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

in the quiver, probably being more picky

to hear the Captain’s voice

this year, Clark,” he says, leaning against the wall and giving me a little smirk. “Don’t make me regret it. I

I ask, turning to him

he asks, quirking an

the fact that you’ve bet on me, or by the fact that the professors actively gamble on the success of their students?” The words fall

“With 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 opportunity to bet on his own nephew. Didn’t comment at all when he saw your name on the list

face as the Captain studies me, and I wonder again

shaking his head and laughing as he lifts his chin towards the door. “Get out of here, Cadet. Good

nod, eager, and

Captain knows my secret, or is starting to suspect? He’s

out of the classroom and down the hall. I have an empty afternoon next, so that I can study for our Chemistry class tomorrow, and I’m on strict orders to head directly back to the rooms with no pit stops. Rafe, predictably, flipped out about the idea that I’d be walking through the castle by

even survive walking from the classroom to the dorm, what chance

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 considered for

–

courses and getting class schedules and learning the chemical makeup of poisons had made it seem…theoretical. Part of a game, and a class,

shooting

me really realize that…I’m being trained as a weapon myself. And that I’m

school clearly hopes I will be. Am I prepared for this? For the reality of looking down a scope at a human being, and

that question. I gnaw on my lower lip, troubled by it, as I cross the hall and head up the winding stairs to our top floor, still completely distracted as I work the key in

thing that breaks me out of my reverie

–

I am…completely alone. Like completely alone not just in absence of my brother and my

grin takes my face, even