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

And Luca...

over at me as he pushes his eggs and bacon around on his

sigh a bit, because apparently I didn't shut down our bond

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

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 an eyebrow at me, asking me to see the impossibility in

-

head and I reach for his hand under the table, taking it. "What happens if you

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

shakes his head, letting me feel how impossible it is. "I have to do what I'm told tomorrow, Ariel, or I seriously risk my status

they weren't doing any further cuts," I

once we're all sent to battle," he says

that, Ariel. Couldn't...couldn't stand knowing

not

side."