The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 575

Luca just rolls his eyes a little and turns back to me. “All right,” he says, clearly frustrated but accepting it. “Let’s get in there – I think Blaze has been waiting.”

“See you tonight,” Jackson murmurs, dipping in and pressing a kiss to my cap before heading off down the hall. I only spare half a second to watch him go – unable to help it – before slipping my hand into Luca’s and moving into the gym.

“You are late,” Blaze says the moment I step through the door, standing in the center of the room. And somehow, without any proof at all, I know that he’s been standing there patiently this entire time.

“I’m sorry,” I say, dropping my bag by the door where Luca settles down in his usual spot. “It’s –“

“No need,” Blaze interrupts, holding up a hand and studying me carefully as I come to the center of the room. “I can see by your face, little bird, that it was not a paltry thing that kept you away.”

I sigh, letting my shoulders slump a little as I come to stand before him. But I nod, letting him know his assessment is correct.

“Then let’s get to work,” Blaze says quietly, leaning closer to me, his eyes kind and wrinkling at the corners. “There is nothing for processing difficult thoughts like movement in the body. Come – we will beat the sadness out of you.”

And then to prove his point, he whips his hand up and gives me a fairly hard smack on the arm that makes me stumble to the side even as it makes me laugh.

“Hey!” I say, coming back to the center and grinning at my teacher. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to hit sad girls?”

“Sad girls don’t want to get hit?” he says, quirking his head to the side. “Sad girls need to dodge.”

His hand whips up again but I’m ready for it this time, dodging beneath and lashing out with my foot, a sharp kick aimed at his ankle. But Blaze just laughs and sweeps his leg back – and then we’re off, moving fast, me trying to land a blow and him issuing commands to make me better.

As the minutes pass I find that my professor was right – that in keeping busy and moving my body, my mind does turn away from the troubling events of this afternoon, giving me much-needed space and respite. Because I can always turn back to them later – but now?

Now I’ve got to learn to kick some ass, just in case any stupid jerk dark Gods try to kiss me again.