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How Not To Fall For A Dragon
Chapter 93 93- Do Not Trust Anyone Who Shows Up With Cupcakes
LEXI
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I sit and contemplate the entry for a few minutes. In some ways it explains a lot, the healing, the instinct to purify the poison, the overwhelming urge to fix what was wrong, but at the same time it raises a LOT of new questions. Questions that feel much heavier than the curiosity I had about sore muscles five minutes ago.
“Hunted… People hunt unicorns…” I say softly, trailing off. The word feels different out loud. Not academic. Not theoretical. Real. Blake scowls instantly, his entire posture shifting.
“Yes.” His answer is short, clipped, and his expression darkens in a way that makes my stomach tighten.
“But not you. I won’t let that happen.” He adds firmly. There’s no hesitation in his voice. No uncertainty. Just absolute conviction. I give him a small, weak smile. It’s sweet. And terrifying. Because he believes that. Entirely.
“And I guess it’s too late to keep it a secret, huh…” I sigh. Blake nods once.
“There were a lot of witnesses. With phones. There are dozens of photos of you online. Your identity is confirmed.” He confirms. I physically cringe at that. Confirmed. Like I’m some kind of discovery. Or evidence.
“But… It’s been like… A hundred years since anyone was actually hunting unicorns. It’s probably not something that would happen now… Right?” I ask quietly. I can hear it in my own voice, I’m trying to convince myself. Trying to make it smaller. Less urgent. Blake doesn’t answer. The silence stretches just a second too long. Not reassuring.
“The principal sent a letter earlier asking you to come by her office first thing in the morning. She said anytime after seven am.” He says instead. I blink.
The subject change feels deliberate.
“Seven? That’s… So early. Why so urgent?” I ask, baffled.
“I suppose we will find out soon.” He replies, rubbing at his eyes. Now that I’m actually looking at him properly, I can see it. The fatigue. The faint strain around his mouth. He stayed up. Watching me. Waiting for me to wake up.
“You’re tired. You should sleep. I could just go back to my room. I’m fine now.” I tell him, sliding my feet off the bed and standing slowly. Blake frowns immediately.
“No. You should stay here. At least until we’re sure you’re okay. Maybe a trip to see that nurse you liked again or something?” He suggests, and there’s a hopeful edge to it, like he wants professional confirmation that I didn’t break myself. I don’t think I need it. I feel… Stable. Just sore and slightly wrung out. But I can see the worry still coiled tight in him. So I nod.
“Alright.” I agree as I stretch my arms over my head again, testing the ache, then glance toward the desk where the book is still open.
“Hey, mind if I sit in that seat? I want to go over that book a little more and the light is better over there. We can trade and you can sit on the bed suggest casually. Blake raises an eyebrow. He absolutely sees through me. Subterfuge is really not my thing
“I’m not going to go to sleep.” He says firmly. And he means it. There isn’t even the slightest flicker of deception in his voice.
“That’s fine.” I reply innocently. He shifts onto the bed, leaning back against the headboard. I take the chair at the desk and pull the book closet, pretending to be very engrossed in the academic prose. The room is quiet except for the faint rustle of pages.
“Hey, what do you think it means by ‘battle frenzy?” I ask absently, glancing back over my shoulder. There’s no answer. I turn properly, Blake is already
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Chapter 93 93- Do Not Trust Anyone Who Shows Up With Cupcakes
asleep. Not dramatically. Not collapsed. Just… Out. Head tilted slightly to the side, breathing steady, tension finally gone from his face. He didn’t even last five minutes. I smile softly. Then I turn back to the book, settle deeper into the chair, and keep reading under the dim desk light, the words about extinction and survival and vulnerability sinking in slowly, while the sky outside the window inches toward morning.
Blake is crabby when the Academy plays an alarm and wakes him up at about eight AM. It isn’t a gentle chime either, it’s sharp and insistent, echoing faintly off the walls. He groans and drags a hand down his face, looking like he would happily set the building on fire for five more hours of sleep. Maybe he’s just tired. Or maybe it’s because I insist on going to see the principal before breakfast. I want answers. Immediately. I don’t think I can stomach food
until I know what she wants. So the plan is, principal first, breakfast after, then call my parents. Actually… No. I think I’ll just go to their house. Blake would probably come too, right? The thought of my mum wrapping me in a hug makes my throat tighten. I think I could really use that right now. I think I
might cry the second she touches me. So it’s not even nine yet and we’re standing outside Principal Istvan’s office, knocking. The door swings open almost
instantly. And I’m shocked. Principal Istvan looks… Frazzled. Her hair isn’t perfectly arranged. There are faint smudges beneath her eyes. Her blouse is
slightly wrinkled. She looks like she hasn’t slept. Like she’s been running on adrenaline for hours.
