The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Suddenly Jesse's face goes pale and his words fade as he stares at something behind me. I gasp even as Jackson grabs me to him, pulling my back flush against his chest as he, too, turns. But then my eyes go wide as I shriek with fear at the darkness turning there just outside of my cage, slow and furious.

I watch in terror as a man steps from the darkness, his face livid, his eyes fixed on

me.

"You dare," the God of Darkness growls, his eyes flashing, "to take my servant from me?"

He waves a hand and the walls of the cage around us crumble to rust, collapsing to the ground. My heart pounds in my chest as I panic, searching my heart and my mind for something to do - a way out-

Immediately I want to shift back to Atalaxia - but I'm only touching Jackson - I can't leave everyone behind -

Darkness stalks slowly forward, glaring at all of us. Midnight's terrified sobs echo through the air as the god turns his eyes to Gabriel, who sits up with Ben's help. "Submit,” he snarls. "Take back your covenant or suffer death for your betrayal.” "Ariel!" Jackson snarls in my ear. "Go - go back -"

"No!" I cry out, leaning out of his lap and reaching for Pippa, for Ben, for Jesse - for everyone - "I can't leave them!"

"You will!" Jackson commands, pulling me back. "Go!"

"I will not submit," Gabriel says, glaring up at the dark god, shaking his head slowly. "I agreed to your bargain once and found the rewards wanting. I won't do it again, even if it costs me my life."

I cry out at this - horrified at the idea - even as Jackson commands me again and again to shift, to tilt, to go -

"Stop," Jesse snarls, stepping forward towards the God, even as Midnight sobs and begs him to come back. She flashes away and back again and again, apparently trying to vanish Jesse with her somewhere safe -

But somehow I don't know how he resists -

The God of Darkness refocuses his eyes on Jesse, who slowly starts to stalk around Gabriel, heading for me. I reach for him, wanting his hand - wanting to touch everyone so I can take them out of here.

"You fool," the God of Darkness

intones. "You think to command

me? I am not some half-soul in your little Castle school anymore, boy. Your meager powers hold no challenge for me - not in my own land."

Jesse holds Darkness's gaze as he comes to my side. “What you seem to fail to grasp," Jesse says, slipping his hand in mind and flashing his eyes to me for a single moment, giving a shake of his head. I still, not a understanding. "Is that it's not just nay powers you have to contend with. Not anymore."

My eyes go wide as Jesse squeezes my hand. And I spin my head to the God, wondering -

Can it be true?

But a memory flashes through my mind - the Goddess, in our little magic

classroom, beaming at Jesse, calling him her protector -

Because his powers, and our bond...

God, we were made for this, weren't we?

Suddenly grasp Jackson's hand tight in my own, even as I squeeze Jesse's "Gabriel!" I shout, extending a leg out to him. "My ankle! Now!"

He turns his shocked face to me, not understanding. But he obeys - which is all

that really matters, his fingers curling around my bare skin.

And when Jesse begins to let his shadows unfurl, flowing from his hands and his skin in great waves, he summons not only his own power.

But mine too. And Jackson's, and Luca's, and Gabriel's.

So that at the heart of each curl of shadow is a blue flame.

The God of Darkness takes a single step back towards the darkness from which

he emerged. "No," he whispers. "Her fire - how is it..."

But it's too late.noveldrama

In a single swell of shadow, Jesse's magic surges forward and envelops the God whole.