The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 55

I shrug a little, letting him see through my summer camp lic. He just laughs, shaking his head as we draw close to our targets.

“Bullshit, if you ask me,” the tall blonde says, sighing as he gathers his arrows off the floor and I pull mine from the target’s body. “We’re forced to embarrass ourselves on the first day just because we haven’t trained in an antiquated form of weaponry? I mean honestly, who even uses archery anymore on the battlefield?”

“I don’t know,” I say, popping my arrows into my quiver as we turn around and start back. “I see the logic in being able to handle all weapons.”

The blonde shrugs, conceding the point but clearly expressing that he’s still not happy with it. “I’m David, by the way,” he murmurs.

“And I’m Hai,” the other says, nodding to both of us.

I smile at them, but we’re all lost in our thoughts about how to improve as we make our way back to the line.

“Again,” says the Captain, nodding. We all get into our stances and raise arrows to bowstrings, ready to fire.

The Captain has us going for hours, until my arms ache from drawing my bow. As we fire round after round, he works with each of us, giving more basic pointers to the other two and working with me to refine my shot. By the end, I hit the bullseye with consistency, and I can’t keep the smile from my face.

At the end of our four–hour class, the Captain tells us to return our bows, his face blank. We do as he says as he gives us instructions for how and when to practice, letting us know that this gym will be available to us twenty–four hours a day and suggesting that we make use of it. My smile deepens at the prospect – I like marksmanship, always have. The idea of having this be my homework, when I get sick of Chemistry?

God, does that sound like a relief.

As we finish hanging our bows the Captain tells us we’re dismissed and we troop for the

Chapter 55

O

the quiver,

turn towards the door, I’m surprised to hear the Captain’s voice

and giving

I ask, turning to him with wide eyes.

quirking an eyebrow.

the fact that the professors actively gamble on the success of their students?” The words fall from my lips before I have time

some old friends who have a stake in the Academy itself. Though I do admit,” he says, cocking his head a little, “I was surprised when your Uncle Roger didn’t take the

off my face as the Captain studies me, and I wonder again how

saying nothing for far too long. The Captain just grins, shaking his head and laughing as he lifts his chin towards the door. “Get out

and head out.

secret, or is starting to suspect? He’s clearly not pushing me

to head directly back to the rooms with no pit stops.

cadet, after all. If I can’t even survive walking from the

consider that, a little, as I head for the brass elevator at the end of the hall, climbing in and pressing the button for the dormitory floor. Because today, in Marksmanship, I

–

don’t know. Something about running obstacle courses and getting class schedules and learning the chemical makeup of poisons had made it seem…theoretical. Part of a

today, shooting

– something about it made me really realize that…I’m being trained as a weapon myself. And that

will be. Am I prepared for this? For the reality of looking down a

answer is to that question. I gnaw on my lower lip, troubled by it, as I cross the hall and

only thing that breaks me out of my

–

the room suddenly, and realize that actually for the first time in weeks I am…completely alone. Like completely alone not just in absence of my brother and my cousin, but by myself.

a grin takes my face, even