Page 59 of Of Blackened Blood (The Blackened Blade #3)

Seria’s eyes darken and narrow toward her pawn for a brief second before her worried facade falls back into place.

“I don’t know what you mean, Micai. Knox was my partner, why would you say it like I would want to hurt him? We love each other?—”

“Do you?” I raise a brow, tapping a finger on my chin and enjoying the creases forming on the sides of her eyes. She hated being interrupted. “Because I don’t think Knox felt the same way ... and we both know it.”

A dark look slithers across her features before her performance kicks up a notch.

“I don’t know what you mean. We don’t have any problems. Trying to spread lies to help yourself won’t work, Micai.

” She shakes her head, a sombre look on her face as her eyes meet mine.

“It hurts to say this, but everyone knows what you’re like here in the academy.

Your anger, your jealousy ... you need to move forward instead of holding on to the past. I’ve tried to help you so many times and repair our sister relationship, even reaching a hand out to you at my party .

..” She glances at my neckline, a tic working its way into her jaw.

“But you continue to do whatever you want.” A crack starts to form in her little performance, her “sweet tone” fading at the end of her words.

Another chuckle bubbles up and escapes my lips before I shake my head. “No, Seria. They only know what you’ve told them. Your lies.” I look to the crowd around us. “And they’re all stupid enough to believe them.”

Alice then grows some bravado and steps forward. “Seria doesn’t need to lie. We’ve all seen it. The way you would watch your sister’s partners in the past. Your eyes lingering for far too long on them.”

Hushed murmurs ring out in agreement from the crowd surrounding us.

A scoff leaves my lips. Maybe before I came back to the past, the younger me still had some hope left in her for our past friendship. But not anymore.

Have they all been blind recently? I haven’t even been around those assholes and they’re still harping on about all that bullshit?

“You’re also not as weak or as powerless as you make out to be.” Alice scowls. “You showed your true colours that day with Ivy, Tandy, Mini, and me.” Her black brows pinch together. “So, who’s to say you didn’t do something to Knox? Clearly, you have motive and means.”

A small smirk tilts Seria’s lips as Alice steps beside her, my anger growing as I look at the pair.

“You mean the day you all ganged up on Morgan? With Tandy pulling a poisoned blade on her?” I clench my fists with the memory, my nails pinching into my palms.

Alice scoffs. “She could handle herself just fine.”

“ Handle herself? Against you, Mini, Tandy, and Ivy ... like you just said?” I answer as the bitch rolls her eyes, gazes in the crowd now focusing on Alice as she flounders to change the subject.

“What matters is that you made yourself out to be weak and powerless before, when clearly you’re not .” She sneers, pulling her thin lips upward while folding her arms.

“Right. I am strong ...” I peer to the boys holding their injuries in the crowd.

“As you’ve all just seen. But did I use magic or curses to do any of that .

.. or on that day either?” I meet Alice’s gaze.

“You’re accusing me of ‘cursing’ Knox, right?

But I don’t have that kind of power.” I raise a brow.

“Why would I curse him when I can clearly just kick his ass if I wanted to? Also, since we have such a bad relationship, why would I have brought him to the infirmary when I did, helping to keep him alive? If I had been just a few minutes later, he could have died.” The corridor falls silent as I continue.

“If I was behind it, why would I even appear and give assholes like you the chance to point fingers at me? If I did do it, the smarter move would have been to attend classes ...” I look to Seria.

” And act like nothing was wrong, and I didn’t know it was happening at all. ”

“What are you insinuating?!” barks Alice, trying to shield Seria from me.

“You’re all so stupid trying to accuse me .

..” I take a step closer, standing inches from Alice as a shake works its way into her hands.

“If I could curse people, don’t you think you and all your little entourage would already be hexed to the hilt?

” I shrug, a smirk lifting my cheeks. “Why would I go after Knox, the ‘nice’ one, over all you assholes that keep poking me, trying to piss me off?”

“Because he rejected you. You’re jealous of?—”

I yawn loudly, patting a hand over my lips, ignoring her.

“All this ‘rejection’ shit is getting boring. I’m with the Infernal Four .” I shake my head as a large grin tugs at my lips. “Who the fuck would choose assholes like those over Ezra, Annex, Mallyn, and Creed?” Not so much the last ass though.

I raise a brow, peering into the crowd surrounding us as confused looks take over their faces. Realisation begins to dawn on them.

I turn back toward Alice, placing my hand on her side before sliding her to my right and meeting Seria’s darkened stare.

“You really think that I want what you have?” A grin tilts my lips. “Do you really think they could even stand beside my men?” A small chuckle escapes me. “They can’t. No one in this academy or anyone else anywhere can.” Seria’s eyes darken as I take a step closer.

“But then ... I’m not the one wanting what doesn’t belong to her, am I, Seria?

” I lean in closer, my voice a dark whisper.

“I won’t be the silent little lamb you lock away anymore, waiting patiently to walk toward her slaughter, sister .

” I turn my head, my eyes meeting hers, a darkness swirling in her gaze as I continue.

“You can spread rumours and throw your little puppets at me, but I’m no longer going to take it all sitting down. ”

I straighten myself as the briefest of smiles stretch her lips; it’s there and gone again in a split second. A light whisper soon follows that seems lost to everyone else’s ears but mine. “We’ll see.”

