The school gates faded behind us as Blade steered the black SUV onto the main road, heading home after a long day of classes.
I sat in the back seat, staring out the window. My uniform felt too tight. The poison the doctor had found still burned low in my veins, a secret I carried like a stone in my chest.
Blade glanced at me in the rearview mirror. His eyes were calm, but I could see the worry in them.
“You’re quiet,” he said. “More than usual. Is there anything else I should know?”
I forced a small smile. “I’m fine, Blade.”
He didn’t push, but I could feel him watching me, the way a good friend does when they know you’re holding something back. I didn’t tell him about the poison. I didn’t want to add more weight to his shoulders.
The road stretched ahead. I shifted in my seat.
“T
