Ch. 816..820: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 816-820

Chapter 0816

Slowly, I draw my arms back, making a mental note to be very careful. But even as I take a step backwards towards the center of the cage, I begin to put together the idea that...however Gabriel made these cages, he wasn't absolutely precise with his measurements. Instead, the cage is just...slightly smaller than the room itself. Quietly, I move around the cage, shifting back and forth between the cage and the bathroom, incredibly careful not to manifest in a weird spot.

Once I mess up and end up actually sitting in the sink instead of standing before it - but at least I didn't appear with the sink halfway through my torso or something.

But once I've made a lap of the room, I'm fairly sure of it - that Gabriel was very good at ensuring that the cage was almost precisely the size of my room - just...a little smaller. And so I shift again, going back to the Land of Darkness and pressing my face to the bars, looking beyond them.

And then I smile, because even though Gabriel was careful to build me a very precise little cage here, it's clear to me that he was sloppy elsewhere.

The more I look I see that there is indeed a wide fence all around the entire area that probably represents the outer expanse of the castle walls, so that try as I might, I can't leave the castle.

But inside all of that? Oh, there are more cages, probably serving a dozen purposes I don't understand. But they are much larger. Which means if I can just get out of this one...

Well, damn it, why not take advantage of the situation while I can? Before Gabriel locks me up even more? Because some of my people are here now, and I need to find them and get some answers. And there's surely no better time than now.

I grin, shifting back to my world and immediately moving for the door. On my way, I slip my dirty feet into a

set of cozy slippers and grab a bottle of liquid floral soap off of a shelf on the wall.

"Pippa?" I call towards the door. "I - I don't feel so good..."

Then, grimacing a little, I pull the top off the soap and pour it into my mouth.

I retch instantly at the taste and dash to the sink to spit it out. It's nothing toxic - I checked all of the ingredients of everything in this room to ensure there was nothing useful to me - but it sure tastes disgusting.

I spit the soap into the sink, gripping the edge, my stomach visibly heaving as Pippa calls my name, opening the door.

Her gasp is very gratifying as she rushes to me, even if the disgusting taste of the soap still coats my tongue. I gag again at the taste of it.

"Oh my god, Ariel!" Pippa gasps, her hands tight on my shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Pippa," I moan, shaking my head as I turn towards her, probably over-doing the acting a little bit as I do my best to appear incredibly ill. "Please something is wrong

—

en

CUMS

"What is it!?" she gasps, getting herself under my shoulder and helping me hobble towards the main

room.

"My stomach," I moan, shaking my head. "Something's wrong!"

She begins to turn me towards my bed but I vehemently shake my head, moving us towards the door. "Oh, Ariel, you should lay down - we'll get the doctor to come -"

"No," I cry, letting my shoulders tremble. "No time - Pippa - you have to take me to the doctor-right now!"

I allow myself to stumble dramatically over my own feet.

Pippa cries out in fear but goes with

me, her worry for me over-reaching her senses and any orders that Gabriel has given her. Because have never, ever been allowed to leave the room with anyone but

Gabriel at my side.

But my friend hauls the door open and steps out with me, looking up into my face with worry and fear.

As soon as we step into the hall I straighten up my faux aches and pains immediately gone, even if I do still have a nasty soapy taste in my mouth And then I step away from her side - not wanting to push her, but definitively needing space.

She stares at me in shock.

"Sorry, Pips," I say, heaving a little shrug. "I hope I don't get you in trouble."

And then I shift to the other world, and the freedom it offers.

Chapter 0817

A little thrill goes through me as I look around the Land of Darkness and realize that I am, for the first time in weeks, outside of my stupid little cage. I glance back at the little nest of pillows and blankets that I left there - that I usually sleep in at night - and a laugh bubbles out of my throat. Because I'm free - at least for now - and I'm going to get some damn answers.

I turn to my left and stride away along the distance that I think is the hall I've walked down a couple of times at Gabriel's side. I go to where I think the end should be and look left and right, trying to remember the layout of the castle. To the right is the more public parts of the palace - meeting rooms and all that - but to the left...

I take a deep breath and just go for it, knowing that experimentation is my best chance here. I stride forward a little more, reveling at the relative freedom, and then shift back to Atalaxia to see if I've made any progress.

