didn't think this would work if you don't."

"I...I mean, I don't," Luca mutters, even as he shivers at the energy now coursing through him. When I feel him filling up - faster than Rafe and Jesse do I cut off the supply and turn to nod at Jackson, letting him know that's enough.

Jacks nods to me and gives my hand a squeeze, even if no more energy comes through. When I turn to Luca again he's just staring at me, shocked and confused.

"We'll talk to Cora," I whisper, nodding to him. "Don't be afraid. We'll get to the bottom of it."

Luca exhales, long and slow, nodding. Then we all turn our eyes to Rafe as he moves to the front of the massed group of Cadets, looking every inch the commander as he stands in front of us all with his hands neatly placed behind his back, his face stern.

"The Commanders and Generals

have assured me that it's unlikely that we'll see any part of this assault tonight,” Rafe calls out, his voice booming over us. "However, should we see any action I expect you all to perform admirably to turn the enemy. It's imperative that we have a successful assault tonight. I expect you all to do what you can, up to and including giving your lives, if it is necessary. As I will."

We're all silent for a moment and I close my eyes, letting my mind drift just for a moment to Tony to his dark sense of humor, his wry smile, his canny observations and his easy laugh swallow hard, loving him, praying that he's all right, knowing that he already did what Rafe has already asked of all of us.

Even if he is still alive, he was willing to give his life for this cause - so that I could survive to fight the Atalaxians, weapon that I am.

And as I open my eyes again and focus on my brother, I know that Tony was right to do it, even as guilt pounds in every beat of my heart. Because I am powerful, and this war needs me, even if we are in a small and negligible portion of the battlefield tonight.

On the next battlefield, I will be central to the attack.

And I'm only here to do it because of Anton Davis. My father was wrong when he said tonight that it would be me that saved us all – it's Tony that did that.

"For our Nation and our people!" Rafe barks out, raising a fist above his head.

Together, we raise our own fists.

The rest of the Cadets repeat Rafe's words, but only say my friend's name. Jackson glances down at me, grief in his eyes as well, and I allow mysel a moment to press my shoulder against his arm. He clenches his jaw, resisting a very strong urge to pull me against him, to hold me tight.

As if on cue, an orange explosion flares in the distance, the huge boom resounding a moment later.

And I inhale a deep breath, because whether or not I'm ready for it, the attack has begun.

 

Chapter 0705

I watch with a great deal of awe as the assault begins.

Planes and helicopters fly from some airfield behind us and over our heads, moving fast for the Atalaxian cliff. As I watch the storm clouds above the cliff begin to retreat, making space for the planes. The Atalaxian front seems almost to steel itself as little black dots begin to fall from our aircraft, drifting down towards the earth, looking almost...benign. Like little flies, or birds.

I jump when they begin to explode, surprised by the amount of light and noise when the Atalaxian front seems so far away. Jackson leans closer to me, lending his support. I glance up at Luca, who like me just stares in awe.

The bombs fail to do much at first, seeming to explode almost...above the entrenched forces on the cliffside.

"Do they...do they have some kind of barrier?" I whisper, looking up at Jacks as Rafe strides along our line of Cadets, ensuring that both people and anti-aircraft guns are ready. "Is that why the bombs aren't landing?"

"Yes," Jackson replies, glancing down at me. "They have some kind of powerful magic that allows them to build - I don't know, the commanders keep calling it a forcefield? It's not impregnable, but it's tough. There –“

He lifts his left hand and points to the cliff. I turn my eyes back to it, peering close.

"See?" Jackson says. "There at the center - the bombs are starting to get through. It takes a great deal of firepower but...well, we're ready for that tonight."

I nod, still watching, fascinated to see that Jackson is right. The bombs were exploding above the Atalaxian forces and buildings a few moments ago, but now they're falling further and hitting the ground, leaving significant damage.

And more bombs continue to fall.

Time passes as the sky blooms orange and purple and red, but I hardly notice it, fascinated as I am by the battle unfolding before me. Jackson helps to narrate things and I notice Luca listening too as he tells us about the plan to keep up a constant assault, to overwhelm them with a barrage of firepower that we haven't used before.

"Won't this deplete our resources?" Luca murmurs, glancing over at Jacks.

"Yup," Jackson says, glancing back. “It's a little like the all-or-nothing plan you came up with when we read that first map together, Luc. The more conservative path we were taking before wasn't working either. This war is ending within the next few months either way. So, Moon Valley is going all out."

"Shit," Luca murmurs, shaking his head and turning back towards the skies.

I feel precisely the same, swallowing

through the thick lump in my throat.

net

Then my eyes go wide as I see aircraft begin to move from the Atalaxian side as well, lifting into the air and beginning to engage the aerial assault – and then to move beyond it.

Towards those of us holding this outer line.

“Ready!” Rafe barks out, his voice carrying naturally over our gathered troops.

The Cadets all bark back an

affirmation and I set my shoulders, keeping my eyes carefully on the

skies as the Cadets around me

begin to man the gigantic guns to

which we've been assigned

I start when I see that. “What?” I gasp, turning half around. “Am I supposed to be – doing something?"

"Not you," Jacks murmurs, putting a hand on my shoulder and turning me back. "You weren't trained on those."

"Were you?" I sputter out, looking up at him.

He frowns at me. "What did you think we were doing all day in Warrior track?"

"Punching each other!" I reply, perfectly honest.

He laughs shortly at me and shakes his head. "We do more than that, Clark."

"Do you know how to use that thing?" I ask Luca, pointing at the closest gun which I'm shocked to see Jesse climbing all over, barking orders at his fellow Cadets.

"Sure," he says, giving a shrug as my mouth fatts open. "But tonight I've just been assigned to hang out with you." He takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. "You're more powerful than any of those, anyway.

I sigh, supposing that that's true.

But a flash of light in the air ahead of us has my attention snapping back to the battle in the distance. And then up into the sky, where a pounding sound starts to echo.