Page 77 of A Blackened Bond

If he wasn’t a representative, or if I didn’t mind being locked away in the Council’s cells over winter break, I would rip his flapping tongue from his throat and shove it up his spindly ass.

I exhale, trying to push down the frustration I feel as the asshole continues to talk, his voice fading to white noise as I ignore him and turn away.

Even if he was a representative, he wasn’t a faculty member, and I owed him nothing. I unfortunately couldn’t beat the shit out of him, but I didn’t have to listen to him either.

I walk toward the dorm when an arm suddenly reaches out and grabs me from behind, twisting me around to face the representative's scrunched-up expression.

“Where do you think you’re going? Who told you that you were allowed to leave?” His nails dig into my arm, pinching me as he tries to pull me back. But I wasn’t playing the weak Micai anymore.

He tries to drag me back, his arm gripping me tighter as his gaze narrows in confusion.As if someone as weak as him could make me move.

His frustration grows, his other hand reaching toward me before a loud bellow roars from behind us.

“What the hell is going on here?!” Gadriel is beside me in seconds, his gaze narrowed at the hand still gripping me. His eyes turn to the ass in question. The wiry asshat flinches, his already pasty skin going paler with the dark look Gadriel’s giving him.

“Let. Her. Go.Now,” Gadriel grits, his tone dark and guttural, with a look of fury I’ve never seen in him before.

The asshole instantly lets go of my arm and takes a step back.

“She…she was being disobedient—” he begins, but Gadriel cuts him off, stepping toward him and towering over him.

“Who do you think you are putting your hands on her?”

“S-she—”

Gadriel clenches his fists, his knuckles turning white as he takes another step closer to him. The representative shrinks as Gadriel’s gaze and larger stance surround him.

“Take her name from your lips, her figure from your sight and thoughts…” He glares down at the shrinking man as he backs him into the wall behind them. “And never come near her again. If you so much asbreathein her direction, Verod…” Gadriel’s voice falls to a sinister whisper as he leans downtoward his ear. “I willpersonallytake pleasure inteaching you the consequences of your actions.”

Verod’s eyes widen, a shaky breath falling from his lips with whatever expression Gadriel was giving him before scurrying away like the pathetic rat he was.

Gadriel glares after him, his eyes lost in a daze of fury, his fists clenching tightly before he takes a step forward, looking as if he would follow after Verod.And tear him to shreds.

I reach out, my hand gripping his arm as I try to stop him from following after him.

He whips around toward me, the darkness in his gaze quickly fading as our eyes meet.

“Gadriel,” I call, trying to pull him back and distract him from his anger.

His brows furrow, his eyes closing as he takes a deep breath, his fists unclenching as he opens his eyes again.

“Are you okay, Micai?” He quickly shakes his head, a light scoff leaving his lips before he answers himself. “A stupid question…Of course, you’re not.”

A shaky breath leaves his lips before he looks back at the empty space where Verod scurried away and then to the academy where he headed, anger rising in his eyes again.

“I was too lenient—”

I cut him off, pulling his arm again as I shake my head when. He turns toward me. “Don’t waste your time. I’m sure he won’t look twice at me after what you’ve said anyway—”

“But it shouldn’t have happened. You shouldn’t have been treated that way, Micai.” A sad look takes over his features, drawing his brows lower as his lips form into a slight frown.

“No one gets to treat you like you’re lesser than them, Micai. Your potential and strength surpass every other I have met over the years. Your will, your strength, and pure determination…is unrivalled.” He glances down at my hand still resting on his arm,his gaze soft before his eyes spot nail marks and red fingerprints left on my skin.

His eyes darken before he twists around again, heading for the main academy building.

I dash in front of him, stopping him as I block his way. Who knows what would happen if Gadriel saw Verod again. And with the expression on his face, he looked like he would rip the wiry weasel to shreds. As much as I would love to see it, I don’t want Gadriel to get into trouble because of me or that pathetic excuse for a man.

“Let spar.” I blurt out, trying to distract him from taking another step forward. “Everyone will be leaving for Winter break tomorrow, and it will be a while before we can see each other again.”

---