Page 66 of The Blackened Blade

These must belong to Mr. Valor, he was afterall an elf. He must have left them there by mistake. I’ll return them straight after I deal with the beast.

I swing forward, thrusting one blade out to my right. It slices through the tree I'm standing beside, flowing through the bark like a knife would through butter.

I look down toward the glistening daggers in my hand.

They felt cool against my palms, the blades so light in my grasp.

Maybe he wouldn’t notice they were missing?

Who was I kidding? You couldn’t forget these beauties.

I headed deeper into the forest, the music from the dance and laughing voices fading in the distance the further I crept.

I had been searching through the forest as soon as it had gotten dark enough to go unnoticed.

Placing the elven daggers into the black straps on my hips and pulling the tight black hood over my hair, I quickly fasten my black face mask behind my ears.

The one good thing about a Halloween Dance was that no-one looked twice at a girl walking around dressed fully in black combat attire and looking like some assassin or ninja.

I freeze, hearing the rustle of leaves. I crouch down in preparation for some beast or attack, reaching for the daggers on my hips, when suddenly a squirrel pops out of the bush a couple of metres from in front of me.

It scurries past me, holding what looks like a chocolate bar in its small paws, before dashing up the nearest tree.

My brows raise with the small forest creatures' cartoon-like antics. It seemedalmostas comical as my week. Taking third place at least.

First was Annex turning up to‘World History class’in the last few minutes, and making Mr. Finch almost wet himself for suggesting he‘Try to arrive a little earlier’.

In fairness, it was a look that promised more than just a little pain.

Mr. Finch didn’t utter a word for the rest of the class, and just stared at the board the whole time.

The second–annoying as much as it was comical–was when Adam came to me and asked me to go with him to the dance.Like in my previous life.

And exactly as he did before, he told me how he knew Seria, and how she told him I had no partner for the dance yet. He had laid it on thick about how he didn’t want me to be alone or miss out on important memories that we could make together with everyone else.

And even before I had the chance to reply, he gave me a huge grin and told me he would pick me up on the night. As if there wasn’t even the slightest possibility of me rejecting him.

I’m not sure how I managed to keep a straight expression, let alone not sock him square in his slimy, smug face. How had I fallen so easily for this crap before?

I clench my fists, pushing down the itch growing there with the feeling of wanting to wipe away the pompous smirk he wore that day. But it would have ruined the plans I had for him.

The music changes in the distance, a quicker paced song playing out as the lights shine from the direction of the academy.

A dance Adam couldn’t possibly be attending in his currentcondition.

Since he enjoyed drugging other people's drinks so much, I took a page from his book and added an extraingredientto his drink this morning. It was a little tasteless concoction that mixed seamlessly into his favourite protein shake.

It was a handy little herb mix that would make his lower part swollen, before growing murky green welts that would itch and pus when touched.

After a few days–and a few strong medical spells–the welts and swelling would slowly heal, but without the proper antidote to the herbs, he would be leftpermanentlylimp.

A small chuckle leaves my lips at the thought of his frustration and discomfort. I hope he thoroughly enjoys his night of scratching.

A groan from the area to my left pulls my attention.

I grab my daggers and stealthily make my way through the dark forest and toward the noise. It becomes louder, almost like a pained grunt.

I push through the trees and bushes and freeze.

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