Page 146 of The Blackened Blade

“Delusion?” Xander scoffs, a vicious sneer twisting his lips, “You’re the delusional ones, thinking she's something she’s not.”

“Xander–” Calls Seria as she tugs at his sleeve but he pulls away, too engrossed in his own anger to listen to anyone anymore.

“We also used to believe all the lies she told us and the fake little‘act’ she put on. But the truth came out, and we realised what she truly was…” He glares at me, disgust dripping from each vitriol word thrown my way, “A horrible, lying, bitter–”

And something finally snaps inside me. Like the end of a rope, pulled too tight and stretched for too long past its limits.

I move in a flash, grabbing the blade from Annex’s hand as he takes it out, and reach Xander in a fraction of a second. I kick his feet from under him and place the blade to his throat. His words cut off, his eyes widening in shock as he looks up toward me.

“I remember warning you before…” I lean the blade a little closer to his neck, a small cut forming on his skin as a few gasps sound around me. “Not to start shit with me.”

“Micai–” Call’s Knox, his voice a little shaky as Anders echos him.

“Gut him, Red.” Grins Annex, coming up behind me. “If you don’t, I fucking will.”

“Don’t Mic–” Knox reaches for me, but Ezra steps forward blocking him.

“She’ll do whatever the hell she wants, and you or nobody else will get in her way.”

Kane gently slides Seria toward Anders and steps up beside Knox, a stand off starting between them and Ezra, as Annex chuckles darkly behind me.

Kane's eyes flash gold as Knox raises a hand, a slight static forming around his fingers.“We don’t want to fight Micai, please–”

“Shut the fuck up.” Growls Annex before his lips reach my ear, “Make sure you hit the right artery babe, if you get the wrong one, your sexy dress will get blood all over it…” His gaze slides down my dress, a heated look taking over his eyes, “Scratch that, you’d lookeven hotter.”

I grip the blade's hilt, and even with the tension spreading throughout the room, I felt calm and quickly realise it was because of Ezra and Annex. I wasn’t planning on killing Xander but knowing they had my back and were giving me the option to…it had a warm feeling spreading throughout me.

Just as Kane tries to take a step toward me, Ezra's deep voice lowers to a dark timber. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Who do you think you–” Kane starts before I become tired of all this bullshit.

I lean closer to Xander, looking into his shaking eyes as the blade nips his skin further.

“There won’t be a second time, Xander. I’m not putting up with anymore shit. Stay away…Allof you,” I look toward Kane, Knox and Anders before I pull the blade away and straighten myself before handing it back to Annex.

I turn back to Xander and watch as Knox helps him up.

Ezra’s hand reaches for me, pulling my attention back toward him as I place my hand in his, with Annex’s arm sliding around my waist.

And the growing warmth settles in my chest as I look at them both.

They flicker their eyes toward Xander and Knox, a look telling me this was far from over with them. And a single thought crosses my mind…They didn’t care what others thought or said, they hadmyback.

Seria calls my name, but it's drowned out by a blood curdling scream.

Everyone turns toward the doors as a female student in a bloodied grey gown falls to her knees.

“Beasts!” She shrieks, “Magical beasts are attacking the academy.” She falls to the ground limply, as blood pours from a large wound on her side.

Was this some sick joke? This never happened in my previous life.

A large roar filters into the room from outside, pulling me from my thoughts as screams and shouting soon follow.

Ezra and Annex grab me and place themselves around me, just as the room turns into chaos.

CHAPTER 38

We make our way through the panicked crowd and toward the grounds outside.

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