The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 128

I’m absolutely buzzing with energy as Jackson and I emerge through the castle door and out into the sunshine. I keep stealing glances up at him, which he either doesn’t notice or pretends not to, his defined features set in their usual harsh lines. I, however, cannot keep the smile from my face.

We walk in silence for a little bit, me struggling to keep up with Jackson’s long stride. I laugh, after a moment, when he starts to outstrip me.

“What?” he asks, glancing down and a little backwards towards me. “What’s funny?”

“Would you slow down a little?” I ask, grinning up at him. “You’ve got longer legs than I do.”

He does slow then, allowing me to catch up as he glances down at his legs as if needing to see them for proof of their length. He frowns at me as we continue along the path. “Aren’t you used to it, though? Your cousins are as big as me – they must walk as fast as I do.”

I turn my head to the side, considering this. “I guess they…walk slower when they’re with me,” I say, folding my hands behind my back as I contemplate it. Because I’ve never, ever had to ask them to slow down, even though Jackson is right. A little rush of warmth runs through me as I realize that they must do it naturally, always using a pace that I can keep up with when they’re around me. They’ve probably been doing it since we were kids.

Rafe and Jesse – they really are the best.

Jackson just nods, continuing to walk forward.

“So,” I say, breaking our companionable silence. “Where do you want to go do some magic stuff?”

“Oh, I don’t care,” he says, waving a dismissive hand. “Wherever you want.”

“Really?” I ask, looking up at him again – staring freely, if I’m admitting it to myself. “Then…why did you want to come outside?”

He just shrugs. “I guess I just like it out here,” he says quietly. “Not used to being all cooped up indoors all the time.”

“Really?” I say, smiling at him. “What, were you raised in the woods, then? Spent your nights outdoors?”

He looks down at me, smirking. “Something like that,” he murmurs. He holds my gaze for a long moment – so long that butterflies develop in my stomach and I have to look away.

“Do you want to go sit under that tree over there?” I ask, pointing towards a big black oak tree a short distance away, going stunningly orange and yellow for autumn.

“Sure,” he replies, shrugging like he it pleases him just as much as anything else. We make our quiet way over to the tree and I sit down amongst the roots, patting the ground next to me. Jackson hesitates for a second and then lowers himself to the ground, curling his legs up beneath him, a little awkward. I grin, realizing that this big warrior-type probably doesn’t spend a great deal of time casually sitting beneath trees.

I mean, I don’t either – not very Princess-y, is it? But still, I hide it better.

I hold my hand out to him, palm up.

“So,” I start, a smile playing at my lips. “What do you want to try to do first?”

“You pick, Ari, I don’t care,” he says, laughing as he takes my hand, his broad palm warm against my small one. A shiver passes through me as the pulse radiates out from us, fluttering the leaves of the trees above us and stirring the grass around. But both of us ignore it.

“You don’t care?”

“No,” he says, smiling and looking down at me. “Do whatever you want.”

“Wait, you called me out here just so that I can practice magic?” I ask, a little baffled. “Don’t you want to try anything yourself?”

“Nah,” he says, shaking his head. “I’m good. I know what I can do. You can experiment though, especially if my…” he holds up the hands between us, apparently at a bit of a loss for how to describe the thing that happens when my hands touch him, “helps you. Or whatever.”