The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"I'm sure," Ella says, giving the guard a steady nod.

The guards hesitate for only a second before they step back, letting the soaking wet boxer stumble into the palace, panting, looking exhausted, his eyes filled with tears.

"Well, Luca," Ella says, looking over the young man who rejected her daughter with a raised eyebrow. "I admit that I'm surprised to see you here."

"Please," Luca begs, shaking his head, desperation all over his face. "I - I know you all must hate me - but please - let me do anything I can to help - I can't believe -"

"Oh, come on," Ella says with a sigh, holding a hand out for Luca. "No need for the hysterics, boy." He stares at Ella for a second and then down at her hand as if he can't believe she's offering it. "You're lucky," Ella says, a little smirk in her voice. "Jackson just left. So the chances of you getting murdered in the next few minutes just dropped significantly."

Luca clenches his jaw but steps forward, taking her hand, clearly accepting whatever fate awaits him. "Come on," Ella sighs, squeezing his hand and giving him a little tug towards the stairs. "Let's go see the big guy. See if he has a job for you."

"Thank you," Luca whispers. And Ella just nods, pressing herself to Luca's wet side and letting him feel her warmth. Because even if she hates this boy a little bit right now...

Well. She also loves him too.

That's family, after all.

I gasp awake at the sound of feet hitting packed dirt, my head flying up as I try to make heads and tails of the sudden noise, the shape storming towards me.

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

I reel away in horror when I realize that it's Gabriel - that Gabriel has found me -

"You scared the hell out of Pippa!" he shouts, casting out a hand. "No one had any idea where you were or how you got out -"

I shout in fear and immediately throw myself backwards out of this realm, instantly transitioning and appearing back in my bed - a much softer landing, I might add, than the one I had in the Land of Darkness.

"Ariel!" Pippa gasps, and I look

around in the room in stunned silence as she dashes towards me because there are like...a lot of people here. Her eyes go wide and she grabs a throw blanket as she dashes to me, quickly throwing it over my body.

I stare at her for a second as she cries and wraps her arms around me next- and then I get it. She covered me up because I'm just sitting here in my bed in my nightgown, and there are strange men in the room.

"Ariel," Elias says, his face lax with

relief as he crosses to the edge of the bed next, reaching for me but then hesitating and pulling his hand back. Thank goodness - we thought something terrible had happened -"

"I'm sorry," I say, holding the crying Pippa to me. "I just..." I shrug. "I didn't want to be here. So I went... there."

Elias nods to me, clearly understanding my meaning, and then goes to dismiss all of the people in the

room who peer at me curiously, probably wondering how the hell I appeared out of thin air.

"I'm sorry," I whisper to Pippa, truly meaning the apology to her. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay," she says, sitting up and wiping at her face. "I'm just glad you're all right. God, Ariel, I'm

certainly giving you a picture of myself as a cry baby, aren't I?"

I laugh a little, my hands on my friend's shoulders in what I hope is a steadying way as Elias closes the door behind the last of the people and turns back to us with a smile.

"Um," I say, looking around anxiously. "Where is Gabriel? Why didn't he...come back?"

"He needs to wait," Elias says, smirking a little as he crosses to me again. "For the talisman to recharge.

Why, how long does it take for yours to regenerate?"

"What?" I ask, peering at him like he's crazy. "What are you talking about?"

Pippa and Elias both go a bit still and

then lock eyes with each other,

some communication going

between them. I frown because...are they just best friends who have known each other since childhood?

Oris there some kind of mate-speak passing between them?

"Ariel," Elias says, focusing on me and crossing his arms over his chest. "When you go to the Land of Darkness...you can just...go?"

"Yes?" I say, staring between the two of them, curious. "Why, what's a talisman?"

"She's been gifted since she was an infant," Pippa says, nodding eagerly to Elias like she's figured it out. "Just like the girl. Darkness's girl."

"Yes," Elias murmurs, curling a finger around his chin. "Yes, that does make sense, doesn't it?"

"What," I ask, seriously confused, staring between them. "What makes sense?"