The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 854

“Okay,” Midnight says, shaky. “Um. If they’re family, I’ll take them.”

“And then back to Moon Valley?” I ask, hopeful, knowing that Midnight can do it.

Midnight’s eyes fly wide.

“We’ll talk about that part of the plan later,” Jesse says, shooting me a warning look. At the same moment, Midnight bares her teeth up at him, shadows beginning to leak from her skin. My eyes flash wide because – wait, she can do that too?

“The Ambassadors,” Ben says quickly, turning my gaze to him. He shakes his head. “We can’t leave them, Ariel,” he says. “They’ll kill them all if we do.”

I curse, glancing at Elias for confirmation. Quite sad, he nods, indicating that it’s true.

“All right,” I say. “We’ll get everyone out. But…this first, yes?” I wave a hand at Gabriel, who looks dangerously close to death. I bite my lip, wondering at my imprecise measurement of the cyanide and how much time has passed. Has it gone too far?

“Can I help?” Ben asks, kneeling across from me.

“Sure can,” I say, taking out the IV pack and the two syringes of liquid medicine, explaining quickly to Ben how to use them.

“I have…a new respect for espionage track,” Jesse murmurs as Midnight again peers out from behind him, her curiosity getting the better of her. “You know how to do all of this from memory?”

“Neumann trained us so we could do it in our sleep,” I murmur, glancing up at him as I hand the IV to Ben to hold high as I search for a vein in Gabriel’s arm and insert the trocar needle there. “It’s not all just studying chemical formulas.”

“I want to double major now,” Jesse murmurs, fascinated. I grin a little, even as I concentrate.

“Um, what’s the plan here?” Ben asks. “Why are you bringing him back – isn’t he all…corrupted? And violent?”

“Yes. He punched her,” Jackson growls, still livid. Ben and Jesse gasp, appalled, which is very satisfying to me and my wolf. But I push beyond that.

“He also made me rub his feet in public. But no, um, we’re going to heal him up on the outside…and on the inside.”

“What do you mean?” Jesse asks, turning his head at me.

“Well,” I say, looking up at Jacks, wanting his reassurance. “I think…that that flame does more than what a normal flame does. I think it’s more than just heat and fire – I think it’s Goddess-blessed.”

Jackson nods solidly, agreeing with me – he felt it too.

“Do you…really think you can do that, Ariel?” Pippa asks in a whisper. Surprised, I turn to see her peering at me, still pressed against Elias’s chest with his arms around her.

I look up at her and give a little shrug. “I can only try. And if it doesn’t work I’ll reject him and hope that it doesn’t go further than that.”

I turn my face back to Ben, giving him a few more details of the treatment and asking if he thinks he can handle it. He assures me that he can – it’s fairly simple, after all – as Jackson folds his long legs beneath him and sits at my side, offering me his hand.

“Thank you, Jacks,” I say quietly, taking it. Because this is a choice he’s making too – if he wanted, he could refuse to help heal Gabriel. But he’s doing it for me, because he loves and trusts me. I sent him a warm pulse of gratitude down our bond.

“I still think we should let him die,” Jacks says softly, a little rueful, his eyes moving to the bruise still livid on my jaw.

“I know but…” I shrug. “If I can help him? Surely that’s better.”

He sighs, turning his eyes on Gabriel, his voice dour. “It’s what Ella would do.”

I smile, squeezing his hand. Then I look around at our collected little group one last time before I reach out and again put a hand on Gabriel’s neck, close my eyes, and begin to concentrate.