The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

And despite the fact that that's supposed to be comforting, I pale because...

Well, I think because I forgot, a bit, that this is all practice for real life.

And that, one day, we could be doing this for real. And the consequences...

Suddenly, I want nothing more than to pay a great deal of attention to this exercise and learn everything I can from it. And the first thing I can learn is...just a little bit of obedience to my commanders.

I mean...just a little bit.

"Okay," I say, setting my jaw and nodding as I look down at the paper. "What do we do next?"

"You go to study hall," Rafe says, turning a little towards Jackson now, "while Jackson and I have a conversation about how to strategize our team. Without those two," he smirks a bit, looking between Ben and Luca who are now, apparently, enemies. "It will be an honor to shoot you in the face with a paintball," Ben says, giving Rafe and Jacks a mock little bow and making the rest of us grin.

Luca, at my side, I can feel is not quite so happy about it. Conversation at the table continues a bit more normally as Ben and Jesse lean towards Rafe and Jackson, all four of them further reading the list and seeing where their other friends have ended up, which gives me the perfect opportunity to steal a little moment with Luca.

"Hey," I say, turning to him, pitching my voice low and reaching for my coffee, wanting some before I go to study hall with Ben. "You okay?"

Jackson and Jesse. Guilt swells within me and I close down the bond a bit, not wanting him to feel it

And Luca...

it's not because of that," Luca says with a little smile, glancing over at me as he pushes his

a bit, because apparently I didn't

is it?" I ask, leaning closer and giving him a little nudge

Luca says with a shrug. "Rafe and I have been close since we were all candidates but Jackson... has been really good to me lately, hasn't he with the study stuff? Despite it all, he is my friend and all of my friends except Ben are on another team. If someone orders me to shoot one of them, even in play?" he says, raising

-

reach for his hand under the table, taking it. "What happens if you don't?" I

- the Captain and the other higher-ups in the Academy - your dad and uncle included - are obsessed with

impossible it is. "I have to do what I'm told tomorrow, Ariel,

any further cuts," I reply,

in the war, once we're all sent to battle," he says quietly, squeezing my hand. "If I'm willfully defiant as well as unimpressive?" he shakes his head. "And

Couldn't...couldn't stand knowing you were on

and not

side."