Page 86 of The Blackened Blade

“I always attend-” She begins.

“Good. Then get some rest inbetween, because I won't go easy on you, even if it's late at night.” I look around the old building, even in the dark of night, I could see its broken and decaying features. Even abandoned there was great beauty in the nature that had consumed it, bringing new life to what was one burned and broken. It seemed the perfect place for us to train.

I turn back to her, her eyes wide with a slight surprised expression pulling at her small features.

“You need a sparring partner, don't you?”

She quickly nods her head as a small grin tilts my lips.

“Then we’ll continue again tomorrow. Be prepared…Micai.” I turn away and head toward the old entrance as she grabs her hoody and joins me.

We make our way back to the academy in silence, surrounded only by the sounds of nature and our own contemplation.

A peaceful moment I haven't had in a long time.

We slowly make our way through the shadows and toward the girls dormitory, where I stay as I watch her make her way in through the back door.

A small chuckle leaves my lips as I watch her make light work of the doors lock and heads inside.

I couldn’t wait to see what else this small one could do.

CHAPTER 24

It's been over a week and a half since Mr. Valor caught me in the old abandoned training grounds with his daggers. We train together there every other day now, and he teaches me more advanced techniques than he would show us in class.

We take to sparring for most of the sessions, and with each one I feel like I’m improving and learning more, as well as adapting at an unusually fast pace.

When we spar, I notice his forest green eyes shining in a way I’ve never seen during class. It changes him.

He also doesn't treat me like a student during our sessions, but more like an opponent or equal, and he doesn’t hold back or let up when we spar. But I prefer it that way.

And I’ve begun to look forward to our lessons.

If I had it my way, I would train with him every night, but he believes I need a break in between our sessions, and doesn’t want me to fall behind in other classes.

But even without him I still train every night, finding a sense of place when I’m pushing myself, my mind solely focused on moving forward. And then the relief that follows when I’m done, drained of all the frustration and stress from that day with each drop of sweat I’ve shed.

In the short week that we have trained together, I’ve also grown used to his company. And have learnt more with him in just a few days than I have in the past couple of weeks of training alone.

Which was why I felt a little disappointed when he had to postpone our next session due to a faculty meeting this Friday.

I head toward the cafeteria, having just day-dreamed my way through‘Modern Language and Ideology’class. An hour and a half was too long to listen to quotes from ‘Macbeth’ and not fall asleep.

Ms. Cheron seemed like a nice teacher though. Her shoulder length strawberry blonde hair and five foot two frame made her look petite. Her casual style of jeans and baggy jumpers also made you think she was more relaxed and laid-back about lessons. But she even gave Mrs. Bruswick a run for her money if you messed around in her class. And her ability as a seer made it so no one could get away with anything.

I make my way over to the cafeteria doors, delicious paradise just feet from me, when suddenly two girls slide in front of me, blocking my way.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The brunette on the right sneers, as the girl beside her shoves her hand in front of me, stopping me from entering.

The two girls scowl toward me, both wearing the same disgruntled look, and that's when I realise they're a mirror image of each other.Twins.

Each sport matching green eyes and long pin-straight mousy brown hair. They both wear emerald ties and a cluster of faint freckles on their cheeks.

“Right…” Says the twin to the left, her eyes sliding up and down me. “You think you’respecial. Were you planning on sitting with them again?” Her eyes flare, her lips twisting upward as she watches me.

“Of course she was,” Scoffs the right twin, her grin turning mocking, “She thinks the Infernal Four actuallywanther.”

My brows scrunch together. The Infernal Four? What was that?

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