The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 78

–

“Please,” Alvez murmurs, gesturing towards of all places – his desk. As I hesitate, he sinks. into his rolling chair, which scoots back a few inches. Seeing my confusion, his smile grows. “I’m unfortunately low on seating in this little room – castles, such wide sweeping halls, such…tiny little workspaces.”

My eyebrows raise as he gestures towards the desk again and I realize that he wants me to sit there. But I just sigh inwardly again, doing as he says and lifting myself up onto the desk so that my legs dangle. I cross them at the ankles, leaning forward with my hands pressed to the edge of the desk, watching him warily.

There’s such pleasure on Alvez’s face, in the way he lets his eyes rove over me. Is it that he enjoys seeing me unsettled? Or is this just…how he is?

“We’ve met before, Princess – before the Academy, I mean. Do you remember?”

I sit up a little straighter, surprised. “We did?”

Alvez nods slowly, folding his hands in his lap. “At the Palace, during my interview with your mother and your aunt. You popped in, asking a question about evening plans.”

“Oh,” I say, my heart sinking a little – because that sounds very plausible. “I’m sorry, no, I don’t remember.”

“Understandable,” he says, giving a little shrug. “I’m sure that your home is rather a revolving door of visitors. But I certainly remembered you.”

I blush a little, because the way his voice pitches lower when he says the word suggests not just that he remembered me, but that he…noticed me. Like noticed me, notice women.

the way

that men

My stomach twists and his grin deepens, giving me my answer.

–

He does like this making me uncomfortable. I can see it clearly now in the take in my blush, the way my hands grip the edge of the desk.

way

his eyes

am I supposed to handle this? I wish, quite suddenly, that my brother were

solve everything, probably by punching

–

our own parents. I don’t think that there’s any way he’d suspect that Alvez was making me uncomfortable unless

me out, get me kicked out of

got me

feet to pull his chair closer to me, peering up into my face

conversation but not wanting to open up about my magic either not

–

outside under the tree, we didn’t exactly try to do anything magic, did we? We just held hands and

a little laugh in it. “Why so reticent, Princess? I’m trying to

up to his, a little spark of anger in me now. “Are you?” I ask quietly. “Because it feels like you’re trying

tongue, turning his head to the side. “And what gives you that

him, “and that you keep calling me Princess, reminding

it wrong,” he says, leaning forward now and reaching out a casual hand, letting it rest on my knee. “The opposite is true, Princess – you’ve got me quite

–

eyes widen, my

a little at his bold touch, at his words. My reaction pleases him, I think or at least, his grin deepens. But this just makes me scowl, even though I don’t brush away his hand, or move in any way. I don’t know what the rules are here and I find that

Chapter 70

hand here? Or, at least, get out of

whisper as I stare tensely down into his face,

“Ah, yes,

circles around the inner part of my knee. “That you melted. All

him

to Cadet McClintock,” Alvez murmurs, his thumb still moving, though making broad strokes now instead of little circles.

his hand presses upwards, caressing the top of my thigh and working its way around to the outside as Alvez smiles

a quick little slap that makes me jump. “Pay attention, Princess,” he murmurs,

I say, sitting rigid on my professor’s desk, “but…um…”

me. Slowly, his hand. begins to move again, moving slowly so slowly upwards. An anxious heat starts to curl in

don’t know what. Some kind of

not

his eyes locked on mine, “what of McClintock’s power? Did your magic’s affinity with his