The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy



"Holy crap," Tony murmurs, running a shocked hand through his hair. "What the hell did she get herself into?"

The Goddess laughs, a light and tinkling sound. "Oh, Ariel's getting all the attention right now, but my Juniper..." she sighs, shaking her head and looking into the distance almost as if she's proud. "Wait until the universe sees what she's about to stir up."

"Oh god," Tony sighs, dry.

"So, will you help?" the Goddess asks, cheerful and hopeful, turning her eyes back to him.

"Do I get to be alive again?" he asks, gesturing down at himself.

"Nope," she says, shaking her head. "You'll be a ghost. But..." she purses her lips and then snaps her fingers.

Tony gasps as his body instantly becomes more substantial and his mind clears even further. He looks down at himself and is shocked to see that he is all blue and white and...well, slightly sparkly.

"And..." the Goddess says, snapping again.

Tony's wolf poofs away to stardust, which drifts towards Tony's chest and comes to settle there, warm and shimmering. Tony groans as he feels it, his wolf returned to him, where he always was. The relief is immense.

"Thank you," Tony murmurs, pressing a hand to his heart, his wolf howling happily inside, pleased to be returned where he belongs.

"I'm sorry it cannot be more," the Goddess says, considering him sadly. “You are a ghost, but you're blessed now. I'll send you to Juniper to be her handmaid."

"Her...her what?" Tony asks.

"Handmaid," the Goddess says, laughing. "The situation that Junie is in is quite tricky - there are lots of rules, but I found a loophole to get her some help. It's traditional in the Underworld - royalty is allowed to bring their servants' spirits to aid them in the afterlife."

"But I'm a boy -"

"Oh, gender is such an outdated construct," the Goddess says, sighing dismissively as she steps forward, a bright blue ribbon with a note attached to it suddenly in her hands. She loops the ribbon lightly around his neck. "We can't call you a handmister, can we? Now, off to the Underworld with you

“Wait, the Underworld?" Tony gasps. “Is Juniper dead?"

"No," the Goddess says, smiling at him. "And it's your job to keep her that way. Alive, I mean."

"But how -"

"Oh, it won't be hard," the Goddess says cheerfully, tying the ends of the blue ribbon into a little bow. "Juniper is very capable. Just be...she doesn't... the Goddess shakes her head, looking away as she searches for the right words. "Juniper doe's not yet understand who she is.

There is a great well of Sheis.

that

dwells in her heart and it frightens her. It makes her different from everyone in her world, which in turn makes her angry at everything, and she strikes out at it all."

The Goddess sighs and again looks into his eyes. "Just be kind to her, Tony - she needs...she needs someone ruthlessly in her corner, even when she tries to push them away."

A small smile takes Tony's lips.

"Yes," the Goddess says, her expression matching his. "Are you starting to recognize some of yourself in my taciturn little Princess?"

He sighs but doesn't answer, looking away.

"Help Juniper recognize her true dark majesty," the Goddess says, putting a hand on his cheek and turning his face back to her. "And I will be forever grateful."

"I will do my best," Tony says, sketching out a little bow to the deity before him.

"Good boy," she murmurs, patting him on the head.

Tony laughs a little, confused but accepting it.

"Now,” the Goddess says, reaching out and tapping him on the nose. "Be a good pet and hurry to her side."

To Tony's shock he suddenly shifts

into his wolf, still made of that blue and white and glittering light but his human body gone. He only has a

moment to stare in shock up at the Goddess before he vanishes away.

And when he takes his next breath, he's somewhere very, very different.

And there's a girl, laying on a black marble floor, her dark hair spread out in a circle around her head, her face...god, her face so similar to Ariel's, if not a bit paler, her bruised-rose lips turned down in a

vel

perpetual frown.

Slowly, Tony pads forward towards her, peering down into her face, terrified that he might be too late –

That she might not even be breathing.noveldrama