Page 137 of The Blackened Blade

Guess I was going to the ball.

CHAPTER 35

Classes had been cancelled the day before the Winter Ball. I guess prestige and money spoke louder in the academy than the actual education of its students. As it seemed the students getting their hair and nails done was of more importance than actually attending class or learning something.

But why it would take up so much time–even needing its own day–I still had no clue. A quick shower and a bit of mascara and I’d be done.

I shrug, watching from my room's window as groups of students make their way out of the gates and to readied cars for their primping and preening. And probably a few towns over.

The town nearest here and the ones around it weren’t really known for their trendy boutiques or spa facilities.

I grab my black hoodie and head toward the forest and old training building.

I pat my stomach as I zip my hoodie up. I ate too many pancakes doused with syrup and strawberries for breakfast this morning. I’ll be lucky if I don’t have any issues fitting into the dress Ezra and Annex bought me.

I had awkwardly thanked them through a mouthful of pancakes, which had them both chuckling and saying‘They would take that as a yes then’.

They seemed even more enthusiastic than I thought they would be about a school ball, spending most of breakfast talking about ‘coordinating’ and ‘matching styles’.

We all agreed to meet in the courtyard in front of my dorm just before the ball started.

It was a peaceful breakfast until Annex and I got into a debate over who could eat the most pancakes…I obviously won. Nine pancakes to his seven, but the grin on his face looked nothing like a loss, he even called mecute.

I’m pretty sure there was nothing cute about me munching down nine pancakes, but Ezra actuallyagreedwith him. I guess their idea of cute was a little warped, but what could I expect from guys nicknamed the Infernal Four.

I make my way through the forest and down the old abandoned path. I would have to do some heavier training and add a quick run, to be able to burn through all those pancake calories. Still worth every fluffy bite.

I head into the old building, the place I’ve claimed as my personal gym and am met with two deep forest green eyes.

Gadriel flips two daggers between his fingers as a small soft grin tilts his lips.

“I thought you would come.”

I pull off my hoodie, throwing it on a nearby tree branch as he throws me one of the daggers in his hands. I twist the blade between my fingers, a small smile stretching my lips as I sprint toward him. His stance quickly changes to a defensive one.

Just what I had expected.

I drop to the ground, sliding beneath him and aiming to kick his feet out from under him. But he quickly twists into a flip and lands behind me. His blade lashes out toward me with the movement, but I swivel, dodging it and thrusting my own blade out to meet his. Our blades collide as they meet time and time again, sparks flying in every direction as we move around the old building.

We go back and forth in what has become our regular routine every other day. We would jump straight into sparring, our fists or weapons clashing against one another for hours, losing track of time and becoming lost in our own little world here.

I didn’t need to restrain myself with Gadriel. I could spar with him and not have to hold back my strength. It benefited me more to give our sessions my everything and he in return did so too.

I had seen the surprise in his eyes the first time I let loose before it quickly turned into something else; a look of anticipation and excitement, with a small glimmer of something else I couldn’t quite read.

The academy bell rings in the distance, pulling us from our own world, the sky above us now falling to dusk with the laughter and chatter of returning students more clear in the distance.

I wipe the sweat dripping down my neck as Gadriel puts his dagger away in a large black duffel bag he’s brought.

I flip the dagger in my hand before heading over to him and handing it back. He takes it but flickers his gaze between me and the blade. He opens his mouth, but closes it quickly again, his brows furrowing before he finally begins to speak.

“Micai, are you…going to the Winter Ball?”

My brows raise a fraction. Why was he asking? Had there been more rumours about me going around? I had thought it had been too quiet lately.

But I’m sure no-one knew that I was going with Annex and Ezra, and they both didn’t seem like the type to talk about it with others so easily.

Annex just had to look at someone for them to turn tail and run. And even Ezra had been acting differently lately. He wasn’t wearing his signature smile around people anymore or spending time with any girls that were trying to be overly nice to him, even going so far as to outright ignore them at times.

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