The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0346

"Just don't blow my cover," he murmurs, rubbing my back for a moment as the bell sounds again and the fight starts anew.

I watch carefully as Luca and the Atalaxian champion come together again and again, sometimes trading blows, sometimes moving in fast just to dodge away again. Luca, I notice, gets in quite a few combinations that look very impressive and which always make the crowds cheer. But Rafe, still standing close at my side, doesn't cheer along.

I can't help glancing up at him, wondering what he's seeing that others aren't. Because to all means, it looks like Luca is doing much better than our enemy. "Tell me," I urge, somewhere in the third round.

Rafe glances down at me for a second, I think deciding whether or not I actually want to hear it, but when I look up at him with pleading eyes he leans closer to me. Luca's doing great," he says, and I nod, recognizing that. "But, tell me what you're seeing with the Atalaxian."

I turn my eyes back to the ring, studying him. "He's advancing a lot," I say, narrating what I see happening in front of us, and slightly below. The ring - it's really not very far at all - close enough for me to see Luca's muscles shake whenever he delivers one of his shattering blows. "But not...not punching very much?"

"Look harder," Rafe murmurs, instructing me and sounding a lot like dad.

little, trying to figure it out. And then, as I watch more closely, I realize that the Atalaxian is landing a lot of blows, just not to Luca's face. "He's hitting Luca a lot in the sides," I say quietly,

Daphne glances up at us, likewise listening and wanting to learn more. "I think that's both of their strategy laid out."

as he can as early as he can, to get as many points from the judges as possible." "Sensible," Daphne murmurs,

her, pleased, before he continues. "But the Atalaxian - he's playing the long game here. See how he's making Luca dance, always pressing

is indeed moving his feet probably twice as much as the Atalaxian, always dodging

mean?" I

means that he's wearing Luca down," Rafe says, his voice a little grave. "And see all those body blows?" Rafe raises his chin now to where the Atalaxian hits Luca again

her voice distracted as she keeps

says, probably from experience. "Especially that often, again and again? They're exhausting, and they make you want more than anything - to drop your hands and block

head open..." I murmur, my eyes going wide as I put it

blow," Rafe finishes, nodding, worry all over his