“Come in, Lexi.” She says. Blake follows without asking, of course. She glances at him briefly, something unreadable flickers across her face, but she doesn’t
comment. Up close, I realise she’s probably still wearing yesterday’s clothes. She hasn’t been to bed. Oops. Maybe I should have come down here at seven
sharp I sit. Blake stands behind my chair, just slightly to the side, not touching me, but close enough that I can feel him there. Like a very intimidating,
very silent bodyguard.
“So… You’re a unicom. I can’t say I saw that one coming.” The principal says, exhaustion lining her voice. I nod. I don’t know what to say to that.
“Well…” She continues, rubbing her temple briefly.
“It means we’re going to have to make a few changes. The first of which is that, while I can’t force you to stay here, I would strongly advise that you do not leave the Academy grounds. And… Try not to go anywhere alone.” She tells me. I frown.
“What?” I ask
“For your own safety.” She says carefully.
“There have already been people calling and asking for information about you. All night. Journalists. Private collectors. Self–proclaimed historians.
Individuals who declined to identify themselves.” She informs me. My stomach drops.
“While you’re on the grounds, you have some level of protection.” She continues.
No one enters without invitation. There are wards. Protocols. Staff. It’s not impenetrable, but it’s controlled. Outside the grounds…” She exhales.
“I can’t help you there. She finishes, dead serious. She wants me on lockdown. She thinks it’s that serious. That dangerous. That I have that much of a
target painted on my back. My heart starts racing. Fast. Too fast.
“But… What about my home? My parents?” I manage
“I can’t stay here forever.” I point out.
“I contacted your parents last night. She says immediately.
“Temporary security has already been arranged at their home. Discreet but effective. No one will be approaching them without being vetted. She assures me. Security. At my parents‘ house. Because of me.
“I can’t justify the expense indefinitely. She adds quietly.
“And I know you cannot remain here forever. But this will buy you time. Time to assess the situation. Time to decide on a more sustainable long term plan She explains. Long–term plan… The words echo in my head. This isn’t a scandal that fades after a week. This isn’t gossip. This is permanent. I’m being
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Chapter 93 93- Do Not Trust Anyone Who Shows Up With Cupcakes
hunted. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But eventually. My breathing speeds up. Then speeds up more. The room feels smaller. I can’t seem to get enough air. I’ll never be safe again. My parents won’t be safe. Anyone I get close to won’t be safe. I go from breathing too fast to barely breathing at all. Blake moves immediately. He pulls me to my feet and against his chest without hesitation.
“Shh. It’s okay. I’ll keep you safe.” He murmurs. I clutch at his shirt without thinking.
“B–But… My life…” My words come out broken and breathless.
“My plans… I had things I wanted to do. Places I wanted to go. I can’t just lock myself away forever.” I protest. Blake’s hand moves to my back, rubbing slowly between my shoulder blades, grounding and steady.
“And you’ll still get to do those things.” He says calmly.
“We’ll figure it out. Together. I can keep you safe. We just have to be more cautious. That’s all.” He makes it sound manageable. Adjustable. Like this is a scheduling issue. Not a life sentence. I’m dangerously close to shutting down completely. There’s too much new information. Too many consequences stacking up at once. Blake keeps talking with the principal. His solution is simple, stay with me whenever possible. If he has mandatory classes, we
coordinate. Either I go with him or I remain somewhere secure. Layered protection. Controlled movement. The plan terrifies me. Not because I don’t trust
him. But because it demands so much of him. He’s already speaking in terms of ‘we‘ and ‘future‘ and ‘keeping you safe.‘ He can’t dedicate his entire life to
protecting me. That isn’t fair. That isn’t sustainable.
“I want to call my parents. Now.” I say suddenly. My voice is steady this time. Clear. Blake and the principal both stop mid–sentence. She takes one look at
my face and nods immediately.
“I’ll talk to you more later.” She says gently.
“Go. Call your parents. Rest. And Lexi… Everything will be okay.” She says reassuringly. I nod automatically. But she and I both know that those words are a
lie.
Comments
Lisa McNew
7 Comments >
I’m honestly, a little afraid. Because this author has had me bawling for chapters at a time in previous books that pull at the heart strings.
7 days ago
的 38
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
