Page 108 of Dark Bonds

A strange, acrid scent assaults my nostrils—ozone crackling after a lightning strike, mingled with the musty breath of ancient tomes. Underneath it all, a coppery tang makes my stomach churn.Blood?The taste of fear floods my mouth, metallic and bitter. In the oppressive silence, I can hear my own heartbeat, a frantic drumming that seems to echo off the walls.

Blackwood’s at his desk with that annoying know-it-all smile. His eyes are creepy in this light, like he knows something I don’t. “Ah, Ms. Vale. How good of you to join me. Please, have a seat.”

I perch on the edge of the chair, its leather cool against my skin. My muscles coil, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. “Professor,” I say, my voice carefully neutral despite the storm of emotions raging inside me. “You summoned me?”

He steeples his fingers, studying me with those piercing eyes. Blackwood’s gaze pins me in place, stripping away my defenses layer by layer. I want to curl up and hide. It’s like he can see right through me.

“Indeed. I must say, your progress has been… remarkable. Your control over the shadows grows stronger by the day.” His smile turns predatory, his fingers tapping an ominous rhythm on the desk. “I do hope you’re being careful with such power. It would be a shame to see it consume you.”

A chill runs down my spine. I can feel the shadows moving under my skin. They know I’m freaked out.

He’s fishing.Stay calm, Francesca.Don’t let him see the cracks in your armor.

“Thank you,” I reply cautiously, my voice steadier than I feel. “I’ve been working hard.”

“Oh, I’m sure you have.” His smile widens, revealing too many teeth, sharp and white in the gloom. “But I wonder… Do you really understand what you’re working with? The true nature of the shadow realm?”

I lean forward, curiosity warring with caution. The leather of the chair creaks beneath me, the sound unnaturally loud in the stillness of the office. “What do you mean?”

Blackwood’s eyes gleam with an almost manic light. He reaches for an artifact on his desk—a small, obsidian orb that seems to devour the light around it. “The shadow realm isn’t just some power source, Ms. Vale. It’s a whole other world, with its own set of rules, and Shadow Locke University? We’re not just a school. We’re the guardians of a millennia-old legacy.”

A legacy of secrets and shadows. What else are they keeping from me?

“I can see your interest.” He perks up. “See, we aren’t really Nyx’s children.”

Bullshit.

“You look skeptical,” he says. He’s right, I don’t believe him at all.

I force myself to meet Blackwood’s gaze, ignoring the way the shadows dance in my peripheral vision. “Why are you telling me this now?” I ask, because I’m convinced he is only bringing this up right now to steer me in the wrong direction.

He leans back, his chair groaning under his weight. His smile never wavers, a mask I long to tear away. “Because, my dear, you’re at a crossroads. Your powers are growing, yes, but so are the dangers. You need to understand the stakes and focus your energy where it matters.”

Or where he wants me to focus.

As if on cue, I feel the shadows beneath my skin stirring, responding to my heightened emotions. They slither just below the surface, eager to break free. I try to keep it together, but the shadows slip out anyway, wrapping around my fingers. Bishop’s words echo in my mind.“It’s dangerous, but it’s a chance to make a difference.”

Blackwood’s voice cuts through my thoughts, sharp as a blade. “Word travels fast in our circles, Ms. Vale,” he says, a knowing glint in his eye. “A rather interesting incident at a local bar caught my attention. Shadow manipulation in public? Quite the spectacle, according to my sources.”

My stomach drops. Shit. He’s talking about that night at the Grotto when I almost lost control. I thought Tori and I had that covered. How the hell did Blackwood find out?

I keep my face neutral, falling back on the story Tori and I concocted. My voice comes out steadier than I feel. “Oh, that? Just an urban legend making the rounds. You know how college towns are with their ghost stories.”

“Hmm.” Blackwood’s eyes narrow, and for a moment, I swear I see shadows swirling in their depths, a maelstrom of darkness. “Is that so? How… convenient. I suppose the sudden increase in shadow activity in that area is just a coincidence?”

Something in his tone and the way he’s toying with me makes something snap inside. The shadows beneath my skin surge, responding to my anger. I’m done being a pawn in everyone else’s games.

Screw this. I’m done being pushed around.

Time to bring forth the Frankie that existed just to survive—the one I didn’t think I needed here on campus.

I was wrong.

I lean forward, meeting his gaze head-on. The tension is so thick, you could cut it with a knife. I swear I can see shadows moving in the corners of the room. “Enough. What do you really want, Professor? Why all these half-truths and manipulations?”

Blackwood’s eyebrows shoot up, genuine surprise flashing across his face before he schools his features. “My, my. Quite the backbone you’ve developed, Ms. Vale. I wonder… is that all your doing, or have your new friends been a bad influence?”

“Answer the question,” I growl, feeling the shadows respond to my anger, coiling around my fingers like eager pets. The temperature in the room seems to drop, darkness gathering at the edges of my vision. I let a tendril of shadow extend, probing at the edges of Blackwood’s aura, searching for any hint of his true intentions.

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