The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 61

“McClintock?” Alvez says, smiling at Jackson. “Anything to report? I am particularly interested in the results of this pairing.”

“Why?” Rafe says, the word abrupt. All of our faces turn to brother, Tony leaning around Jackson to get a good look.

Alvez just raises his eyebrows.

“Why?” Rafe asks again, slinging an arm over the back of his chair. “What’s so special about the pairing between Clark and McClintock?”

“Because,” Alvez replies, even. “I have the sense that their magical affinities complement each other.”

Jackson goes rigid in his seat next to me, but I just turn my head, curious. What is this man up to.

“I know it seemed, perhaps, by chance how I paired you up in the last class and for your homework sessions, but the orb gives more than sense that you can do magic. It also gives a sense of what that magic might be.”

“What the hell,” Jesse says, frowning at our professor. “Why didn’t you tell us this last time? Wouldn’t it have been useful to know that whoever we were paired up with for homework was our best match? And, also, that you already know what we can do?”

“I don’t know what you can do,” Alvez corrects, his voice still calm and even though the rest of us are a little ruffled by the news. “I simply have a sense,” he says, gesturing back to the diagrams on the board, “of where your affinities might lay.”

“No, I’m with Sinclair,” Tony says, shaking his head at Alvez. “You should have told us this, if you already know. You expected a lot of honesty from us last class while withholding information.”

“I understand your point, and your objection,” Alvez says smoothly, nodding and looking around at each of us in turn. “But I do find that the results are better when students go into the first pairing with less information and more freedom to experiment. Everything here is

deliberate, planned. I would ask you to please trust me both as a person, and as your professor.”

honestly, I’m not sure I do

he’s holding over me…

reminding me of that leverage with the little smirk on

I can find a

result, yes,” I say, trying to channel Jackson’s energy and keep my voice as

in excitement, but Jesse and Rafe – for whom this no longer a novelty – simply

melted the marble?” Alvez says, emphasizing

the magic coming from me. Jackson and I tried to do things to the marble together, but when it didn’t work, we both tried individual experiments. I didn’t tell him that I was trying to melt it,

silent and stoic

looking between us. “And, it confirms the placement of your affinity along the lines reported by the orb, Clark. There is indeed an aspect of heat to

baffled but also a little delighted to see this information come forward. Alvez stands then and moves towards the chalkboard, beginning to explain the complicated diagram which he has drawn out. He informs us that there are six main categories of magic light, dark, earth, sun, body, and

sun magic, if it has something to do with heat. But what I can

the details for us. “Why, then, were you excited to see Clark lined up with McClintock? What are

chair beside me and I sit up straight. “There was

the Sun connection between the two of them would produce an interesting result. The whole system is a great metaphor though, it isn’t as precisely scientific and factual as I’d like it

Alvez’s back is turned and he looks back at me, his face expressionless. But he gives me a steady nod, letting me know that we’re okay – that I haven’t done anything that he feels has betrayed him. I nod

won’t.

am I?” Jesse asks,

to two spots on the diagram,

his chair. “I don’t know what that

at him, but he just