Fae Princess in Hiding

Arabella Alis Egan (Aran), born to the mad queen of the fae, is a princess without powers in a world where magic is everything. Her mother's cruelty is legendary, and Arabella's lack of elemental gifts makes her a target for abuse and political manipulation. She is marked as breeding stock, her only value in her royal blood and strategic mind. The queen's nightly tortures, meant to awaken Arabella's power, only deepen her trauma. Arabella's isolation and pain are compounded by the knowledge that her fate is to be sold, used, and discarded. Her only solace is her sharp intellect and a desperate hope for escape, even as her mother's rage grows more inventive and sadistic.

Shifter Realm Escape

Desperate to escape her mother's control, Arabella disguises herself as a boy using an enchanted ring and flees through a hidden portal to the shifter realm. There, she is tested and, through a mysterious intervention, is labeled a beta shifter. For the first time, she finds a sense of belonging in the harsh, wintry world, losing herself in combat training and the camaraderie of war. She forms a deep bond with Sadie, a scarred alpha shifter, and together they find laughter and kinship in their shared pain. But the past is never far behind, and Arabella's new life is threatened by secrets, spies, and the ever-present shadow of her true identity.

The Monster Within

Arabella's years in the shifter realm are marked by both healing and the emergence of a darkness within her. The monster in her mind is a constant companion, a product of years of abuse and the violence she's both suffered and inflicted. Her friendship with Sadie is a lifeline, but Arabella's inability to manifest fae powers leaves her feeling incomplete. When her disguise is threatened and her friends are endangered, Arabella's strategic mind and suppressed rage become her greatest weapons. The monster within is both her shield and her curse, driving her to acts of both heroism and brutality.

Best Friends and Betrayals

Sadie becomes Arabella's first true friend, their bond forged in the fires of shared suffering. But trust is a fragile thing in a world of spies and shifting allegiances. At a pivotal moment, Arabella's attempt at rebellion—seeking agency over her own body—ends in betrayal by those she once helped. The half warriors, once her allies, turn on her, delivering her back to her mother and sealing her fate. The pain of betrayal is as sharp as any physical wound, and Arabella learns that in her world, even friendship can be weaponized.

Return to the Fae Court

Arabella's return to the fae realm is orchestrated as a political spectacle. Stripped of her disguise, she is paraded as the lost princess, her suffering hidden behind a mask of royal composure. The queen's punishments escalate, culminating in a magical wound carved into Arabella's back—a scar that burns with shame and pain, a constant reminder of her mother's control. Publicly, she is the realm's hope; privately, she is her mother's victim. The court's machinations swirl around her, and every smile hides a threat.

Torture, Games, and Prophecy

Arabella's captivity is marked by gladiatorial games, forced breeding offers, and nightly torture. Her friends are made to fight for their lives, and Arabella is forced to watch, powerless. Amidst the violence, a mysterious prophecy is spoken, hinting at a destiny entwined with blood and death. Arabella and Sadie's attempt at rebellion is crushed, and the queen's cruelty reaches new heights. The prophecy lingers, a dark promise that cannot be ignored, as Arabella's suffering becomes both a crucible and a curse.

Matricide and Ascension

In a moment of rage and prophecy fulfilled, Arabella's monster is unleashed. With her mother paralyzed by Sadie's newfound power, Arabella manifests ice daggers—an ability unknown among the fae—and kills the queen by tearing out and consuming her heart. This act, both vengeance and necessity, marks her as the new queen. But the victory is hollow; Arabella never wanted the throne, and the act of matricide leaves her haunted. She flees, once again donning her disguise, now a fugitive from her own destiny.

Fugitive in the Beast Realm

Arabella, Sadie, and their allies escape to the beast realm, a world of skyscrapers, mafia trials, and enchanted guns. Here, Arabella hides as a boy, numbing her pain with enchanted drugs and struggling with the guilt of her mother's death. The group finds temporary safety, but the past is relentless. Arabella's true identity is threatened by magical changes, and the High Court's search for the missing queen grows ever more desperate. Even in hiding, Arabella cannot escape the consequences of her actions or the pain that burns in her back.

