Chapter 64

I’m absolutely buzzing with energy as Jackson and I emerge through the castle door and out into the sunshine. I keep stealing glances up at him, which he either doesn’t notice or pretends not to, his defined features set in their usual harsh lines. I, however, cannot keep the smile from my face.

We walk in silence for a little bit, me struggling to keep up with Jackson’s long stride. I laugh, after a moment, when he starts to outstrip me.

“What?” he asks, glancing down and a little backwards towards me. “What’s funny?”

“Would you slow down a little?” I ask, grinning up at him. “You’ve got longer legs than I do.”

He does slow then, allowing me to catch up as he glances down at his legs as if needing to see them for proof of their length. He frowns at me as we continue along the path. “Aren’t you used to it, though? Your cousins are as big as me they must walk as fast as I do.”

–

I turn my head to the side, considering this. “I guess they…walk slower when they’re with me,” I say, folding my hands behind my back as I contemplate it. Because I’ve never, ever had to ask them to slow down, even though Jackson is right. A little rush of warmth runs. through me as I realize that they must do it naturally, always using a pace that I can keep up with when they’re around me. They’ve probably been doing it since we were kids.

Rafe and Jesse they really are the best.

–

Jackson just nods, continuing to walk forward.

“So,” I say, breaking our companionable silence. “Where do you want to go do some magic

stuff?”

“Oh, I don’t care,” he says, waving a dismissive hand. “Wherever you want.”

“Really?” I ask, looking up at him again staring freely, if I’m admitting it to myself. “Then…why did you want to come outside?”

He just shrugs. “I guess I just like it out here,” he says quietly. “Not used to being all cooped up indoors all the time.”

“Really?” I say, smiling at him. “What, were you raised in the woods, then? Spent your nights outdoors?”

He looks down at me, smirking. “Something like that,” he murmurs. He holds my gaze for a long moment – so long that butterflies develop in my stomach and I have to look away.

“Do you want to go sit under that tree over there?” I ask, pointing towards a big black oak tree a short distance away, going stunningly orange and yellow for autumn.

“Sure,” he replies, shrugging like he it pleases him just as much as anything else. We make our quiet way over to the tree and I sit down amongst the roots, patting the ground next to me. Jackson hesitates for a second and then lowers himself to the ground, curling his legs up beneath him, a little awkward. I grin, realizing that this big warrior–type probably doesn’t spend a great deal of time casually sitting beneath trees. noveldrama

I mean, I don’t either not very Princess–y, is it? But still, I hide it better.

I hold my hand out to him, palm up.

“So.” I start, a smile playing at my lips. “What do you want to try to do first?”

“You pick, Ari, I don’t care,” he says, laughing as he takes my hand, his broad palm warm against my small one. A shiver passes through me as the pulse radiates out from us, fluttering the leaves of the trees above us and stirring the grass around. But both of us ignore it.

“You don’t care?”

“No,” he says, smiling and looking down at me. “Do whatever you want.”

“Wait, you called me out here just so that I can practice magic?” I ask, a little baffled. “Don’t you want to try anything yourself?”

“Nah,” he says, shaking his head. “I’m good. I know what I can do. You can experiment. though, especially if my…” he holds up the hands between us, apparently at a bit of a loss. for how to describe the thing that happens when my hands touch him, “helps you. Or whatever.”

“Jackson,” I murmur, shaking my own head now. And then I hesitate, wondering if I should

ask.

He lifts his chin towards me, seeing the question in my eyes and telling me to ask.

“Why don’t you want to tell anyone what you can do, especially if you know?”

He sighs, even more serious than he was before. “Because it’s not anyone’s business but mine,” he replies, his brows lowered.

I cock my head to the side. “Even if it can be…useful? To the nation, or whatever? I mean, isn’t that why we’re all here?”

“Is that why you’re here?”

I consider it for a second, really wondering if I am. But then… “Well,” I say, looking off into the distance a little bit. “Yeah, I suppose that’s why I am here.”

Jackson sits quietly, listening.

“I mean,” I continue, “you know my connection to the royal family, right? We’re all incredibly privileged, of course, but I hope that we use our privileges to help people as much as we can. I am here at the Academy for me, but I do hope that in the end what I do and learn here really can help our nation. Especially in this terrible war.

He nods, letting me know he understands. But otherwise, Jackson stays silent.

“Is that not the same for you?” I ask, really wanting to know.

“I don’t know,” he murmurs. “If I’m being honest, I care more about helping my people.”

“Your people?” I stare at him, trying to figure him out. “Is that are they not the same as… our people?”

“Smaller group,” Jackson

urmurs, his eyes going a bit distant as he thinks about his

answer. “A community within the nation, if that makes sense.”

I nod, because honestly it does. “So, how does being at the Academy help?”

“Well, the salary is pretty good,” he says instantly, which makes me blush a bit because….

Well, because, honestly, I didn’t know we got paid. I make a mental note to ask Rafe about this, and as I’ve done before to be more cognizant of the fact that my family’s personal wealth and position sometimes makes me oblivious to money matters that are constantly on other people’s minds.

Jackson smirks at me, I think intuiting the direction of my thoughts, but he doesn’t say anything. “And the skills we learn here are invaluable. I can take them home, help out when I’m there.”

“Jackson.” I say quietly, squeezing his hand just a touch, because I somehow know that this is a touchy subject. “Where’s home?”

“North,” he says, lifting his chin in the general direction. I look towards it, because that’s where my family is too – the Academy is tucked away in Moon Valley’s southern lands. But when Jackson says North, I know that he means something different than northwards to the capital. He means North the craggy, wild land at the edge of our nation where people tend to live in extreme poverty and clannishness.

–

I’ve met ambassadors from the North before, and I know people who have been there on aid missions, but Jackson – I think is the first person I’ve ever met who grew up there.

“Do you miss it?” I ask quietly, thinking that he must be worried about family up there, if things are as bad as I’ve heard they can be. So, when his answer comes, it shocks me a little.

“No,” he says instantly, looking down at the ground.

I stare at him, confused, but I don’t press. Instead, I seem to know that that’s as much as he wants to say about it – at least for now. So I just tighten my hand

and let it end

there, hoping he knows that I heard him, even if I don’t quite understand.

He doesn’t look at me for a long time, but he doesn’t pull his hand away either. So, I feel a

little emboldened.

“Jacks,” I murmur, knowing that I’m pressing my luck. “What’s your magic?”

My mate just hangs his head and heaves a long sigh.