The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy novel Chapter 209

When my eyes flutter open, I stretch myself a little, feeling bright and refreshed.

“All better, baby?” I hear my mom murmur and I go still for a moment before I focus on her face leaning over me.

A smile breaks out on my lips, because it’s my mom – my mom, the best mom in the whole world, who I love so much, who I’ve been dying to see for weeks –

But then I gasp, and sight up straight, with my entire reality flashing back to me in a moment – why I haven’t seen my mom for months, the Academy, the Examination –

“Slowly now, slowly,” mom murmurs, putting her hands on my shoulders and pushing me gently back towards my pillows. “You’re fixed, baby, but you’re still dehydrated and exhausted. Go easy.”

But I resist, not wanting to lay down – only wanting my mom, to be in her arms. “Mama,” I cry, tears springing to my eyes, and she relents, wrapping her arms around me and gathering me to her. She holds me close, shushing me quietly and rocking me back and forth like she has a thousand times, telling me how much she loves me and how precious I am to her. And those words – god, they heal me more than any magic she has.

I mean, that’s an overstatement. But it certainly feels like it.

“Thanks, mom,” I say, my words hitching a little in my voice. “Thank you so much. I was so scared.”

“You were scared,” she says, pulling back a little and looking at me with wide eyes, “Ari, you just laid there – I was the one who was scared. I’m going to kill you for this!”

I can’t help it – I burst out laughing, a rough and shaky sound as I lift my hands and brush my tears from my cheeks. “What a waste of magic, mom,” I murmur, shaking my head, “if you heal me just to kill me.”

My mom just moans then, shaking her head at me and gathering me into her arms again. I cringe, hating that I made her so upset, but there’s a bright side in that too, right? Because if she’s mad at me, that means I’m okay. If I was dying, mom would go much easier on me.

“I’m sorry, mom,” I whisper. “I’ll tell you everything – I promise.”