Page 25 of A Blackened Bond

Both of their eyes widen before Annex shouts. “The fucking Klutz!”

He takes a step back, glaring at the door as if she were on the other side of it. “Fucking bitch. I knew I should have slit her throat when she fell into us.” He shakes his head as he pulls out a small pocket knife. “I knew there was something off about her. Who the hell falls over their own feet?” He twists back around to me and Ezra. “I didn’t like the way her beady little eyes looked when they stared at you either, Red.”

“How…why…” Ezra’s voice is laced with sadness, his face void of colour as his hands reach for me, wrapping me in a warm embrace.

“I knew that there was something off about her. I wish we had found you sooner, then you wouldn’t have suffered for so long and with all these stupid pricks around you.” He pulls me in tighter, his lips grazing the top of my head. “I should have known when I felt that energy around her. I’m sorry you had to deal with this alone, Micai.”

My brows pull together. “What energy?”

Was he still talking about the bracelet?

“Hers.” His gaze looks venomous as he spits out the word, his lips unwilling to say her name. “There was always a strange energy around her, something off that constantly made me feel uncomfortable and on edge. Like something was slithering around me.” A slight tremor rolls down his body with the memory. “I could feel her pushing it out around me at times.”

“Why couldn’t I—”

“It’s something only I would be able to feel, Micai. It feels somewhat familiar–in a distant way, yet like nothing I’ve ever felt before. It’s hard to explain…” He drags a hand down the backof his neck. “But I think she’s using it on the people around her and in the academy. That’s the only thing that makes sense now. Why else would everyone around her be so biased and against you?”

He glances back toward the bracelet on the dresser, his hand taking out a small piece of cloth from his pocket and taking the bracelet up with it.

“I’m not sure what type of metal this is, but it’s definitely something I’d like to look into, along with that half-sister of yours.” His gaze meets mine. “If you’ll allow me to.”

I nod as a small sigh of relief leaves his lips.

“I have a few places and contacts that could help find out what it might be, or at the very least where it came from. And I can dig deeper into Seria, too. I’ll take it with us and start looking into it as soon as we’re able to go back into town.” A dark look takes over his features as he wraps the bracelet up in the small piece of cloth and tucks it quickly away in his pocket.

If Ezra could help me get answers to all my questions about that bracelet and Seria, maybe it would give me some sort of clue to finding The Facility.

“Great. Now that that’s all settled.” Annex takes my hand, making his way toward the window and gently tugging me alongside him.

“Let’s blow this damn joint and head to a better room.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

EZRA’S POV

We head into the dorm room, which I barely use. Flicking on the light, I make out Micai’s widening eyes as she glances around the room. This place was nothing compared to our rooms back at the abattoir, but I guess it was a big step up from the tiny room she had been living in.

Her eyes glance from the plush navy curtains draped along the dove-grey wall to the large dark navy marble fireplace. The room's design was more delicate and ornate than I’d typically like, but it would do for a spare room. I didn’t use it much anyway. So, there was no point in putting much of ‘me’ into it.

Her bright blue eyes continue to glance around, taking in even the smallest detail. And quickly reminds me of the tiny storage space she called a room.

Why was it that my mate couldn’t get the same room that every other student in this academy had? Sure, this one was a little bigger and had a couple of extra luxuries than the others, but every room in this shitty academy was at least three times the size of Micai’s, and updated with the latest amenities. So why was she the only one stuffed into that tiny shoebox of a room?

It was now just another thing for me to look into. Why didn’t the academy treat her with the respect she deserved, and whydid the faculty seem to disregard her or turn a blind eye to the other students' treatment of her?

The sooner Annex and I convince her to stay with us in the abattoir, the better. She would be safer with us there, and we could lavish her with all the things she deserves.

I make my way over toward the fireplace and flick the fire on. The flames sparking to life instantly with the snap of my fingers.

Magic came easy to me. My body was overflowing with it.

It was harder to control it and keep it hidden than it was to use it.

Reading and manipulating magic was a gift of my kind and something that came easy to us. But even revealing that small part of myself to Micai had me worried she would figure out what I was.

Sirens were rare in this world; my kind almost hunted to extinction because of our abilities and beauty.

I had been through too much and lost too many to open up so easily about my pain.

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