The next thirty minutes are…the most indulgent of my life.


    I think I groan in pleasure at least sixty times as I soak my body in the steaming hot water, as I soap


    every inch of my skin, as I finally finally wash my hair with real shampoo and conditioner instead of that


    horrible stuff we were supplied with in the barracks, which stripped my hair of all its oils and left it dry.


    I find a little basket next to the tub that, like all the pillows outside, just shouts mom. There are lots of


    bath salts and scent bombs and oils.


    I mean, is this standard issue for new cadets, a gift from the Queen? Or….did mom somehow arrange


    for this to be waiting here for Rafe and Jesse, who honestly might not even notice it?


    Either way, I spend a good long time adding bubbles to my bath, pouring in some nice salts to soften


    the new callouses on my skin, and finally sniffing all of the bath oils and adding my own particr


    cocktail of scents so that my bath bes a blissful, delicious haven.


    –


    I rest peacefully for a long time in the bath, only interrupted when Rafe cracks the door open and


    shoves my uniform box in so that I’ll have something to change into when Ie out. I call my thanks


    to him before I seat myself in the tub there’s actually a seat at the far end, like a jacuzzi – and breathe


    deeply, closing my eyes and letting myself rx.


    The past two weeks wash over me, and I shake my head, wondering if it was all a dream. So much has


    changed in that time. I went so abruptly from the engaged Princess who was eager to be a bride so


    that she could help her nation to, the next day, the Academy’s shrimp – lowest–ranked candidate and


    least likely to get through the doors.


    And, I went from being engaged to a horrible man whopletely fooled me to…


    To what?


    Having two mates, who think I’m a boy?


    I sigh, resting my head against the edge of the tub and taking a second to try and piece my identity


    together.


    I mean, I was the Princess, and then I was the Shrimp.


    Sun,


    And now…who am I?


    Who is Ariel?


    My eyes slowly open as I start to realize that maybe…I don’t really have any idea anymore. I mean, I


    know Ari rk is a cadet at the Alpha Academy, and I’m thrilled to be here. But…I’m not really Ari rk


    either, am I?


    So…


    Iugh a little at myself, at these big questions I’m not going to be able to answer with the simple aid of


    a hot bath. But, it’s a good start


    And honestly, I’m really excited to find out.


    As the water starts to cool I sigh and flick the switch for the drain, climbing out of the tub – there’s even


    a little set of steps! – and toweling myself dry as I hum softly to myself. Then I take my timebing


    my hair out, putting on moisturizer – also mom’s favorite brand, I smirk to see, waiting by the edge of


    the sink indulging in a good long moment to brush my teeth.


    –


    and


    Feeling much refreshed and more at home in my skin, I finally dress in my ck uniform, smiling


    proudly into the mirror as I take the time to braid my hair in a neat arch on top of my head instead of


    hastily just tucking it up onto my cap like I usually do when I don’t have time. The effect is much neater


    and morefortable as I pull my cap on, exhaling a satisfied breath.


    I give my reflection onest nod in the mirror, and then head out the door.


    “Hey Rafe,” I say as I push into the room, “did you see that mom –


    “Ari!” Rafe says, interrupting me and smiling at me anxiously from his ce on the couch. “Did you


    see? Our friend found us!”


    And my eyes immediately move to Ben, who turns and waves to me from his spot on the couch. And I


    go dead pale, because…


    Because I haven’t been scent marked yet.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Cousin!” Jesse shouts, bounding across the room and grabbing me close, pretending to roughhouse


    with me a little bit, teasing me about hogging the bathroom for an hour as he subtly wipes his scent on


    all the usual parts of my body. I pretend to protest,ughing and pushing at him, but when I nce up


    into


    his face he gives me a wink, letting me know he thinks I’m safe.


    So I smile, and nod, and head over to the firece where I flop into an armchair, grinning over at Ben


    and Rafe on the couch. “Are you close by, Ben? I


    Do you your room?”


    like


    “I’m two fights down and do like it,” he says, giving me a warm smile. “I mean, it’s nothing like this…” he


    gestures around at our rather expansive room.


