“Maybe you should,” I mumbled and bent to riffle through my bag. Out came my water bottle, a small towel, and a dagger that wasn’t my demon blade. Caden eyed the dagger with a creased brow and barely contained suspicion.
“Where did you get that?”
“Oh, this? I borrowed it from the theater department. They’re putting on a production of Romeo and Juliet next month. Isn’t it great?” I jabbed the dagger into my palm, and the fake blade retracted into the hilt. “I thought it would be fun to practice with. We just have to make sure not to incinerate it with magic or anything.”
Caden’s sigh could have leveled the forest. I flattened my lips to keep from smiling. Sure, it was over-the-top, but if we were required to face our mortality on a recurring basis we should at least have a little fun when we could. They didn’t teach that in the books, but they should.
I was already planning to add artificial training props to my website. Right next to my line of demon blade bracelets.
Strapping my fake blade to my hip, I stepped into what we were calling the fighting circle. After a couple of quick lunges, a few jumping jacks, and a windmill that made my aching ribs angry, I clapped my hands together.
“Okay, what’s first?”
Caden rubbed the bridge of his nose and stepped into the circle. “Why don’t you start by telling me what you’ve been doing for training up to this point?”
“Good question. I’m glad you asked.” I listed the ways on my fingers. “First, I read through the travel-sized pamphlet the council sent, as well as all the books. Then, a few years ago, they sent me a game.”
“A game?”
“Yeah. It’s really more of a simulation. You know, like how pilots train in a flight simulator, except with demons. There’s an expansion pack too. It has more levels, clothing upgrades, and some pretty sweet character dance moves. Oh, and the new version is multiplayer.”
Caden looked appalled. He blinked a few times before making a strangled sound in the back of his throat. “That’s it? That’s the totality of your fighting experience? What about actual physical contact? Weapon hours?”
I scratched the back of my neck. “Well, Zoe dragged me to a women’s self-defense class last year. Does that count? They gave me a whistle.”
His eyes widened at my answer. “We are screwed.”
“We are not screwed. I was just teasing you.”
Caden exhaled in relief and ran a hand through his hair. “Thank god. So, what did you really do?”
“Oh, I wasn’t teasing you about any of the other stuff, only about the whistle. The instructors miscounted and ran out before I could get one. But I was the star student in my self-defense class. I go to the gym—usually after the holidays, and I’m a fast learner. I picked up that Chaos Seal spell on my first magic lesson. As you said, I’m sure you’ll be able to whip me into shape in no time.”
He paced away from me, stopped, spun on his heel, and paced some more. “I don’t understand. How does this happen?”
“Budget cuts?” I joked.
Caden whirled and sent me a glare. He wasn’t amused. I guess I couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t his fault he got stuck with the backup hunter. I’d tried to warn them on my first day! Besides, it wasn’t my fault either. I did everything that was expected of me. I followed all the rules. Yeah, I got shafted with the bare minimum from an organization that hardly recognized my side of the family in the face of the more gifted Jennings branch. But that was on them, not me.
Running a hand over his chin, Caden shook his head, coming to a decision. “All right. It’s worse than I thought, but we’ll get through it. We’ll start with the basics.”
“The basics?”
“Yup, timing, balance, and evasive maneuvers.”
I pursed my lips. “I’m not going to get to use my fake dagger today, am I?”
“Not even close. But we’ll get there.”
Heaving a sigh, I unsheathed the dagger. I flipped it into the air and caught the hilt with my palm, balancing it vertically on a draft of magic. “That’s too bad. Looks like I have the balancing part down. And I thought you weren’t going to go easy on me.”
Caden’s jaw dropped. His hand shot forward without warning. When his fingers wrapped around my arm, I reached out with my other hand, grabbed the top of his wrist, and twisted with my bottom arm, pressing into the joint of his wrist until it bent. He released his grip, and with his balance off-center I shoved him forward.
I picked up the fallen dagger, brandishing it in my hand, and winked. “I told you I was the star of my self-defense class. Those people really owe me a freaking whistle.”
He laughed and held up his hands. “Not bad for a beginner. Now, let’s do it again. Other hand this time. Blindfolded.”
***
