Page 37 of The Blackened Blade

“Depending on the wielder of the weapon, and if properly executed,” He glanced coldly at a couple of boys whispering to a girl beside them, “It could catch your opponent off guard and disable them. Pair up and practice.” He makes his way over to them as they fall silent, shrinking in on themselves as he nears.

Pairs. Great.

There were unfortunately a lot more boys in this class than there were girls. I was actually one of only three here, and they seemed more interested in Mr. Valor than the actual class.

Glancing around the field, I notice the girls are already paired up with boys who immediately jumped toward them at the mention of practising together.

My eyes meet two sets of eyes watching me curiously, a familiar green pair and brown pair.Knox and Anders.

They whisper to each other before Knox takes a step in my direction, but soon freezes as a hand grabs his shoulder. Xanders brows are pulled downward, his glare cutting as he flickers his gaze from Knox to me. His lip curls upward as he speaks in hushed tones to Knox and Anders.

I turn my gaze away. Whatever was going on had nothing to do with me anymore.

And maybe if I was lucky I was the odd number out, and could practise by myself.

Mr. Valor makes his way over to me, and hands me a small wooden practice dagger. He glances around the field before calling someone over for me to pair up with.

A scowling Kane slowly makes his way over and beside Mr. Valor just before he is called by another teacher across the field.

Kane’s scowl looks permanently etched on his face, like some disgruntled pug.Minus the cuteness.

I sigh. Of all the assholes I could have been paired with, it had to bethisone.

“Don’t think that I want to be paired with you.” He bites out through gritted teeth. “Even being near you makes me cringe.”

I wonder what it was that made him turn into such a cold ass? What made a grumpy boy that used to chase after me and cry when I was hurt, turn into someone completely cold and unrecognisable?

I guess whatever it was, hadn’t anything to do with me anymore. I also didn’t have to take their shitty words or cutting glares sitting down either. They’ve made it crystal clear how they feel, now it's my turn.

“Then just imagine how much shittier it is for me to have to be besideyou.”

Kane freezes, his eyes slightly widening as his mouth opens, before it quickly closes again.

A few students near us fall silent, a few brows furrowed and questioning glances thrown my way.

Right. The younger me wouldn’t ever have talked back or spoken her mind.

“I don't know what crawled up your ass or what broke your little shifter brain into thinking I’d want to be paired with you, but let's be clear...I would rather be alone than have to spendone minute longerin your presence.” A humourless chuckle leaves my lips.“I think it's been madecrystal clearwhat you all think of me, and any affection we shared is long burned out with all your shit.”

His brows scrunch, his lips pinching together as he opens his mouth, but I cut him off.

Narrowing my gaze, I slow my voice so he knows I mean each and every word as I continue. “I don’t want to be around you,any of you, more than I have to be. So let's make this as painless as possible.”

I take the stance shown earlier as I grip the wooden blade in my hand. “Let's get on with it.”

Kane’s frozen face flares into something else, contorting into something dark and cold as he glares at me. “Of course. This is therealyou…” He looks me up and down, a hardened expression pulling at his features as he slowly takes the stance, gripping his own blade tightly in his hands. “A manipulativebitch.”

Before I know it, I’m moving forward and toward him, my reaction too quick, it catches him off guard and too late for him to dodge.

I replicate Mr. Valor’s move, but instead of throwing the blade and twisting to the back, I drop it, catching it with my other hand and thrust into Kane’s front.

I push every last ounce of strength I can into my shoulder and hand, pain slicing up my back with the movement, as I flip the blade to its hilt and slam it into his solar plexus. Even for a shifter, that shit should hurt.

A grunt falls from his lips, his eyes widening before scrunching together in a look of pain. He bends forward, taking a knee and hitting into the grass below us.

I crouch down, placing a hand on his shoulder as I lean some of my weight on him, pushing him further into the ground.

“Manipulative?” I scoff, looking him dead in his eyes.“Who have I got around me tomanipulateKane? You all leftme,remember?” I shake my head. “Probably the best thing you all ever did though. Showing me who you really were.All fake lying assholes.” I feel my expression harden as he opens his mouth, a slight tremor to his eyes as he watches me.

---