The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Sure is, whole pot since we beat Jesse here," Ben murmurs, beginning to pour. Jackson puts a warm hand on my knee as I open my eyes and force a smile to my lips, watching the pretty brown liquid splash into my cup.

I send a warm pulse of affection to Jacks and chat with Ben as I sip slowly at my coffee, giving my heart a minute to settle as Jackson digs into basically...everything on the table, even as he signals the waiter and orders mountains more. The waiter balks a bit, flicking his eyes to me to check and see if Jackson is actually serious about the amount of food that he's ordering. I just shrug, kind of implying that my sweetheart mate, bottomless pit that he is, is of sound mind and probably wants precisely what he orders. The waiter nods, a little stunned, but walks back towards the kitchens. As he does, my eyes move to the hall's door to see Jesse walking in, his face stern and drawn. Rafe follows about twenty feet behind, looking pale and...

And god, devastated.

"What happened?" I breathe, looking up into Jesse's face the moment he comes to the table.

"Nothing," he snaps, sitting down next to Jacks and reaching for the coffee.

When I open my mouth to push he just glances at me, pleading and serious, for a long moment. And I shut my mouth, turning towards my brother as he comes to the table.

"Are you okay, Rafe?" I ask, watching carefully as he settles in next to Ben - as far from Jesse as he can get.

Rafe just nods, curt, and keeps his eye on his plate, not reaching for any food at all, his hands folded in his lap.

Ben gulps and looks at me, anxious.noveldrama

Jackson just ignores everything, or doesn't notice in the first place, tucking into the pile of food that's delivered to his seat a few moments later.

"Shit," Jesse murmurs, glancing at Jackson's plate, I think forcing humor into his voice for the rest of us. "Can I have a bite?"

Jackson growls and wraps a protective arm around the plate, hunching over it. "Get your own." And I can't help it - I laugh, even if I'm the only one at the table to do it.

The entire breakfast goes...precisely like that. Rafe quiet and still, Jesse drinking coffee and adding a quip or two, each of them half-hearted. Jackson just eats a rather astonishing amount of food while Ben and I chat quietly, picking at the scraps of the muffin basket that Jackson left behind. My poor Benny does his best, but not even he can drag my eyes away from the two empty seats across from me. Because I know, if they were here, it would be different.

No part of me wants to see Luca right now, not really - but he was an important part of this group right from the start. What are we going to do without his brash comments, his swagger and cheer?

And Tony - he'd cut through all of this weird awkward silence between Rafe and Jesse, call everyone on their bullshit. He had such...courage.

Jackson stops eating when he senses my sadness, wiping his mouth and looking over at me. "Do you need to get out of here?" he asks quietly, meaning it - like he'll drop everything, his entire day and lessons and responsibilities to go back to the room and sit with me if that's what I want.

"No," I sigh. "We have to get back to normal sometime."

"Ari," Ben asks, his odd tone drawing my attention back to him. "What even...is normal anymore for you?" "Hmm?" I ask. I mean, I have no idea how to answer that question anyway, but what is he talking about?

"I mean, you're not an Espionage

Cadet anymore," he says, screwing his face up. And even if you were...you're the only one here," he casts gut a hand towards the rest of the breakfast hall where, indeed, I see no familiar Espionage faces.

God, they must all be in Atalaxia.

Or...worse.

My heart sinks.

"So," Ben continues. "What are your...classes?"

My eyes go wide. "I honestly don't know."

"We'll take you to the Captain," Rafe says, clearing his throat and speaking for the first time. "Get your new schedule. I imagine you'll be with us."

I nod, recognizing this, especially if

I'm...on Command track now? I mean, is that even true? Am I...a Warrior, cadet? My tongue sticks out a little involuntarily, because I don't like that. I liked being espionage - I liked my studies, plus it was...cool.

"Well, looks like we don't have to bring you anywhere," Jesse says, slumping back in his chair and looking over my shoulder.

I turn, curious, my heart sinking when I see the Captain striding decidedly our way.

"Oh hell," Jackson sighs, setting down his fork and turning grimly his way too. "What is this about?" "You five," the Captain barks out, looking around at our table. "With me. Now."

"What's going on?" Rafe asks, wary as he gets to his feet.

"You'll find out in a moment," the Captain shaps, turning away and expecting us all to fall in line behind him, which we do, with me at the center of the little group. "You have a call waiting for you."

Rafe and I glance at each other, because we know that a call can only mean one thing.

Our parents have something to tell us.