The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"No, I can see her," I whisper to Daphne, frowning at her, wondering what magic pumps through her veins that allows her to see the Goddess. "Just...not everyone can."

I look around to see that everyone has gathered around us, everyone's faces drawn as Cora summarizes the Goddess's words for those who cannot hear. Roger's face breaks my heart - the worry and the agony on it. I tear my eyes away, unable to think about what he could possibly be experiencing with Jesse gone.

I don't miss the way that dad slides his arm around Rafe's shoulders, wanting him close, even as he tucks his own worry for Juniper away somewhere deep.

"Yes, Ariel can go to the Land of Darkness," the Goddess sighs, gesturing towards me once Cora has finished filling everyone in. "Which, I must emphasize, is different from the Underworld, where Juniper has been taken. Same planet but..." she shrugs as if it's complicated. "Different realms."

I cry out a little at the confirmation that Junie is really gone. "We have to help her," I say, frantic, turning towards my mom, who pushes to my side and takes my hand, shaking her head.

"There's nothing we can do," she whispers to me. "June - oh, Ariel, Juniper acted like a real idiot -"

My eyes go wide because mom never, ever insults her children.

"She made a deal," the Goddess intones, drawing my eyes back to her. "With my horrible stepson, the God of Death. She is wound up in a complicated Game now but," she shrugs, "I have sent her aid. You need to trust the girl to find her own way out."

"Aid?" I ask, desperate for any good news. "What kind of aid?"

But the Goddess waves away the question, moving on. "My grandson," she says, "I am much more concerned about. I have had no contact for or about him - this seems...entirely unplanned." She sighs, worried, dropping her head. "All we know is that he is there, in the Land of Darkness, with his mate." Daphne gasps, slapping a hand to her mouth, and we all turn towards her, grief in every set of eyes. "Oh, Daphne..." I whisper, my heart breaking for my friend as Cora whispers the Goddess's words to the rest of our family.

"Jesse's only hope now," the Goddess says, looking at Daphne like she's very sorry for her grief, "is that the love grows strong between him and his mate. Strong enough that he can convince her to save him." Daphne stares at the Goddess in shocked silence. Until all of a sudden she breaks, and falls to her knees, and begins to sob, the little shadow kitten still clutched in one hand.

Jesse shouts in fear and outrage, shoving the dark figure away from him and stumbling back a few steps. "Ow!" the figure gasps, stumbling too and raising a hand to her chest where Jesse shoved, frowning at him. "That hurt!"

The shadows begin to pull away

from her, revealing a very small, very real girl beneath them. Jesse just gapes at her for a moment - this very tiny person - even smaller than Ariel with her riot of waist-length black curls and her full lips pulled into an angry frown.

But in a blink Jesse is spinning away, turning, moving hastily beyond that realization, trying to take in where the fuck they are -

But it's -

They're not even in the Castle anymore - not even in the same...world.

"Where...where am I?" Jesse whispers, shock hitting him like a brick, making his shoulders tremble as he looks over the barren expanse of hills under a dark, starless sky. He blinks hard when he sees the three moons hanging heavy over him.

"You're in the Land of Darkness," the girl says, sounding absurdly...perky.

Jesse blinks again and spins back towards her, his mouth open, just...gaping.

Because the shadows are gone now, and he can...see all of her. And she's just a girl - not some insane shadow ghoul with empty dark eye sockets and a pit for a mouth.

And she's...happy. His face twists in confusion as he tries to understand her expression, the smile pasted on her face like some sort of deranged...cheerleader.

Her expression falls a little bit. "What?" she asks, looking around. "You don't like it?"

"I don't...like it?" he repeats, shocked and completely not understanding anything. Anything at all.noveldrama

"It's great here," she says, frowning at Jesse, defensive. "You'd better like it."

"Who are you!?" Jesse shouts at the girl, advancing towards her one step.

“Don't you take that tone with me,

Jesse Sinclair," she growls, taking a step towards him in turn and snapping a hand up to point a finger in his face. "You have to be nice to me. Everyone says so."

"Did you bring me here!?"

"Yes!" she says, snapping her hands to her waist as that smile comes back to her face, looking immensely

proud. "You're welco-"