The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

the woman I saw by the trees. How the darkness in me rejoiced to be there.

The telling takes a while, but luckily the bowl of ice cream is big. I finish summarizing what happened to Jackson - what it felt like to fall out of this world, how I landed flat on my back in the other, what it looked like - that desolate space with the three looming moons - and When there's a single bite of ice cream left, I sigh and hold out the bowl to Jackson, who takes it and scoops the last sweet spoonful into his mouth, clearly thinking over everything I said. I wait patiently, folded up in my towel, sitting primly on the closed toilet. "And you think you...really went there?" he asks, looking at me seriously as he lets the bowl and the spoon hang at his side in his hand. "Not that you just went like... in your mind?"

"I think I was really there," I say, nodding to him. "Not only did it knock the wind out of me when I... landed, or whatever. But they searched the whole plateau for me - they had my binoculars and the map, and those were right next to me before I fell through. They would have found me had I physically been there."

"But you kept the gun?" he asks, his face scrunching as he puts the facts together.

I nod. "I was holding that tight. But the earpiece went with me, and it broke."

Jackson exhales, looking to the side, puzzling it out even as he holds a hand out towards me, wanting me close. I take it and he pulls me to my feet and closer to him, pressing me warm against his bare chest. I rest my cheek against him with a sigh, loving him quite desperately in this little moment.

"What do you think it is?" I whisper.

"Do you want to know what I think now?" he asks. "Or...after the party, when we have more time to talk?"

"Now, please," I murmur, letting my eyes drift shut. "And then more talking, after the party."

"I think it's your gift, Ari," Jackson says, quite plainly. I look up at him, surprised. "The one the God of Darkness gave to you. Isn't that what he said that day, in the room?"

it. "Come and find me when you are of need," I whisper, shaking my head, wondering how I didn't

you wanted to go somewhere else, right?" Jackson whispers. "Needed to get out of there - asked for a path. And the gift...worked. He pulled you into his

Darkness, territory of the God of Darkness?" Jackson waits for me to catch up with him. "Where there's... three moons and it's

a little

face bursts into a grin. "Ari, your grandmother is the Goddess

stuff!" I growl, giving his chest a smack. "About like...Goddess

me tight again, still shaking his head

how do you know so

"Because we've been studying

at me, "and they're pretty serious about worshipping him. And..." he hesitates for a second and then shrugs. "The Community

you a gift," I say, twisting my mouth as I look

But even though that comment would have sent me

of this," he murmurs, petting my cheek with the back of his hand,

he always makes it better. Makes

a little. "I never

smiling down at me. "Because you're