Shay grinned. “Good. Inference is a powerful tool in a fight too. I’m gonna chase you around a little, and I want you to evade. Try to find places where you can slow me down but keep your weapon in hand at all times. If you lose your weapon in a fight, you’re done.”
Alison frowned. “Not sure if I can get a good image using just one hand.”
“That’s a good limitation to know and practice then. Sometimes when I’m doing raids, there are environmental limitations. If I’m gonna go underwater, for example, I know I can’t rely on my standard weapons. I have to predict, adapt, and overcome the challenges if I don’t want to get hurt.”
“I’m not going to be a tomb raider.” The girl chuckled. “At least I don’t think I’m going to be. Although I’m not going to be a bounty hunter either, Dad keeps having me do bounty-hunter training.”
Shay stalked toward Alison, smirking and raising her weapon. “It doesn’t matter. I didn’t think I was gonna be a tomb raider when I was your age either. We never know what the future’s gonna bring.”
Alison backed away. She lifted a free hand and emitted another pulse before pointing her hand behind her and doing it again. She turned and rushed toward a raised sparring ring Shay had set up in a corner.
Good girl. I didn’t even tell you to try to go there.
The tomb raider grinned and jogged after her. The teen rolled through the bottom ropes with ease and hopped to her feet.
She shot Shay a grin. “I don’t know how long I can keep this up, but it’s fun. If I were being chased, I could blast my attackers with magic, too.”
“True, but today isn’t about blasting away with magic.” The tomb raider hopped into the ring and over the ropes and swung at Alison. The clack of the girl’s wooden sword meeting Shay’s echoed in the warehouse.
Shay took another swing. Alison dodged it this time.
“Can you see the sword, or are you reading my body again?” the tomb raider asked.
“Reading the body.” Alison thrust forward, and Shay blocked the attack.
“It’s great having you home for summer break. James isn’t as mopey as he usually is. It makes everything more fun.”
Alison laughed and tried two quick swings, but Shay blocked them with ease. She could knock the sword out of the girl’s hand if she wanted to, but she wanted the teen to get used to the idea of situational awareness and the new technique before they started drilling more hardcore. Humiliating her wouldn’t help in this situation.
“Dad isn’t mopey, he’s just a thoughtful introvert.”
Shay burst out laughing. “That has to be the first time that someone has ever described James Brownstone as a thoughtful introvert.”
Alison took several quick steps back and held her hand to the side to send another pulse. She hopped over the ropes and out of the ring, and once she hit the ground, she ran toward a climbing rope that led to a raised platform.
“He just has trouble expressing his feelings, is all,” she called over her shoulder. “I think he doesn’t realize what a good man he is. I keep telling him, but he thinks I’m just making stuff up.”
Yeah, James loves himself some Catholic guilt, that’s for sure.
The tomb raider rolled under the ropes and returned to her feet. “That we can agree on, kid.”
Alison leaped onto the rope and grabbed it with her free hand while she gripped the sword in the other. She scooted up the rope at a decent clip with the help of her feet. It was an awkward movement with a wooden sword in hand, but if she’d been holding a gun, she would have been able to return fire without too much trouble.
Good tactical instincts. You can’t teach that.
The platform led to a series of swinging ropes, so Shay waited for Alison to reach the platform, then jumped onto the rope herself to follow the girl.
The teen wobbled at the edge, and Shay hissed. She didn’t have most of the safety mats out. She hadn’t planned on the girl taking on the higher obstacles that day.
The tomb raider climbed faster. “Can you see the obstacles still?”
“No, but I’ve got a pretty good idea where they are.” Step after step, Alison moved closer to the edge.
Should I say something? She’s supposed to have situational awareness, but shit, if she falls she could break something. I’ve got a healing potion, but that’s a pretty expensive lesson, and James will be pissed.
Damn it.
Shay crested the platform, her heart pounding as Alison danced near the edge. One of the girl’s feet moved over the edge, her foot lowering itself toward nothing but air.
“Careful,” the tomb raider shouted. “You’re about to fall.”
Alison stood there on one foot, a grin on her face. She waved her sword and waggled her other foot. “You know what the guys at Camp Brownstone would say about this situation?”
Shay took a deep breath and shook her head. “What?”
“All warfare is based on deception.” Alison hopped back to the center of the platform and sent out another pulse. “Just wanted to mess with you a little, Aunt Shay.”
The tomb raider rolled her eyes. “Cute, kid. Very cute. Annoying, too. Just so you know.”
Alison rested the sword on her shoulder. “I appreciate what you and Dad are trying to do with all this training, and a lot of it’s been helpful or just fun.” She shrugged. “But I do think that sometimes you guys forget I’m not a little girl who needs to be protected from all risks.”
Yeah, you just whined to your dad about having to do physical training at the start of your vacation. Then again…
Shay chuckled. At Alison’s age, she was already murdering people for money. The girl did have a point. Her handicap was a disadvantage in some situations, but an advantage in others.
The