The Assassin Academy

A midnight visit from Lothaire, the ancient vampyre, changes everything. Arabella is forcibly enrolled at Elite Academy, a legendary institution for the most powerful and dangerous beings in the realms. The academy is a place of beauty and terror, where power is both a gift and a curse. Arabella, still disguised, is thrust into a world of predators, divided by blood and status, and ruled by the enigmatic assassin division. Here, survival means enduring endless tests, betrayals, and the constant threat of exposure.

The Breaking Period

The academy's breaking period is a crucible of suffering. Arabella and her fellow recruits are stripped of comfort, sleep, and food, forced to endure brutal physical and psychological trials. The ocean, the cold, and the violence are relentless. Arabella's monster grows quieter as her body and mind are pushed to the brink. Bonds are formed and broken, and the line between friend and foe blurs. The kings—Corvus (Malum), Scorpius, and Orion—emerge as both tormentors and reluctant protectors, their own secrets as deep as Arabella's.

Drowning and Survival

The recruits are forced to stand in the Black Ocean, a toxic sea that nullifies powers and inflicts agony. Arabella, smaller and weaker than the others, is kept alive only by the strength of her human friend, John. The ocean becomes a metaphor for her suffering—endless, cold, and indifferent. The experience forges a bond between Arabella and John, and reveals the true nature of survival: it is not about strength, but about refusing to let go, even when hope is gone.

Kings of Cruelty

The assassin division is ruled by the three kings, each marked by power, cruelty, and a strange intimacy. Arabella, still in disguise, becomes the target of their scorn and suspicion. The dynamic is charged with rivalry, dominance, and a forbidden attraction that neither side fully understands. The kings' own bond is complex, and their interest in Arabella is as much about power as it is about something deeper. The lines between hate and desire blur, and Arabella's place among them is as precarious as it is inevitable.

War Games and Monsters

The academy's training escalates into real battles against the ungodly—monstrous beings that possess and destroy entire villages. Arabella and her fellow recruits are forced to kill not just monsters, but the innocent people they inhabit. The violence is intimate and horrifying, and Arabella's monster is both a weapon and a tormentor. The lines between right and wrong dissolve in the blood and chaos, and the cost of survival is measured in guilt and madness.

The Ungodly Unleashed

The ungodly are revealed as a threat beyond anything the realms have faced. Battles become massacres, and the recruits are pushed to their limits. Arabella's powers manifest in new and terrifying ways, and her bond with the kings deepens through shared trauma. The academy's true purpose is revealed: to forge weapons capable of facing the apocalypse. But the cost is high, and the survivors are forever changed by what they have done and what they have become.

Blood, Guilt, and Madness

Arabella is consumed by guilt and haunted by the voices of those she has killed. The lines between friend and enemy blur as betrayal and violence become routine. When a friend turns predator, Arabella is forced to kill again, this time out of necessity rather than rage. The act shatters her remaining innocence and cements her as both executioner and victim. The academy's cruelty is revealed as a mirror of the world's, and Arabella's descent into madness is both a warning and a prophecy.

Revelations and Ruin

The truth of Arabella's identity is revealed in a moment of crisis. Her disguise falls, and the academy's web of secrets unravels. The half warriors, once her friends, are revealed as her hunters. Lothaire's true motives come to light, and the cost of survival is laid bare. Arabella is forced to confront the reality of her lineage, her powers, and the destiny that has been forced upon her. The revelation is both liberation and ruin, as the past and future collide in a storm of violence and betrayal.

The Devil Kings Bound

In a desperate bid to protect her from the fae realm's vengeance, Lothaire binds Arabella to the three kings through a magical tattoo, making her their slave and tying their fates together. The kings are revealed as devils—ancient beings of unimaginable power, destined to serve and protect her. The bond is both a curse and a salvation, offering safety at the cost of freedom. Arabella's destiny is no longer her own, and the kings' own secrets and desires become entwined with hers in ways none of them can escape.

