Page 88 of The Blackened Blade

I glance toward Ezra. The smile on his lips doesn't reach his eyes and there's a slight tightness to his jaw that hardens further as Lilith pushes herself into his side.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee giggle behind her, their eyes and smiles smug as they watch me.

“Well, I do agree with that last part.” Ezra’s normally playful smile grows a little darker as he places his hand on Lillith’s shoulder.

I think I’m the only one to notice the annoyance in his tone, or the darker glint in his eyes as Lilith’s grin widens with his words.

But all too quickly her smile drops as she stumbles a step backward and into the twins.

Ezra wipes his hand over his blazer. “A littleattentionand people go crazy.”

He meets the eyes of the three girls in front of him, their smug expressions falling.“I appreciate your…intentions,but I can make my own mind up about who I spend my time with.” By the time he finishes his words, there's no longer a smile of any type on his face. The warm and playful persona he wears like a mask faltering, and replaced by someone more cold and cutting.

He gently pushes past them and toward the cafeteria door, their faces further paling as he ignores their calls.He stops at the door and turns back, “You coming?” His turquoise eyes meet mine. I give him a small nod and quickly make my way toward him.

Lillith's hand snakes out, trying to stop me.

I grab her by the wrist and stand mere inches from her face, staring her dead in the eyes.

“Be glad he came…if he hadn’t, you wouldn’t be able to walk away in one piece.” I yank her wrist, a pained whimper falling from her lips as I whisper in her ear.“And if you call me a bitch again, I’ll make it so you can never utter another word.”

Her hand trembles as I let her go and head over to Ezra, the two twins flinching as I pass them.

Lillith’s gaze turns to Ezra, but he ignores her.

“Lillith, you're not gonna let her–” Begins one of the twins before she's cut off.

“Shut up!” Barks Lilith.

She gives Ezra one last look before turning away and leaving, her two annoying sidekicks huffing before following after her.

Ezra gives me a knowing smile before it quickly falls into a frown, an almost exhausted sigh leaving his lips.

“I’m sorry about all of that…” He rubs a hand down the back of his neck. “You shouldn’t have to deal with crap like that.”

“It's not your fault you're favoured by rabid animals.” I shrug and he chuckles. A genuine smile stretching his lips this time.

“You know…I don't know if you’ve heard anything, but there are some…unsavouryrumours going around about you.” He bites his lower lip, a slightly hesitant tone to his usually happy voice as he continues. “They say you want your sister's men. And that you treat her horribly because of it.” He shakes his head. “I mean, I know it's bullshit but I thought you should still know.”

There were similar rumours in my previous life as well, ones I’m now sure were spread by Seria and her cronies. Everyone believed them, so I expected as much this time but why is he different? Why doesn’thebelieve them?

I didn’t know Ezra that well and he certainly couldn’t know much about me. Eating beside each other and sharing a class didn’t make us close or make me a credible source. So why help me?

Why believe me when no-one else does?

“Why do you think it's bullshit?” I ask.

His brows furrow, an expression of ‘it's obvious’ written all over his face.

His hand gestures toward his body.

“If you wanted to drool over a hot guy, clearly I would win over anyone else. You’ve also eaten with me and the guys, and you haven’t thrown yourself at us…yet.” He wriggles his eyebrows, eliciting a small chuckle from me.

He shrugs, shaking his head. “Why would you want a milk dud, when you can have the whole goddamn bar that's sittingrightin front of you?”

He lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Make it make sense, Micai.”

So the reason he believes me, is because he knows he's hotter?

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