The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 129

“Jackson,” I murmur, shaking my own head now. And then I hesitate, wondering if I should ask.

He lifts his chin towards me, seeing the question in my eyes and telling me to ask.

“Why don’t you want to tell anyone what you can do, especially if you know?”

He sighs, even more serious than he was before. “Because it’s not anyone’s business but mine,” he replies, his brows lowered.

I cock my head to the side. “Even if it can be…useful? To the nation, or whatever? I mean, isn’t that why we’re all here?”

“Is that why you’re here?”

I consider it for a second, really wondering if I am. But then… “Well,” I say, looking off into the distance a little bit. “Yeah, I suppose that’s why I am here.”

Jackson sits quietly, listening.

“I mean,” I continue, “you know my connection to the royal family, right? We’re all incredibly privileged, of course, but I hope that we use our privileges to help people as much as we can. I am here at the Academy for me, but I do hope that in the end what I do and learn here really can help our nation. Especially in this terrible war.”

He nods, letting me know he understands. But otherwise, Jackson stays silent.

“Is that not the same for you?” I ask, really wanting to know.

“I don’t know,” he murmurs. “If I’m being honest, I care more about helping my people.”

“Your people?” I stare at him, trying to figure him out. “Is that – are they not the same as…our people?”

“Smaller group,” Jackson murmurs, his eyes going a bit distant as he thinks about his answer. “A community within the nation, if that makes sense.”

I nod, because honestly it does. “So, how does being at the Academy help?”

“Well, the salary is pretty good,” he says instantly, which makes me blush a bit because…

Well, because, honestly, I didn’t know we got paid. I make a mental note to ask Rafe about this, and – as I’ve done before – to be more cognizant of the fact that my family’s personal wealth and position sometimes makes me oblivious to money matters that are constantly on other people’s minds.

Jackson smirks at me, I think intuiting the direction of my thoughts, but he doesn’t say anything. “And the skills we learn here are invaluable. I can take them home, help out when I’m there.”

“Jackson,” I say quietly, squeezing his hand just a touch, because I somehow know that this is a touchy subject. “Where’s home?”

“North,” he says, lifting his chin in the general direction. I look towards it, because that’s where my family is too – the Academy is tucked away in Moon Valley’s southern lands. But when Jackson says North, I know that he means something different than northwards to the capital. He means North – the craggy, wild land at the edge of our nation where people tend to live in extreme poverty and clannishness.

I’ve met ambassadors from the North before, and I know people who have been there on aid missions, but Jackson – I think – is the first person I’ve ever met who grew up there.

“Do you miss it?” I ask quietly, thinking that he must be worried about family up there, if things are as bad as I’ve heard they can be. So, when his answer comes, it shocks me a little.

“No,” he says instantly, looking down at the ground.

I stare at him, confused, but I don’t press. Instead, I seem to know that that’s as much as he wants to say about it – at least for now. So I just tighten my hand slightly and let it end there, hoping he knows that I heard him, even if I don’t quite understand.

He doesn’t look at me for a long time, but he doesn’t pull his hand away either. So, I feel a little emboldened.

“Jacks,” I murmur, knowing that I’m pressing my luck. “What’s your magic?”

My mate just hangs his head and heaves a long sigh.