    “Really?” I ask, genuinely curious. “What’s different?”


    “Well, it’s just me,” he says, shrugging. “I think that’s pretty normal though – after two weeks in the


    barracks, I think that most of us want our privacy.”


    “Do you have your own bathroom too?” I ask, cager.


    “Yup,” he says, grinning, “but by the sound of it…it pales inparison to yours. The rooms are nice –


    I have a window, a bed, a desk, a ce to put my stuff. But it’s pretty small – no ce to entertain


    guests like you have.”


    “Except your bed,” Jessements, a wicked grin on his face as he lowers himself onto an armchair,


    one of his legs draped over the side.


    Ben blushes a little. “You inviting yourself over, Sinir?” he counters, raising an eyebrow Jesse’s way.


    Jesse grins. “I’m ttered, Ben, but my tastes don’t swing that way.” Ben clicks his tongue and shrugs


    like it’s a great loss, making Jesseugh.


    Before I can ask any more about his room, though, a bell rings somewhere in the room, making me go


    still.


    “What the hell is that?” I ask, a little freaked out, looking everywhere for it.


    “Dinner bell,” Rafe says, and I look at him curiously as he stands up and heads to a little door at about


    chest–height in the far corner of the room.


    “How do you know this stuff?” I ask, getting up and following him, immediately curious. What’s this little


    door – how did I miss it before?


    And what the hell does it have to do with dinner?


    “Because I read the handbook, Ari,” Rafe mutters, swinging the little door open


    and revealing – of all things – a little wooden box waiting on the inside, the edge


    closest to us open.


    “Oh my god.” I breathe, peering around Rafe, “it’s it’s a tiny elevator…”


    “It’s a dumbwaiter,” he corrects,ughing at me and pulling out the fairlyrge cardboard box that’s


    waiting inside. “This is how food is delivered


    apparently, packages.”


    and,


    “That’s so cool!” I cry,ughing and following Rafe as he carries the package back to our little living


    room area by the firece.


    We all lean forward and watch as Rafe pulls a pocket knife out of his new ck pocket – where did he


    get that? – and quickly cuts the tape to the box, opening it and revealing…


    “Oh my GOD!” Jesse shouts, grabbing for the packet of his favorite cookies that is sitting on the top. “I


    love these! Mine! No touching! No takebacks!”


    I gasp in excitement as I realize that it’s a care package from our parents. Rafe starts to sort through


    everything, beaming like the rest of us. “Wait, we can get mail here!?” I gasp, delighted.


    “We can,” Rafe says, grinning at me and handing me a packet of the peach–ring candy that we’ve both


    loved since we were kids. “Ben, help yourself – do you see anything you like?”


    “You can’t have my cookies, Ben!” Jesse shouts, his words muffled around the ones that are already in


    his mouth. “Don’t even try!”


    There’s a little bit of mayhem then as we sort through all of the stuff, pulling it out and trying to decide


    which bits belong to whom, encouraging Ben to take what he likes and trying to ensure that he feels


    wee and included in our haul.


    Jesse and Rafe go out of their way to make me feel included too, because obviously


    mom and dad still think that I am, the package was intended for them


    mysteriously, somewhere else. But Rafe immediately presses the fuzzy green throw nket into my


    arms, saying it’s for me even though I know mom picked it just because it matches his eyes. But I


    ept it, because it’s cozy to have something mom picked out, and because Rafe is being nice.


    And Jesse – he makes sure that he gives me half of his candy and snacks, which is


    truly a great sacrifice because my cousin is a notorious bedtime snacker sometimes he’ll fall asleep


    with his hand still in a bag of chips.


    But the thing that really breaks my heart is the two thick envelopes at the bottom of the box. Rafe and


    Jesse’s names written in mom’s and Aunt Cora’s handwriting. respectively.


    Rafe and Jesse look up at me when they see them, guilt all over their faces.


    Because there is no envelope for me.