Page 62 of The Blackened Blade

“Who taught you how to fight?” He asks as we make our way through the training grounds.

My brows synch together as I gaze into his curious green eyes.

“No-one. I taught myself.” It's not a lie. In the Facility I had to keep moving to survive. I had to be strategic against whatever beast they would pin me up against, and learn quickly from each fight on what worked and what didn’t. Over time it became easier, my body learned quickly and took to each new movement naturally, having memorised it with ease.

His brows pinch together, a slow moment passing as he gazes at me before he gives me a small nod.

“Taking on three shifters without a weapon, and getting the better of them is impressive.” He takes a few steps forward before turning back toward me, the sun setting in the sky and illuminating his golden white strands, making them glisten as a small grin tilts his lips.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what else you're capable of.”

CHAPTER17

Ihead toward the dormitory and pass a group of boys and girls in the courtyard. They’re placing orange and black streamers and large dark shaped cutouts over the boards and on the dormitory walls and windows.

One group of boys take large white and orange pumpkins, carved with exaggerated expressions, and begin placing them around the area.

A group of girls giggle while floating large black crystal beads. They hover over another group of boys who place a large black banner on the academy’s grey brick wall.

The boys laugh while placing a lopsided black and purple banner to the academy’s wall. It spells out‘Halloween Dance: Night of the Damned’in shimmering black letters.

“I can’t wait.” One of the girls with brown hair giggles.

“It's finally this Friday!” A jade haired girl beside her adds enthusiastically.

“I hope Daniel asks me tonight.” Adds the third, a small strawberry blonde-haired girl, as she twirls a lock of hair in between two fingers. Her eyes flicker to one of the boys placing the large banner up, a slight blush tinting her cheeks when their eyes meet.

“You’ve already got Mike, Robbie and Cole.” Laughs the brunette.

“But Daniel is more my type…That, and I like even numbers.” Adds the strawberry blonde before they all break out laughing.

I roll my eyes. These girls knew nothing aboutrealconnections. Just because there was a higher ratio of men to women in the supernatural world, didn’t mean that you should treat them as a number or commodity. I would take that onetrueconnection over a hoard of men.

I rub my chest as an ache begins to build with the thought.

Shaking my head, I try to pull away from those painful memories. Now was not the time.

I turn away from the bustling groups and make my way toward the dormitory entrance, but smack straight into a passing boy carrying a large pumpkin lantern. It hits the ground, smashing open.

A strange shimmering gold glow seeps from the cracks with the mess now pouring from the broken squash.

The small golden lights float up toward me and slowly begin to fade just as a memory flashes in my mind.

Music thrums around the room, a buzz of magic in the air as students wearing costumes of all shapes, sizes and colours dance and grind with one another across the large ballroom. Golden lights from magical flares float around the room, adding to the opulent party atmosphere. Black shimmering skeleton decorations hang from the walls around the room, their eyes glowing white and their limbs shaking as people pass them.

Large ornate crystal pumpkins sit on each table and at every door and window in the huge room. Every table is covered in black silk with white glittering spiderwebbed fabric on top. Each with tiny obsidian spiders hanging from each hem. There's a sparkling starlight sky cast above the room, with each star twinkling brighter than the ones outside.

I glance around the large ballroom, dazed slightly by all the beautiful decorations and everyone dancing and talking.

Adam’s arm wraps around my waist, pulling me against him as we move toward the dance floor.

Adam was one of Seria’s classmates and an underclassman.

A few days before the dance, he asked if I would be his partner, saying he knew Seria, and that she told him that I hadn’t found a date yet.

He was different from the other boys in my year as well. Who preferred to either ignore me, or take any chance they could to insult and humiliate me. Adam didn’t seem like that. He seemednice.

“Let's find a space just for us.” He pulls me to the back of the dancefloor as the music thrums through the room. Bodies sway together as we make our way to a small spot with dimmer lighting.

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