Father's Sins, Daughter's Fate

The final revelation is the cruelest: Lothaire is Arabella's father, and her entire life has been orchestrated by the High Court as part of a cosmic game. Her suffering, her powers, and her destiny are the result of generations of manipulation and sacrifice. The sins of the father are visited upon the daughter, and Arabella is left to bear the weight of a legacy she never chose. The story ends with the promise of war, the forging of new alliances, and the certainty that the worst is yet to come.

Characters

Arabella Alis Egan (Aran)

Arabella is the daughter of the mad fae queen, born without powers in a world that values magic above all. Her life is defined by trauma, survival, and a relentless drive to escape her fate. Disguised as a boy, she navigates realms, wars, and betrayals, always one step ahead of those who would use or destroy her. Her monster—an internalized rage and dissociation—both protects and torments her. Arabella's relationships are marked by deep loyalty and profound mistrust, and her journey is one of self-discovery, guilt, and the search for agency in a world determined to break her. Her development is a descent into darkness, tempered by moments of hope and the enduring power of friendship.

Sadie

Sadie is an alpha shifter with a traumatic past, covered in scars both physical and emotional. Her bond with Arabella is the first true friendship either has known, and their shared humor and pain are a lifeline. Sadie's own journey is marked by the discovery of her blood fae heritage and the burden of prophecy. She is both a victim and a warrior, forced to confront her own power and the expectations of gods and monsters alike. Her loyalty to Arabella is unwavering, and her willingness to rebel against fate is both her strength and her curse.

Lothaire

Lothaire is a figure of immense power and ambiguous morality. As the queen's consort and later revealed as Arabella's father, his actions are driven by a complex mix of duty, guilt, and love. He is both protector and tormentor, orchestrating events from the shadows and making impossible choices for the sake of peace. His relationship with Arabella is fraught with regret and the weight of centuries of sacrifice. Lothaire's development is a study in the cost of power and the tragedy of good intentions gone awry.

Corvus (Malum)

Corvus, known as Malum, is the leader of the assassin division's kings. Marked by fire and violence, he is both a tormentor and a reluctant protector to Arabella. His relationship with his fellow kings is intimate and complex, and his attraction to Arabella is as much about power as it is about connection. Malum's cruelty masks a deep vulnerability, and his journey is one of confronting his own darkness and the responsibilities of leadership.

Scorpius

Scorpius is the sharp-tongued, blind king whose cruelty is both a defense and a weapon. His bond with Corvus and Orion is unbreakable, and his rivalry with Arabella is charged with both animosity and fascination. Scorpius's blindness is both a limitation and a source of power, forcing him to rely on other senses and instincts. His development is a slow unmasking of the pain and loyalty beneath his harsh exterior.

Orion

Orion is the quietest of the kings, marked by beauty, mystery, and a deep well of emotion. His relationship with Corvus and Scorpius is intimate, and his growing connection to Arabella is fraught with longing and danger. Orion's gentleness is a counterpoint to the violence around him, but he is capable of great savagery when provoked. His development is a journey from silence to agency, and his choices are pivotal to the fate of the group.

John

John is the only human among the assassin recruits, but his strength and resilience defy expectations. His friendship with Arabella is genuine and grounding, providing a rare source of comfort and normalcy. John's dual nature—cheerful and dark—mirrors Arabella's own struggles, and his loyalty is tested by the horrors they face together. He is both comic relief and a reminder of the cost of survival.

Horace

Horace is a vampyre recruit whose friendship with Arabella is marked by both camaraderie and menace. His predatory nature is both literal and metaphorical, and his eventual betrayal is a turning point for Arabella. Horace's death at her hands is both justice and tragedy, forcing Arabella to confront the reality of her own capacity for violence.