A footman carrying a try about ten feet away from me shrieks and jumps straight in the air when I appear, staring at me like I'm a ghost. I grin at him and looking around, quite pleased to realize that I calculated correctly and am indeed in another hallway - one I haven't been in before - that leads away from the public parts of the castle.

I turn a bit, recognizing the panicked shouts somewhere around where my room should be, and laugh as I turn back to the hall - taking in the relative length and disappear again.

Then, in the Land of Darkness, I run forward, delighted as I go, desperate to get to the end of the hall. I meet another iron fence but barely notice it, flashing back to Atalaxia, stepping a few feet forward to the point where I'm beyond the iron fence, and then flashing back to Darkness and starting to run again.

I get the hang of it all fairly quickly, negotiating the palace, flashing back every time I need a point of reference for where I am, and starting to move quickly. I grin as I go, knowing this is going to piss Gabriel off a great deal and glad of it.

I get a great deal of pleasure from pissing him off. Because he deserves it.

By the time ten minutes has passed, I've made good distance in the castle and have learned a few very interesting things. First, that I actually Cannot transition back to Atalaxia at a place where there's a wall try to shift, but it just feels likest hit something quite solid and bounce back to Darkness, But all I have to do is step a bit to the side into an empty space and it works just fine.

The second thing that I learn is that I cannot shift to different floors in Atalaxia, though it doesn't make much sense to me why I can't. But once I realize this, I make quite a bit of stir when I dash barefoot and in a dressing gown down a servant's stair. Servants gasp and step eagerly out of my way, staring as I go, though none touch or try to stop me.

St

The third thing I put together is that I have very little time before the Atalaxian royals figure out that I'm loose and come after me in full force. don't know if Pippa is simply keeping my secret or hasn't found Gabriel yet, but I'm sure my freedom is limited.

So I exhale quickly and get to work, flashing from world to world, working hard to locate my people. Finally, I find a long stretch of quiet hallway all with closed doors. It's not the first I've found like this, but the others didn't turn up anything useful.

Still, I have to try. I step up to one door and put my hands against it, flashing into the Land of Darkness and taking three steps forward and then flashing back to Atalaxia.

I find myself immediately in a guest bedroom - this one occupied. The aforementioned guest gasps in shock to find me suddenly standing in his room.

I stare at him for a second as he sits frozen on his bed, papers spread out all around him, just staring at me like I'm a mirage. But then my face breaks into a smile.

 

Chapter 0818

"Oh, hi!" I gasp, delighted, stepping forward towards him. "You're one of ours! I know you! Yes, I'm so sorry - I forget your name -"

"Princess," the man breathes, his eyes wide and unblinking. And then he scrambles to his feet, reaching for me. "Oh my god, Princess -"

"Hi!" I say again, laughing, reaching for his hands. "Please - I don't think I have a lot of time - is everyone at home okay? Is Jackson here?"

"Your family is fine - J-Jackson? Do you mean Jackson McClintock, Prince Rafe's friend from school?" His face twists in confusion and I realize, of course, that he has no idea that Jacks is much more to me than he is to my brother.

I smile as I nod eagerly. "Yes, is he part of your delegation?"

"No, highness," the man says, clinging to my hand and bowing. "The only one of Rafe's friends who came as part of the delegation was Benjamin Ternicki -"

"Ben?" I breathe, my eyes wide. Then I snap my head around like he's in the room and I've somehow missed him. "Where is he!?"

The man stumbles something out about Ben being somewhere else along this hall and, quite rude in my haste, I immediately slip away to the other world. The next few minutes are hasty as I appear in room after room - usually just flashing to see who is there - but again and again it's not him, until -

Until I appear in the sixth room, and there he is, sitting at a desk, an Atalaxian cookie on the way to his mouth as he reaches for a cup of coffee.

I just stare at him, shocked and thrilled.

The little cookie falls from Ben's fingertips.

Simultaneously Ben and I cry out, leaping for each other, and a moment later I'm in his arms, laughing even as tears spring to my eyes as Ben pulls me close to his chest.

"God damn it, Ariel, you scared the hell out of me -"

"Benny!"

"You are so weird - how did you appear out of nowhere!? Why are you all wet?"