The dark look in her eyes is gone as they begin to tear up, a soft quiver to her lips as they part, her mask back in place.

“I thought we were repairing our sisterly bond, that things were getting better ... I didn’t realise it was so you could do all this.

I won’t stand by while you hurt the people I love, Micai.

Or allow you to threaten me anymore.” A small sniffle leaves her as she wipes a tear from her cheek.

“You say you didn’t do this to Knox ...

but you were the last one with him. I also noticed that he’s felt sick anytime we’ve met you, and he’s gotten weaker after meeting you in classes .

.. and town too.” A frown pulls her lips down as she continues her act.

“He hasn’t been acting like himself lately either.

His thoughts have been more muddled and lost.” Her eyes flick toward the groups around us before meeting my gaze again.

“I overheard Dr. Rinx talking to the dean yesterday about Knox’s condition.

He said it was abnormal ... that he seemed to be hexed or cursed . ..”

So that’s where the “cursed” part came in. I should have known Seria was the one who spread it.

Another stray tear drips down her cheek as she continues. “He said it was something old that targets the mind and weakened Knox physically too ... making him lose himself.”

My brows furrow, something niggling at my mind with those words.

“We’ve already been through this.” I sigh. “Even if I’m fast or strong, I still can’t use magic or curs?—”

“We both know that there are ‘other ways’ to use curses ...” Seria cuts me off, a dark twinkle in her eyes as she watches me. “Like a certain ‘medium.’”

I feel my lips fall into a frown, my energy dropping as it all clicks together.

My mother’s necklace. The cursed relic she melded into it. Isaiah’s mumbles of it “ already being activated .” The small fleck of dried blood on it ... and Knox’s fall into me the day of the party.

He had pricked himself on the necklace, activating the relic with his blood; whether intentionally or not, he saved me.

And her gleeful look that day. She had seen the speck of blood and thought it was mine ... and thought I was the one that was cursed.

A heavy breath leaves me as I close my eyes and take a deep inhale, trying to calm the storm of emotions trying to take hold of me.

The sadness I feel for Knox and how much damage has already been dealt to his mind.

The guilt and regret I have for not helping him sooner.

And the anger and rage that just keeps building inside of me with each second I’m near Seria.

She’s tried to make me suffer painfully in any and every way she can, trying to steal my life and mind from me. Making me miserable and turning everyone against me all these years just wasn’t enough ... it’s never been enough for her. Until I’m dead and buried, she’ll never give up.

My fists tighten at my sides as I slowly open my eyes and meet her calculating stare. A dark, victorious gleam is in her eyes as the whispers and voices around us grow louder.

But all I can see and hear is her .

I know we need answers and that she’s our best lead, but I’m tired of watching her get away with everything. She’s taken things well beyond any line anyone else could cross, and I want her to pay. Now.

I take another step, our faces mere inches from one another, her eyes widening a fraction with whatever expression I’m wearing.

“I don’t care what anyone else thinks or believes; you can play your games and tricks, but I’m not falling from them anymore.

” A scowl pulls at my lips, as I ignore the voices and noise around us.

“What you’ve done to Knox ... I’ll make sure you pay for it.

I’ll make sure to reveal every hidden secret and lie hidden in the shadows.

” A smile stretches my lips. “You think you’ve shown me a slice of hell .

.. you have no idea what true suffering is .

.. but I promise to show you from now on.

” I take a slow step back. “This isn’t a threat, but a promise, Seria . .. you won’t escape me.”

Seria’s mask slips, a strange, dark expression taking over her features as we stare each other down.

“What’s going on here?” calls Mrs. Fleur, quickly followed by Mr. Finch.

The crowd of students parts as soon as they arrive, with Seria sliding back beside her cronies.

“Ms. Bane.” Mr. Finch sighs, his eyes narrowed. “I should have known it would be you causing trouble.”

Mrs. Fleur waves her hands, gesturing toward the groups of students slowly dispersing, her normal enthusiastic vibe dulled as I take note of the small black bags under her eyes. “Everyone, head to your classes,” she calls before making her way over to me.

“Micai ...” She hesitates, flicking her gaze around the corridor before continuing. “You have been called to the dean’s office. We are to escort you there.”

My brows pinch together. “Why?”

Why would the dean want to see me ?

“No talking back,” Mr. Finch spits out before I narrow my gaze his way.

He clears his throat, glancing around. Probably looking for Annex or Mallyn before continuing. “You’re in serious trouble for harming another student, Ms. Bane. The dean will personally question you himself. Let’s go.”

He tries to put his hand on my shoulder, but I shake it off. I narrow a glare his way, which has him stopping in his tracks and flinching.

He quickly straightens himself and points toward the hallway doors. “Let’s move, Ms. Bane. Do not make the dean wait.”

I roll my eyes, a sigh escaping my lips as I glance back toward a small group of students in the corridor’s corner, Seria and her cronies standing beside them. Her eyes meet mine, a small smile stretching her cheeks before she disappears down the hallway.

Something tells me she has a hand in why I’m being called to the dean’s office. But I won’t take her shit lying down anymore.