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He held out the dagger, handle towards Kate.

“So this will be yer best shot to protect yerself. Take the dirk.”

“Ian, I can’t. It’s your weapon.”

“Aye, lass, ye can. Take it. I have my sword. I’ll be calmer knowing ye have this.”

Kate swallowed and took the dirk. It had an antler handle and felt warm against her skin from Ian’s body.

“So ye must aim for the slits of the armor. Like I said, for the eyes, throat, nose, groin, and knee. The solar plexus will be unreachable if they are in armor. Aye?”

The blood drained from Kate’s face. Was she seriously going to stab a human? On the other hand, some of those humans had no problem slapping her and almost raping her.

“The trick I’m goin’ to show ye will be useful if yer enemy doesna have the armor, aye?”

Kate nodded, her hands shaking.

“If they grab yer wrist, remember the ‘rule of thumb.’ Rotate yer arm in the direction of the enemy’s thumb. Then pull yer arm back and ye’ll be free. Let’s try.”

Ian grasped Kate’s wrist, but, panicked, she forgot what direction to turn it.

“Here.” Ian gestured to Kate’s left.

“Oh.” She rotated her arm, feeling awkward and useless.

“Good. Now pull it.”

She pulled and freed her hand.

“Good,” Ian said. “Dinna fash yerself. Ye wilna become a warrior in one evening. But ye will learn some movements to help ye.”

“Okay.”

They continued training, and Ian showed her how she could hit the attacker with her elbow if they were on her side and how to hit them with her forehead and then into their solar plexus if they were in front of her.

“Ye need to bend yer knees like that, then put yer free arm vertically, like that, in front of yer body to protect the vital organs. Also, ye’ll be able to move more.” He jumped back and to the side to demonstrate.

“Ye remember the weak points: throat, eyes, groin?”

He bent his knees and stabbed upwards from a crouched position. He made her try it. Her whole being protested against hurting another person.

They would come after you. Or worse, after Ian. Be strong.

Kate repeated the moves diligently, praying that she wouldn’t need to use them. Ian showed her what to do if someone kicked her, if someone launched at her, if someone stabbed at her from above.

By the time they finished Kate was exhausted, not just from the physical exercise but from the mental images of what those stabs, kicks, and cuts would mean.

Potentially, taking someone’s life.

But no matter how gruesome the prospect of that was, Kate would breathe easier knowing there was something she could do to defend herself, so that Ian wouldn’t put himself at risk worrying about her. And maybe to defend Ian if she had to.

Chapter 24

An icy splash of water hit Ian in the face, together with the pungent scent of the sea. The cold drops cut across his burning skin, and he opened his eyes to the gray sky. He lay wrapped in furs and blankets. The floor beneath him sank and rose, over and over. Around him, men sat among barrels watching the coast.

His chest hurt, torn apart.

He was going to be sold into slavery, Ian realized.