Donna?” He held out a hand to haul her up, concern warring with amusement on his face.
“Aren’t you supposed to call me Initiate Underwood?” Donna asked, pleased that her voice sounded steady despite how winded she felt. She supposed she deserved that particular move, so she didn’t complain that he’d totally tricked her. She took Robert’s hand and allowed him to drag her back on her feet. This time, he gave her time to recover.
Learning to fight was tougher than it looked on TV, but after encountering the demon shadows in the Ironwood, she’d promised herself—and Robert—that she’d put in the work. She needed to discover how to bring her unique abilities into the process.
Of course, she hadn’t expected Robert to be so hard on her, today of all days. Usually he gave her time to react as she reached for her newly awakened powers, but today he’d decided they’d try something a bit different. “Just in case it comes in handy during the coming apocalypse,” he said, almost cheerfully. “You’re doing really well with the magical stuff. Let’s see what you’re made of when the fight comes at you fast. Will you still be able to access the first matter and bend steel bars with your bare hands?”
Donna almost smiled, despite her aching shoulders and sore backside. Robert was kicking her ass way too easily right now, considering he’d only gotten out of the hospital a couple of weeks ago, not to mention how naturally strong she was. The guy was determined, she’d give him that. And determination was something she could relate to—kind of like the single-minded focus she’d used to save her mother’s soul. Even if she had ended up falling right into Aliette’s trap.
It was so obvious with the gift of hindsight, Donna thought. She wasn’t surprised that the alchemists weren’t letting her off the hook so easily, and for once she could hardly blame them. Even Simon Gaunt.
Robert stood in a “ready” posture. “Again?”
At least he was making it a question. Donna wondered what would happen if she said, “Actually, could we just forget this for the day and maybe go get a coffee?”
“Again,” she replied.
Robert moved toward her, his willowy frame giving him a huge advantage in height and reach, and leaving her enhanced strength all but useless. Just because she could “bend steel bars,” as Robert put it, didn’t mean she was good at fighting. Even after three weeks she had absolutely no idea what she was doing.
Stepping back, Donna tried to “hold her center” as he’d taught her, maintaining her balance while being ready to dodge or parry his attack.
She almost tripped over her own feet, and Robert struck at her right shoulder with his right hand, across her body. It wasn’t a hard blow—he was aiming to demonstrate ways that she could deflect an attack, whether a punch or a grab of some kind—but still, instinctively, she tried to backpedal instead of using the defensive block he’d been trying to drill into her without much success. Just stepping away from the strike was a big mistake.
Robert flicked out a long leg and swept it behind the one foot she currently had anchored to the floor—
—and down she went.
“Shit!” Donna pounded the bright red mat with her fist, forgetting to control her strength. Despite how padded the training mats were, she managed to leave behind a clear imprint of her fist. The mat would probably never recover, but at least the floor beneath was intact. Small mercies , she thought.
Robert raised his eyebrows. “Considering that the floor didn’t do anything to you, that seems a little extreme.”
Donna pulled a face. “Better the floor than you.”
“Why didn’t you do that to me? Or at least,” he added, “ try to do that to me. It would have made a far better defense than just falling over.”
“Ha, ha.” Donna pulled off her glove and examined her knuckle.
“Donna, are you sure you’re okay?” Robert actually did sound
“Aren’t you supposed to call me Initiate Underwood?” Donna asked, pleased that her voice sounded steady despite how winded she felt. She supposed she deserved that particular move, so she didn’t complain that he’d totally tricked her. She took Robert’s hand and allowed him to drag her back on her feet. This time, he gave her time to recover.
Learning to fight was tougher than it looked on TV, but after encountering the demon shadows in the Ironwood, she’d promised herself—and Robert—that she’d put in the work. She needed to discover how to bring her unique abilities into the process.
Of course, she hadn’t expected Robert to be so hard on her, today of all days. Usually he gave her time to react as she reached for her newly awakened powers, but today he’d decided they’d try something a bit different. “Just in case it comes in handy during the coming apocalypse,” he said, almost cheerfully. “You’re doing really well with the magical stuff. Let’s see what you’re made of when the fight comes at you fast. Will you still be able to access the first matter and bend steel bars with your bare hands?”
Donna almost smiled, despite her aching shoulders and sore backside. Robert was kicking her ass way too easily right now, considering he’d only gotten out of the hospital a couple of weeks ago, not to mention how naturally strong she was. The guy was determined, she’d give him that. And determination was something she could relate to—kind of like the single-minded focus she’d used to save her mother’s soul. Even if she had ended up falling right into Aliette’s trap.
It was so obvious with the gift of hindsight, Donna thought. She wasn’t surprised that the alchemists weren’t letting her off the hook so easily, and for once she could hardly blame them. Even Simon Gaunt.
Robert stood in a “ready” posture. “Again?”
At least he was making it a question. Donna wondered what would happen if she said, “Actually, could we just forget this for the day and maybe go get a coffee?”
“Again,” she replied.
Robert moved toward her, his willowy frame giving him a huge advantage in height and reach, and leaving her enhanced strength all but useless. Just because she could “bend steel bars,” as Robert put it, didn’t mean she was good at fighting. Even after three weeks she had absolutely no idea what she was doing.
Stepping back, Donna tried to “hold her center” as he’d taught her, maintaining her balance while being ready to dodge or parry his attack.
She almost tripped over her own feet, and Robert struck at her right shoulder with his right hand, across her body. It wasn’t a hard blow—he was aiming to demonstrate ways that she could deflect an attack, whether a punch or a grab of some kind—but still, instinctively, she tried to backpedal instead of using the defensive block he’d been trying to drill into her without much success. Just stepping away from the strike was a big mistake.
Robert flicked out a long leg and swept it behind the one foot she currently had anchored to the floor—
—and down she went.
“Shit!” Donna pounded the bright red mat with her fist, forgetting to control her strength. Despite how padded the training mats were, she managed to leave behind a clear imprint of her fist. The mat would probably never recover, but at least the floor beneath was intact. Small mercies , she thought.
Robert raised his eyebrows. “Considering that the floor didn’t do anything to you, that seems a little extreme.”
Donna pulled a face. “Better the floor than you.”
“Why didn’t you do that to me? Or at least,” he added, “ try to do that to me. It would have made a far better defense than just falling over.”
“Ha, ha.” Donna pulled off her glove and examined her knuckle.
“Donna, are you sure you’re okay?” Robert actually did sound
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