Nightshade

Chapter Seventeen

Shadows are possessive

-The Book of Night

I try to keep my face neutral as I sit next to Nightshade. His facial expressions give nothing away, and I can't help but look at the headmaster who's pacing in front of us with a fast-beating heart. I'm sweating—the thought of getting kicked out of Blackwood nearly knocks the air from my lungs.

"There is a student in critical condition. Our healers couldn't even mend him all the way back to his normal state. Do the two of you know how serious this is?"

Nightshade arches a brow. "You have one witness—a fleeing librarian. I don't see the problem here."

The headmaster shoots him a deadly look. "And the two you left alive!"

I don't miss the grin that crosses Nightshade's face. "Technically I left all of them alive."

"Tell me what happened," says the headmaster, looking completely fed up. "That's all I ask."

I glance over at Nightshade who has yet to look at me. I can't even tell if he's debating on doing so or not. He remains impassive, his calm and collected demeanor much different than my own.

Finally, he sighs. "They pissed me off. I did what I needed to. End of discussion."

The headmaster's eyes widen. "You can't just beat kids to a pulp because they pissed you off! We have rules. Rules that could have ended this easily had you actually followed them. It's no surprise cadets are taken out each year here at Blackwood, but that's during the trails where such a thing is granted."

Nightshade shrugs. "What are you going to do about it? Banish a chosen one? A protector?"

The headmaster's jaw ticks. "I just might."

I suddenly feel Nightshade's hand patting my knee. "Then who's going to teach poor ol' Jade here how to wield her magic if I'm gone?"

The headmaster grins. "Jax Cardan. He's on his way here as we speak. He should arrive later tonight and will be teaching Jade in no time."

The news causes Nightshade to stiffen. "Jax Cardan? You're working with that bastard?"

"Well, I wouldn't have to if you would have just stepped into your roll sooner. I had no other options. Jade needed to learn and he was our best option. I'm not changing my mind now."

Nightshade rolls his eyes. "That man has no business teaching shadow magic. He's House Neptis."

"Maybe so, but he also knows everything there is about it."

For some reason, I just knew there's another reason as to why Nightshade seems so bent out of shape about Mr. Cardan teaching me. Nightshade has been asleep for centuries, so how exactly does he know of Jax?

Interesting.

"Are... Are you really going to banish Nightshade?" I can't help but ask.

I can feel his eyes boring into me as the headmaster lets out a heavy exhale and leans against the front of his desk. "I'm not sure. He doesn't have grounds to be protected. Simply being pissed is not a good enough reason for the council to spare him from attempted murder. He'll have to see them."

I gulp, casting my eyes away. "Does he have grounds if–"

"Jade, no. You don't have to do this," Nightshade cuts me off. "Just leave it."

"You're not taking all the blame for this," I growl back.

"That's exactly what I'm doing, so keep your mouth shut. The council doesn't scare me."