Vegar and Zenith

Vegar and Zenith are demon recruits whose relationship provides a rare example of love and loyalty in a world of violence. Their outsider status and unique abilities make them both valuable and vulnerable. Their dynamic with Arabella is marked by moments of kindness and rivalry, and their survival is a testament to the power of connection in the face of cruelty.

The Half Warriors (Demetre, Noah, Shane)

Once Arabella's allies, the half warriors become her hunters, embodying the theme of betrayal that runs through her life. Their own trauma and rage drive them to acts of cruelty, and their relationship with Arabella is a tragic reminder of how easily trust can be shattered. Their ultimate fate is a consequence of the web of manipulation and vengeance that defines the story.

Plot Devices

Disguise and Hidden Identity

Arabella's use of an enchanted ring to disguise herself as a boy is both a literal and symbolic device. It allows her to escape her mother's control, navigate hostile realms, and survive in environments where her true identity would mean death. The disguise is also a metaphor for the masks we wear to survive trauma, and its eventual removal marks a turning point in the narrative. The tension between appearance and reality is a constant source of suspense and character development.

The Monster Within

The "monster" in Arabella's mind is a recurring motif, representing both her trauma and her capacity for violence. It is both a shield and a curse, protecting her from pain but also driving her to acts she cannot fully control. The monster is a manifestation of dissociation, rage, and the psychological cost of abuse. Its presence is foreshadowed throughout the story, and its eventual integration is both a victory and a tragedy.

Prophecy and Destiny

Prophecies and mysterious poems are woven throughout the narrative, hinting at a destiny that Arabella cannot escape. These devices create a sense of inevitability and tension, as characters struggle to interpret and resist the roles assigned to them. The fulfillment of prophecy is both a source of power and a trap, and the story's structure is shaped by the tension between fate and free will.

The Assassin Academy as Microcosm

Elite Academy is both a setting and a plot device, serving as a microcosm of the larger world's cruelty and complexity. Its structure—divided by blood, status, and power—mirrors the realms' own divisions. The academy's brutal training, endless tests, and shifting alliances force characters to confront their own limits and the true nature of power. The narrative structure is cyclical, with each new trial echoing and escalating the last.

Magical Bonding and Enslavement

The magical tattoo that binds Arabella to the three kings is a device that both protects and enslaves her. It is a literal chain, tying her fate to those of her reluctant protectors, and a metaphor for the ways in which trauma and manipulation can shape destiny. The bond is both salvation and curse, and its consequences ripple through every relationship and choice.

Generational Manipulation

The revelation that Arabella's entire life has been orchestrated by the High Court, and that her father is both her protector and her tormentor, is a masterstroke of foreshadowing and narrative structure. The story is shaped by the choices of previous generations, and the cost of peace is measured in suffering and sacrifice. The manipulation of fate across generations is both a warning and a tragedy, and the story's resolution is left open, promising further conflict and revelation.

Analysis

Psycho Academy is a dark, unflinching exploration of trauma, power, and the search for agency in a world designed to break its heroes. Jasmine Mas crafts a universe where every relationship is fraught with danger, every act of kindness is suspect, and survival demands both brutality and sacrifice. The novel's reverse harem structure is subverted by the pervasive sense of threat and the complexity of its characters—everyone is both victim and villain, and the lines between love, hate, and loyalty are constantly redrawn. At its core, the story is about the cost of survival: the ways in which trauma shapes identity, the masks we wear to protect ourselves, and the monsters we become to endure the unendurable. The magical and political systems are both allegory and critique, exposing the ways in which power is wielded to control, manipulate, and destroy. The novel's greatest strength is its refusal to offer easy answers or redemption; instead, it asks what it means to be both executioner and victim, and whether it is possible to forge a future from the ruins of the past. In a world where peace is bought with blood and destiny is a weapon, Psycho Academy is a testament to the resilience of the broken—and a warning that the worst monsters are often those we carry within.

Last updated: October 22, 2025