"Um...blessed by the God of Darkness as a baby or something," I murmur, taking a deep breath of his lovely, familiar scent. "Also, I just got out of the bath."

"Oh my god, Ari, you're so weird!"

"Benny - it's so good to see you -"

"Ari," he growls, tucking his head down against mine. "I was so worried about you - we all were - your family is freaking out -"

I push away a little, looking up into his face. "Jackson's not with you? One of the delegation?"

He looks at me, a little confused, and then shakes his head. "No, why?"

I sigh, shrugging, not understanding. "Because he's here, Ben - I heard him, via the mate mindspeak or whatever - just for a moment. But he's here!"

"It must have been when we came in," Ben murmurs, looking anxiously towards the door even as he keeps his arms around me. "I think they had to drop whatever these wards are for a second so we could pass."

I nod eagerly. "That makes sense. That's all Prince Gabriel - Calvin's son -"

"Your mate?" Ben asks, turning back to me, a skeptical eyebrow raised.

"Yes," I groan, falling against him again. "That's...unfortunately real. Did they splash that all over the press?

"They sure did," Ben murmurs, stroking my back.

"Did Jackson flip?"

"He was... weirdly cool about it," Ben sighs. "Or at least that's all I saw before your mom snuck him out of the palace on some insane solo mission -"

"What?" I gasp, pulling back again and staring up into his face.

Ben smiles down at me, a great deal of love in his eyes. "Jackson came for you Ari - all alone. Your mom helped. Whatever he's doing and however he got here - it's just...all him. Coming to get you."

My heart swells at this even as I shake my head, my worry for him increasing. But...I can't worry about that now. Now I have to concentrate on Ben.

 

Chapter 0819

"Please," I say, stepping away from Ben and smoothing my hands over my dressing gown. "I don't have a long time and they certainly can't find me here. What are you ambassadors doing here? How can I help?" "We came under the veil of peace talks, or at least a ceasefire," Ben says, stepping forward towards me. "But Ari..." he glances around, as if worried the room might be bugged. I wave him forward and he steps close, cupping his hand to my ear and whispering quickly that the real plan is to find a way to get me out of here, and to break down whatever forcefield is around the palace, to cripple the Atalaxians in whatever way they can.

"Wow," I whisper, staying close to Ben and looking up into his face. "Dad is...pissed, isn't he?"

Ben smiles, laughing a little. "An understatement, Princess." He continues to keep his voice low. "But he's also taking advantage of the fact that you crippled the hell out of Atalaxia in that battle. They've been hemming hawing, buying time, to regroup and rebuild. Your dad and Roger want this done now, to

strike while the iron is hot. If there's anything you can do..."

I nod, wringing my hands anxiously, considering this. Because if the thing in the way of my father's plans

is Gabriel then...then I guess it's time for me to take out Gabriel.

Something I've been turning over in my mind all week but...

Is it even possible? God, if I only had something mildly toxic...

"Do you have a plan?" I whisper, all hushed, whipping my face back up to him. "To get us out, if we can... lower that magical protective barrier?"

Ben hesitates. "We do, but..." he shrugs. "It would all happen very fast. We need...we need to be quite careful, Ari."

I nod, understanding, anxiety churning within me even as I nod.

"Ari," he snaps, reaching out and grabbing my arm, even - I think - despite his intentions to do so.

"Please, is..." Ben just shakes his head, unable to ask the question I can tell his wolf his howling for him

to utter.

"Elias is wonderful," I say, my face breaking into a smile. A groan slips from Ben's mouth and his eyes flutter shut, As Ben takes a long, deep breath I'm quite struck, actually, by the fact that Ben's reaction to the news that Elias is safe is quite similar to Elias's own. But then I remember Pippa. "Benny, it's more complicated than you think -"

He opens his eyes and frowns down at me.

But before I can continue, there's a clatter out in the hall.

"I have to go," I whisper, stepping away from him. "I probably won't be able to come back like this - I'll be

in trouble. Oh, and if you see me again, don't be surprised at all if I act just...very different."

Ben smiles and nods, letting me know he understands.

"I love you, Benny," I say, pressing my hands to my chest. "Just pretend everything is normal and that you didn't see me."

