The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Um," I say, looking up at him and tucking a strand of my hair back behind my ears. "I think so? I think I killed them...all..." "He did," Heggardy says, bitter, and Jackson snaps his head to him. "That was the end of my team. How the fuck did he do that?" "Do what?" Jackson asks.

"How did he hide like that - we searched this entire plateau for him," Heggardy says, spreading out a hand to encompass the entire place. "We even got his binoculars and his map - but he was...nowhere. Did you like, hang off the side of the cliff or something, kid?" I pause for a second, not knowing what to say, or even how explain where I really went.

But this means...

God, I didn't imagine it, did I?

Somehow...somehow I really did go somewhere else.

"Um," I say, a little awkward, edging closer to Jacks. "I'm just...small. I...can hide."

"I guess so," Heggardy says, heaving a sigh and heading for the path. "Come on, this was the end of my team - the Games are over, I guess. Unless Wright has anyone left."

"Really?" I ask, looking up at Jackson, confused and shocked as Heggardy and the other Cadet move down the narrow path.

"Yeah," Jackson says, looking down at me with a little smile on his lips and an incredible rush of pride surging down the bond. "Luca was the only one left on Wright's team but he just surrendered." Jackson cocks his head at me with a frown. "How do you not know that?" he reaches up and taps at his earpiece.

I reach up for my own, taking it off and peering at it, seeing that the little green light is off. "Guess it...broke."

curling a finger under my chin and tipping my face up towards him. "The Ari I know

make, shaking my head, not knowing what to say and completely unable to contain my

me tight in his arms and looking around frantically for something wrong. "What

you here

whole body shaking, now as

I've been

protect me "But I

asks, petting a hand over my head. "Ari, it was a game and it wasn't Wright's team - you can relax

for a long time,

you explain to your mate that you somehow fell into a

that I'm back, now that I'm safe in his arms, I can take a minute to realize that the darkness that has been curling inside me for days...felt at home there. What the fuck just happened to

just tuck my head against Jackson, holding him

than that. I don't know I kind of... lost track of time. "Let's get you home, get some food

his shirt, not wanting to move or

freaking me out right now, and I don't know what else to do. Come

for the first time, a tremulous little smile