12:32 pm
How Not To Fall For A Dragon
Chapter 141 141- Do Not Accept A Compliment From Him
LEXI
141
I do my best to focus on the steady warmth of Blake’s chest as he carries me, pressing my face into him and clinging to that instead of… everything else. It’s easier. Simpler. His heartbeat is strong and even beneath my ear, his arms solid around me, grounding in a way nothing else is right now. Don’t think. Don’t remember. Don’t picture it. Blake was right. I should have kept my eyes shut. But at the same time… hiding from reality never really did anyone any good, did it? A small, stubborn part of me refuses to regret it entirely. I needed to see. Needed to understand, even if it hurts. I don’t want to be someone who hides behind Blake and lets him deal with all the awful things in life while I pretend they don’t exist. That wouldn’t be fair to him. Not when he’s the one standing between me and all of it. If being on even ground with him means nightmares for a few weeks… or months… or… I swallow, longer. Then so be it. I’ll deal with it. I have to. The walk doesn’t take long. Or maybe it does and I just don’t register it properly. Time feels strange right now, too fast and too slow all at once. The world sort of blurs past us until the infirmary doors open. I hear a sharp intake of breath.
“Lexi!” Layla’s voice is immediate, alarmed, cutting straight through the fog in my head.
“Is she okay?” She demands. I crack my eyes open slightly, blinking against the bright lights as they hit me too harshly.
“Hit my head. I think it’s just a concussion.” I mumble, my voice rough. Layla doesn’t look convinced. Not even a little. Her gaze flicks up to Blake, clearly looking for confirmation. He nods.
“She’s probably in shock too,” he adds. I frown faintly. Am I? I don’t feel like I’m in shock. I feel… awful. Tired. Sick. Overwhelmed. But isn’t that just…
normal, considering everything? Then again, I’m not exactly an expert on how I’m supposed to feel right now.
“Do I really look that horrible?” I ask, squinting slightly.
“You don’t look horrible,” Blake says immediately. It’s such an obvious lie that I actually manage a weak, unimpressed look. He pauses.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” He mumbles. Layla sighs, stepping closer.
“He means you look pale as a ghost and there’s blood all through your hair,” she translates bluntly.
“Blake, put her on the bed. I’ll deal with her head. Matthews is stable for now, but I can’t be away from him for too long.” She explains. Blake moves without
hesitation, lowering me carefully onto one of the pristine white beds. Layla places her hands against my forehead. Magic flows immediately. Cool. Gentle.
Precise. The pounding in my head fades almost instantly, the sharp, splitting pain dulling into nothing, like someone has turned the volume down on it. I let
out a small breath I didn’t realise I was holding, my eyes slipping shut again in relief. That’s better. Somewhere nearby, Principal Istvan clears her throat.
“What do you know about the intruders?” she asks, her tone controlled but tight.
“I’ve called the police, they should be here soon. The Academy has already notified all students to remain in their rooms, and I’ve alerted the staff to be on the lookout.” She explains. There’s a pause. Blake is silent for a moment.
“The intruders are gone,” he says.
“They left? Just like that?” Principal Istvan asks, confused.
“No” Blake’s voice doesn’t change.
“They’re all dead. Their remains are in the courtyard.” He says bluntly. There is silence. Heavy and uncomfortable. I feel Layla’s magic stutter for just a
second against my skin before she steadies it again.
“Oh,” istvan says finally.
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Chapter 141 141- Do Not Accept A Compliment From Him
“I… see. And… can I assume that was self-defence?” She asks.
“I defended Lexi.” He answers. That’s it. No elaboration. No justification. Just a statement. Principal Istvan exhales slowly. 2
“That works,” she says, choosing her words carefully.
“The police will be here shortly. I think I should handle them. I’m not sure your… brand of honesty will achieve the outcome we want.” she says tactfully.
“That’s fine,” Blake replies easily. I don’t think he cares in the slightest about the police. What are they going to do? Arrest him?
“It is concerning that so many hunters were able to get inside the Academy. Our protections are strong, but clearly… not enough. I may need to speak to Farrow about reinforcing-” Istvan continues, more to herself now. My eyes snap open. My body tenses instinctively.
“Uh… about that…” I say. She turns toward me immediately, sharp and alert.
“He’s dead,” I say, my voice quieter now.
“He was working with them. He tried to trap me.” I confess. The reaction is instant. Horror flashes across her face.
“Oh…” She trails off, wordlessly.
“No wonder they kept getting in,” Layla mutters under her breath. The last of the magic settles into place, and suddenly my head feels… clear. Not perfect. Not normal. But so much better than before. I exhale in relief.
“Thanks. That’s a lot better.” I mumble.
“I’ve fixed the concussion,” Layla says firmly, pulling her hands away.
