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?"

find me when you are of need," I

asked for a path. And the gift...worked. He pulled you into his world." "His world?" I ask, looking

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

a little bit. "What are you

grandmother is the Goddess - how do you know

growl, giving his

again, still shaking his head at

how do you know

"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 was....not a super religious place, but

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

a smirk. But even though

my cheek with the back of his hand, "is that it's your gift. You control it, I think. Can...go there and come

makes it better.

shudder a little. "I never want to go

he says, smiling down at