He nods, bending down to snatch his cookie off the floor. "You got it."

"Oh Ben, don't eat that," I sigh, sticking my tongue out a little. "Just get a new one." He's still laughing as I disappear into that other world.

Immediately when my feet hit the dirt in the Land of Darkness, I start to run. I just turn and dash, rather desperate, for the furthest edge of the cage Not because I want to escape bizarrely, now, that is the last thing on my mind. But just because I need an excuse for being outside of my room and do not, at all, want Gabriel thinking that I am anywhere near Ben and the

delegation from Moon Valley.

ve

To my surprise, it's fairly easy to reach the furthest edge of the cage, the one that surrounds the entire border of the castle. I begin to run alongside it searching for any flaws in the structure that might be useful to me, thankful suddenly to Rafe and Jesse for torturing me every morning for the past few months. Interestingly, I do pass two gates which open out into the Land of Darkness - presumably the sort of place where Gabriel brought me into the castle after driving me here in that weird little cart - but they're so locked up with chains that they don't present any immediate solutions.

Chapter 0820

I make it about a mile around the perimeter when suddenly I hear my name shouted angrily in the air. I spin immediately towards Gabriel, knowing that it's him - that it can only be him. I was expecting him eventually, after all. For a second I consider flitting back to the Castle and evading him more but...no. It's not necessary. This encounter is going to happen, and I don't need any more information within the Castle to elongate the chase.

He's still quite a distance away, though, so I turn and keep running, both to keep up my façade of trying to escape as well as to put him through his paces a bit. Gabriel - he's annoying, and I think I'm fitter than him, so the more I can make him work to catch me the better.

It doesn't last long, though. I never had a chance - as with Rafe and Jesse and Luca and Jacks, I can't outrun those long Alpha legs. Plus, I am wearing slippers, which are very impractical for running. "Ariel!"

Gabriel snatches my arm, pulling me backwards to him, snarling with his rage.

"Let me go!" I shout, trying to rip my arm from his grip.

"God damn it, Ariel!" he shouts, smacking me hard across the face. I gasp, a hand flying to my cheek as I glare up at him.

"Stop doing that, you fucking coward!"

"Stop being disobedient, you tiny whore -"

I narrow my eyes. "How dare you. How dare you speak to me like that. How dare you hit me."

"You are my Luna," he growls,

leaning dangerously close, his

canines elongated and ready to bite. "You will do as I say and obey me. flinch back despite myself, knowing that he's lost his tempter enough now to be dangerous, and with his wolf corrupted by darkness he's doubly unpredictable.

Still, I push, knowing that my only chance to keep his mind off of whatever I was really doing outside of

my room is to distract him. "Why would I obey a pathetic little Beta prince like you," I hiss, stepping forward like I'm the one in charge.

He flinches at this, his pride clearly hurt. God, it's just...too easy to see the flinty chips in his façade.

"You want your Luna to obey?" I ask, my voice dripping with

condescension. "Then be a real Alpha and give me a reason to want

to obey you. You're pathetic, Gabriel

—

- you're so weak that you need to cage your Luna instead of giving her areason to want to stand by your side. And you can't even Build the cage right."

I turn away from him, intending to stalk away.

But he just grabs me back and hits me again, this time not with his open hand. I moan a little as my head snaps to the side, as I stumble a few steps, seeing stars. I lift my hand to my jaw where pain blooms, moving it experimentally, hoping to my grandmother the Goddess that it hasn't cracked.

"You will obey," Gabriel snarls, grasping my arm and pulling me close again. "Or god damn it, I'll make you."

He moves fast, then, ducking low to throw me over his shoulder, and I do nothing to protest. I'm distracted

by the pain but also - honestly - he's taking me back to the room, which is where I wanted to go anyway. I have plans to make, after all.

The blue light manacles appear on

my wrists as Gabriel strides back in the direction of my cage, and I bounce so roughly against my mate that it makes me suddenly aware of how gentle Jackson always was with me. After all, he's carried me over his shoulder like this

thousand times. And even when I was bleeding from an arrow in my gut, I'd swear I was more comfortable than I am right now.

God, but my new mate sucks. I scowl, wishing heartily for my Jacks, but knowing that I have a long way to

go before I can get back to him.