“But the shock, exhaustion, and magical burnout are still there. You need rest. Proper rest. For at least a few days.” She tells me. Her eyes flick to Blake meaningfully. He nods. Of course he does. He’s absolutely going to enforce that. He goes quiet for a moment, thinking, then exhales.
“Someone should check on Ellorie-Rae,” he says.
“She was… drunk. But she may have also hit her head. She was fine when I left her in her room.” He adds.
“I need to get back to Matthews. But Annie can go. Annie?” Layla replies, already half-turning away. Annie peeks out from behind a privacy screen.
“I heard, I’ll go now.” she says. They swap places quickly. Annie gives me a gentle pat on the arm as she passes, a small, reassuring gesture before she heads out to check on Ellorie. Behind the screen, I can hear faint movement. Matthews. He’s alive. Barely, maybe. But alive. A part of me wants to get up. To gu check on him. To do something. But the rest of me, the much, much larger part, is just… done.
The doors to the infirmary slam open hard enough to make me flinch. i jolt upright, my heart lurching into my throat, and before I can even process it I’m halfway off the bed and moving, instinctively, towards Blake. My hand grabs onto him like he’s the only solid thing in the room, my body reacting before my brain can catch up. Then I actually look.
“Oh” i breathe out. Relief crashes through me so suddenly it almost makes me dizzy again.
“There you are, I was wondering where you all ended up” Professor Cage says, sounding far too casual for someone who looks like he’s just crawled our of a fight. He’s mostly intact. Technically. But up close, it’s obvious he’s in rough shape. His clothes are scuffed and torn in places, his hair a mess, and there’s dried blood along his sleeve that definitely isn’t just from a nosebleed. Speaking of which, his nose is not straight at all. And the way he’s favouring one
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Chapter 141 141- Do Not Accept A Compliment From Him
leg… Yeah. That limp is bad.
“Shit, are you okay?” I ask, the words rushing out before I can stop them. I don’t even think about it. I just move. I slip out of Blake’s hold completely and hurry over to Cage, reaching for him without hesitation. There’s a flicker of tension behind me, Blake stiffens, but he doesn’t stop me. He just watches, his gaze sharp, alert, tracking every movement. Cage looks… surprised. Like he wasn’t expecting this. Which, honestly, fair. Still, he lets me help him, leaning some of his weight against me as I guide him carefully over to one of the beds. He lowers himself down with a quiet grunt, clearly trying to hide just how
much it hurts.
“I’ll be fine,” he says, brushing it off.
“Bit bruised. Nothing permanent.” He clarifies. That is such a blatant understatement that I actually give him a look.
“Uh-huh. Sure.” I mutter. I hover awkwardly for a second, glancing around. Layla is still behind the screen with Matthews, Annie is gone checking on Ellorie,
and Principal Istvan is off to the side on her phone. No one is free. Which means…
“Well… everyone’s a little busy right now,” I say, turning back to him.
“I don’t know how to fix a broken nose yet, but I could probably help with the bruising and swelling?” I suggest. I hesitate for half a second.
“It might help with the pain a bit.” I add. Cage studies me for a moment, like he’s reassessing something. Then he shrugs.
“Go on then,” he says.
“Layla says you’re her best student. Let’s see what you can do.” There’s a faint edge to it. A challenge. I narrow my eyes slightly. It is so tempting to prove him wrong. To try and fix everything, his nose, whatever damage he’s done to his leg, all of it. Just to show him that I can. But I don’t. Because that would be stupid. And risky. And right now, the last thing I need is to mess up a healing spell and make things worse. So I focus. Carefully. I place my hands lightly against his face first, drawing on the magic the way Layla taught me, steady, controlled, precise. I let it flow into the bruising, into the swelling, easing it back, reducing the inflammation, dulling the pain without pushing further than I know I can safely manage. The angry purple fades to something softer. Less severe. His nose… stays crooked. I ignore that. Then I move to his ankle. Same process. Gentle, contained magic, enough to stabilise the sprain, reduce the swelling, take the edge off the pain. When I pull back, it’s not perfect. But it’s… better. Noticeably. Cage flexes his foot slightly, testing it, then gives a
small nod.
“Huh, not bad.” he says. High praise. From him, anyway. Before I can respond, Istvan clears her throat, drawing everyone’s attention.
“The police have arrived,” she announces, slipping her phone into her pocket.
“I’m going to go speak with them.” She looks between Blake and me, her expression firm but not unkind.
“I suggest you both return to your dorms for now. They will likely need to speak with you eventually, but I intend to make sure it’s later rather than sooner.”
She pauses briefly.
“Get some rest.” She adds, more gently. For a second, I just stare at her. Then, relief hits me so hard it almost makes me laugh. That is, without question, the best thing anyone has said to me all night.
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