Page 56 of Of Blackened Blood (The Blackened Blade #3)

MICAI

I slide quietly into my dorm room and grab a fresh uniform and quickly change into it.

A few days have passed since I began training with Gadriel in the abattoir, and I’ve felt the difference from it already. The ache and exhaustion in my muscles are a familiar and welcome feeling after each session.

There’s also an excitement that builds inside of me each morning with the thought of training with him later in the day. One that I didn’t have with Isaiah. It seems I had missed my sparring partner more than I had realised.

The way Gadriel moves and teaches is on a completely different level than anyone else. He has a certain way when sparring with me that has me moving more carefully, each step of mine more mindful, knowing he won’t hold back when our blades begin to clash.

Each step and movement of Gadriel’s is elegant but calculated and precise, his attacks graceful but swift and powerful. He moves as if he’s dancing, like his body is gliding and becoming one with the air around us.

The thrill and joy I feel when we spar goes beyond that of a mentor and student and feels more like equal partners growing from one another’s strengths. And the gleam in his eyes as our gazes meet and our weapons parry makes me think he feels the same way.

I’ve felt a strange guilt build inside me with each passing day as I keep our secrets from him, giving him only half-truths about why we’re training the way we are in the abattoir and about my new strength and abilities.

But they aren’t only mine to tell. And the guys don’t trust Gadriel just yet. I hope in time they can see how trustworthy he really is.

Even without been given answers to the many questions I’m sure he has, he still stayed. He came here to help us. To help me.

And I’m glad he’s here. Him being here and all of us training and working together feels ... right.

We’re now working on me summoning new weapons through my marks.

It’s not been an easy task, and so far, I’ve only managed a couple of strangely shaped daggers.

They looked as if the metal at their tips had been melted, and the edges were far too blunt for battle.

They were nothing like the deadly weapons I had been envisioning or trying to call forth.

Looks like it will take more time to master.

Gadriel had seemed genuinely in awe when I summoned my black blades for the first time during sparring. But he only asked how I felt and if he could see them up closer. He didn’t push for more information, even though I could tell by the glint in his eyes that he wanted to know more.

I trust Gadriel, enough to tell him more about my marks and past, feeling deep inside me that he wouldn’t betray me. That his actions have only ever shown the opposite; he would help.

But it’s no longer just my story to tell anymore. The guys and I are a family now, and I will not break their trust. I can tell they are still wary of Isaiah’s presence in the abattoir, let alone Gadriel’s.

Hopefully time will help.

I make my way out of the girls’ dormitory, noticing a few girls in the small kitchen before heading out and into the courtyard.

I’ve been spending most of my nights sleeping with the guys in Ezra’s dorm room after training late in the abattoir. They were all insistent that we stay together. And not just because of the attacks.

Then I sneak into my own dorm room early in the morning before anyone is awake and grab a change of clothes, pretending I was there all along. And so far, no one’s noticed a thing.

I make my way past the notice board just as I hear a voice call my name.

“Micai.”

I turn around, the noise sounding so weak and frail and like a whisper, that if anyone but me had been on the path, they wouldn’t have heard it.

My eyes widen as I watch Knox walking slowly and shakily toward me.

He looks even thinner than before, his body frail as a tremor works its way down him, his movements looking as if he could fall at any moment.

His face looks dark and gaunt, and his eyes seem glassy and grey with a lost look in them.

His hand reaches out toward me before he suddenly stumbles, falling over and heading toward the gravel below him.

I dart forward, catching him before he hits the ground, cradling his head from the fall. His weak brown eyes meet mine as his fingers shakily reach for my face.

“H-help ... ple-ase ... help, M ... ” His eyes roll to the back of his head before his body goes limp in my arms. And panic sets into my chest.

“Knox? Knox!” I check his heartbeat, the sound growing slower in my ears before I shout toward a passing group of students near the boys’ dormitory.

They race over to help as I hear the slow thrum of his heart grow even weaker.

“We need to move him to the infirmary,” I hear myself shout, but my voice grows shaky as I watch Knox’s body grow even paler.

My hands begin to tremble as we gently lift him up, with one of the boys moving everyone out of our way.

