Page 123 of The Blackened Blade

I wash up and get dressed, and a few minutes later am heading toward the main academy building.

I forgo the cafeteria, not having much of an appetite after seeing Seria so early. It's never a good start to the day; dealing with bullshit and bad memories.

I head to the stairway and toward my first class. Even if it was my birthday, I would choose dealing with some grumpy teacher and boring lecture over a day shopping with Seria.Even the thought of her has goosebumps forming on my arms.

And birthdays didn’t mean anything to me anyway. It was the day I was born, and the day my mother died…so I never celebrated it. I wasn’t allowed to.

I try to shake the bad memories and mood Seria had put me in as I head to class.

I’m making my way up the stairs when I hit into something solid. A deep familiar chuckle rings out from the figure I’ve just bumped into as his large hands hold me up and stop me from falling back down the stairs.

“What's the rush, Red? Something chasing you or…” Annex’s blue eyes curl upwards, “Were you looking for me?” A playful grin stretches his lips as another familiar voice joins him from behind.

“Why would she look foryou?” Ezra throws an arm around Annex’s shoulder as his gaze meets mine. “She could have been looking for me.”

Ezra chuckles before giving me a small wink. But the smile he gives me is different from the usual one he wears. And there's a strange look in his eyes; something that seems more warm and tender than before.

But maybe I was overthinking it.

“The fuck she was. Tell him, Red…” Annex flickers his gaze between me and Ezra, an almost comical look on his face, “It was me right?”

I hold back a chuckle as he narrows his eyes at Ezra, but there's no anger in his glare.

Then I noticed some flecks of red on his face. The small red splotches trail down his neck and continue onto his sleeves and arms. His knuckles are also dyed a pinky-red hue and there are small red marks on his trousers and covering the tips of his shoes.

My brows scrunch together.

“Were you fighting this morning?” Had he been in the fighting ring this early in the day? I guess I wouldn’t put it past him. It was Annex we were talking about.

Or did some poor unfortunate soul try to mess with him, not knowing who he is? Or how crazy he can be?

Ezra puts his hands in his pockets, his grin looking a little sheepish. And there onhiswhite shirt collar are red stains matching Annex’s.

What had happened for even Ezra to get involved? He didn’t seem like the type to fight without a good reason.

“Let's just say some dickheads got on my bad side, and got what they deserved.” Annex chuckles darkly, a sinister gleam in his eye as he remembers something.

“It's nothing for you to worry about, Micai. Where were you off to anyway?”

I could see Ezra was avoiding my question, but if he didn’t want to draw attention to it then they should clean themselves up better. But I wouldn’t pry any further, their business wasn’t mine to know.

“I was just heading to class.” I pull myself from Annex’s hold and begin to make my way around them. Until a familiar large hand reaches out toward me, taking my hand in his. His piercing blue eyes meet mine as a playful grin traces his lips.

“On a day like this?” He shakes his head, his brown hair waving side to side with the small movement. “Red, you can’t go to shitty classes when the weather isthisgood.”

I look out the window nearest us. There was no rain or heavy winds and the skies were clearer than I’ve seen all week. I guess for a November day, itwasquite good.

But why did that even matter?

“But–”

“No buts,” Adds Ezra as he slides beside me and takes my other hand in his. “We’re taking you to town to have some fun.”

“Hell yeah.” Grins Annex.

Fun.I guess it would be better than going to Mr. Finch’s or Mrs. Bruswick’s classes. And after this morning, I could use a break from the assholes in this academy, even if it was just for a few hours.

“I never really spent much time in town. Where are we going?” I flicker my gaze between Annex and Ezra.

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