The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Holy shit," Jesse breathes, and I glance up to see him staring in awe at the little flame floating before me, even as Midnight squeaks in fear and tucks herself behind him, clinging to his hand. “Are you - can you do anything with it?"

"I think I can," I whisper, looking over at Jacks, who I know feels the magic more intently than the rest of them. To my surprise Jackson doesn't even look at the flame, staring at me instead, like I'm the marvel. I laugh, leaning closer to him, loving him a great deal.

But then, before anyone can say anything else, I lift my hand from Gabriel's neck and dismiss the flame, standing up.

"What?" Ben gasps, looking at me. "Ariel, you were just getting started -"

"Magic show has to wait," I say, glancing down at Gabriel's pale face. "I have to go get Pippa."

And then, before anyone can say another word or protest, I tilt back to Atalaxia and appear in the room. Almost at the same instant I do, the door opens and Pippa comes bursting through, a plastic box in her hand, her eyes wide.

"Oh, Ariel," she says, shaking her head as she dashes to my side, shoving the door shut behind her. "It's...it's getting very bad out there. They've noticed that Gabriel is gone, and the protective shield has fallen, and apparently Moon Valley is sending planes - it's all very bad - the King is very upset -"

"Well then we'd better hurry," I say, taking her hand in mine.

"Ariel, the King can come to the Land of Darkness, and he can send soldiers," she says in a rush, looking at me with wide eyes. "He is corrupted too - has a talisman

I nod to her, understanding her point. That we can't fool around there either - that time is short, even in the other realm.

"You have the antidote?" I ask, glancing down at the kit in her hand.

"Yes," she breathes, nodding eagerly.

"Okay, then let's go. Um...it's a little different, than when we left." I grimace.

"What?" she asks, her brows bunching together in worry.

But there's no time. I squeeze her hand back and tilt us away so that a moment later we appear in the Land of Darkness.

Pippa takes a single moment to look around before she squeaks in fear and then ducks behind me, peering over my shoulder at the whole new collection of Alphas.

"Is that..." she whispers, her voice shaking. "Is that Darkness's girl!?"

Midnight peers from behind Jesse but doesn't say anything.

"My girl now," Jesse says, reaching behind his back to giving Midnight a comforting pat. Then he gives Pippa his best royal smile. "Hi, I'm Jesse, I'm Ariel's cousi-"

But Pippa squeaks again and hides as Elias comes to my side. "Pippa...isn't used to being around this outnumbered by men without a matron," he says, gathering her close to him.

"Well, they're very nice!" I say, stepping aside so she can see and waving a hand at Ben and Jesse and Jacks. "That's Jackson, he's my mate -"

Jackson gives an awkward little wave but I give up on introductions when Pippa's eyes go wide when she catches a glimpse of Jackson's full, moderately feral visage, his imposing height and breadth, and tucks her head tight against Elias's chest, frightened.

"Sorry," Jackson murmurs, looking down at himself.

I just laugh a little and take the cyanide kit from Pippa's hand, sitting again at Gabriel's side.

"So, I'm going to give Gabriel the antidote and try to make him...not die," I say, glancing down at his face, which has grown paler since the time I looked. "But things are apparently very bad up in the Castle.

We need a plan for what the st

We're going to do next. Howell

we get

out of here."

"Are the routes in the castle impassable?" Jackson asks, slipping easily into his Commander line of questioning.

I glance at Pippa, who gives me a little nod. Elias looks down at her and then speaks for her. "I imagine the entrances and exits are locked down and guarded, even without Gabe to magically do it," he says, grimacing a little.

"Well, can we get out...here?" I say, gesturing around at the Land of Darkness. "Run and then shift back into the world when we're outside of the palace walls?"

Jackson nods to me, clearly indicating that he thinks it's the best plan.noveldrama

"He'll come for you here," Pippa says quietly, her voice still shaking. "He'll figure it out soon, and then he'll come, he'll chase you here too."

"Well then we'll go to the yurt," Jesse says, and I frown because...what? "Right Mids? Mids can take everyone to the yurt." He steps aside, trying to let everyone see the girl, and at first she steps with him, still hiding, until the two have a hushed little fight and

she sighs and steps forward.

Midnight looks around at the group with a frown and then up into Jesse's eyes.

"Are they family?"

"Yes, Mids," Jesse says, smiling

down at her and stroking a hand

softly over her hair in a way that makes my heart swell to see, even if... well. Even if another part of me is remembering Daphne sobbing on her knees, Mittens clutched to her chest. "They're family. Everyone here is family now." I bite my lip against the emotion that races in me - because none of it is a lie.