Everything fades around me until we’re placing him on one of the infirmary’s beds and the doctor is rushing over to us and checking him. We’re quickly ushered outside by the doctor’s two assistants as they all begin to help Knox.

I wait outside in the corridor as the other students head to class when the bell rings, mumbling that they’ll “be back” and that they “hope he’s okay.”

Time ticks by as I pace back and forth in the hallway, students coming to and from classes as my thoughts fall to Knox over the past while.

He had grown more and more pale over time, not looking like himself. I thought it was because he was breaking free from Seria’s brainwashing, but could it have been something else? Could she have done something to him?

He had come to me for help before. Maybe he knew something was wrong?

I should have done something sooner. I should have helped him.

I should have done more than just keep an eye on Seria. But I didn’t think she would hurt him like this.

What the hell did she even do to him? How could he have grown so weak and deathly looking in such a short time?

Maybe if I had done something sooner ... he might’ve not become like this.

I brush a hand down my face as my steps become quicker, my thoughts falling to our past.

I know we’ve had our issues, but Knox was once a cherished friend. He was someone that helped me during a dark time when we were kids. He comforted the lonely and lost younger me before Seria arrived and helped pull me through those hard and painful times.

I don’t want to see him suffer or die like this.

I turn toward the wooden infirmary door, my feet heavy as I try to listen for the voices inside. I hope he is okay and that whatever is wrong with him is healable. Hopefully we got him here in time for them to help him.

As if my thoughts were spoken aloud, the doors open, and I stumble forward before catching myself against the doorframe.

Dr. Rinx, the infirmary doctor’s eyes widen at my presence, his grey hair falling messily down his tired face before glancing around the hallway. “Shouldn’t you be in class?—”

“Is Knox okay?” I ask, my words tumbling out and cutting Mr. Rinx off. “What’s wrong with him?”

I straighten myself as he sighs, glancing back into the room behind him. His grey brows cinch together tightly before returning his gaze toward me.

“Unfortunately, I cannot discuss his diagnoses with a student and non-family member.” His eyes narrow in thought. “Especially with his ... current condition.”

“What do you mean ‘condition’?” I try to take a step closer and into where Knox is, but he raises a hand, stopping me. “What’s wrong with him?”

Dr. Rinx sighs as I continue to peer over his shoulder and watch his assistants surround the farthest bed in the corner where we had placed Knox.

“All I can tell you is that he has entered a coma-like state, but it seems unusual . But he will need to have a full magical-medical examination to properly determine the reason for this.” He drags a hand down his face.

“He will be transported to Magnostic’s within the hour.

” He moves, making his way past me as he closes the door behind him.

“I’m going to the dean so his family can be notified to meet him there. ”

My brows pinch downward. Magnostic’s? That was the magically powered hospital for supernaturals inflicted with serious magical inflictions. Ones that couldn’t be healed by shifters, potions, or healers, and usually of an old or darker nature.

My heart picks up its pace again as my mouth opens, my words rushing out before Dr. Rinx leaves. “Can I see him? Can I stay with him for a while?”

He shakes his head. “It’s best not to. Ally and Fern, my assistants , are taking care of him. No one is allowed to enter or visit while he’s in such a vulnerable state.” He turns and leaves, not sparing me another word or glance as he quickly heads to the dean’s office.

I take a few steps back, my shoulders hitting the wall behind me as my eyes stay glued to the infirmary door.

Why didn’t I act sooner? If I had helped when he reached out earlier, then maybe?—

“Micai?” a familiar voice softly calls, cutting my thoughts short.

I turn toward two soft amber eyes framed by beautiful porcelain skin, raven-black locks, and two pink lips pulled down in a small frown.

“Are you okay?” Morgan asks, her hand reaching out to me before moving to wrap both arms fully around me, pulling me into a gentle hug. One I didn’t even know I needed until she came.

Her soft embrace and sweet floral scent have all the dark spiralling thoughts disappearing from my mind.

I wrap my arms around her, my eyes closing for a brief second before I hear another familiar voice behind her.

“This is how it all starts, Micai ...” Ash grins, gesturing toward Morgan.

She pulls back slightly, a brow raising in his direction as he continues.