The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 678

“Which was?” Rafe asks, raising an eyebrow at me, not so delighted with my performance as everyone else. “Seriously, Ariel, the Captain’s not going to be happy. You’re going to be in deep shit about this – way deeper than he was.” My brother points at Tony here.

“Did you get in trouble?” I ask, blinking at Tony in surprise.

“Demerits,” he says with a shrug, like it can’t possibly matter to him. “Restriction to my room until further notice. That sort of shit.”

I frown. “But I…just saw you in Newtown…”

“What the Captain does not know,” Tony says, “does not hurt him.” He presses a sincere hand to his heart – one that is immediately betrayed by his wicked grin.

I laugh, opening my mouth to ask more, but Rafe interrupts.

“I’m serious, Ariel,” he says, his face looking a great deal like dad’s as I turn my head to him in surprise. “What’s your plan here, trouble? It’s one thing to throw a grenade into the Games just to throw everyone off – but have you thought about the fallout to this?”

“Of course I have, Rafe,” I say, frowning at him, not liking how much he’s underestimating me here. “Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid and did this just because I’m mad.”

“But then why –“

Almost precisely as if I timed it this way, a hard knock comes at the door. Rafe goes quiet as we all turn towards it.

“That will be for me,” I say with a sigh, standing up and smoothing my hands down over my uniform before starting off for it.

“Ari,” Rafe says, standing up and starting along with me.

But I turn back to him as I reach the door, putting a hand out towards my brother. He goes still. “My grenade, Rafe,” I say quietly. “My fallout. I’ll handle this.”

I turn back to the door and pull it open. As I turn my face up to the Captain’s glowering one, I unconsciously press my thumb against the mini mark that Jackson gave me this afternoon, wanting this tiny support even if I’m pretending to be all brave and stoic and alone on this. A warm pulse of support comes down my bond with Jackson and I wrap it around my heart, letting it bolster me.

“Cadet Clark,” the Captain says, glaring down hard at me. “Would you like to join me in my office?”

“No thank you, sir,” I say quietly, quite calm, folding my hands behind my back and looking up at him as evenly as I can.

He goes immediately beet red with rage.