speedy buildup of muscle memory from the weapon usage. So today we’ll start with eskrima sticks. They’re about two feet long and made from rattan, which is a tough, fibrous wood that is also very light.”
He and Caeco handed out pairs of sticks to each student before he had us all face front and led us through some basic swings—diagonal overhand from one side to the other, then same with the opposite hand. Diagonal upswing from low to high, back swings low-to-high, high-to-low, middle-to-middle. Twisting the stick in one hand back and forth to hit with each end. Thrusting jabs with the far end, back fist strikes with the near hand end.
Caeco walked the group, correcting grips and swings while Jenks continued to talk us through the loosening up drills. As she walked, Caeco drew two sets of giant chalk V’s on the floor at each student’s feet—one V right side up, the other inverted. As soon as she was done, she nodded to Jenks and he demonstrated how to step in a pattern either forward and then back following the inverted V or stepping back then off to an angle following the regular V. After fifteen minutes of that, he had us break into pairs and after watching him demonstrate with Caeco, we began to do paired strike patterns, complicated sets of matching strikes that required a great deal of partner-to-partner coordination.
Mack and I were just getting the hang of it when I heard one of the were kids swear and drop his stick. He was rubbing his hand and glaring at Delwood, who shrugged.
“Sorry, dude. Just having trouble getting it,” Delwood said. It happened that Caeco was two people away, observing two witches who were giggling as they fumbled through it. Naturally, she turned and moved over to help. Borrowing the bruised kid’s sticks, she walked Delwood through the pattern slowly, although I could see that he really had no trouble getting it down, an impression reinforced by the evil grin he shot my way when she wasn’t looking.
My preoccupation with his private lesson caused me to miss a block and Mack’s stick glanced off the top of my head.
“Dude, sorry,” he said.
“Don’t be sorry, Mr. Sutton. Mr. O’Carroll’s own lack of focus caused the problem, not anything you did,” Mr. Jenks said, appearing suddenly by our sides. “I would think that being in the weakest ranks of energy users would maybe incent you to develop some additional skills, Mr. O’Carroll. Depending upon others to protect you will be a serious drag on their energy and talents. You don’t want to be a drag, now do you?”
“No sir,” I said, seething mad. Caeco’s disappointed look and Delwood’s sneer added fuel to the fire.
Mack and I went back to the drill and I focused like a laser beam through the red haze that was clouding my vision.
Levi had often pushed me to an angry state in Krav, teaching me how to handle my anger while trusting that I wouldn’t cheat and draw on my Craft. I never did, but I was always comforted by the idea that it was there, like a loaded gun, ready to go off at a thought.
Ten minutes later, Jenks called it quits and had us place our sticks in a big bin on the floor before leading us through a set of cool down stretches.
I waited for Caeco by the doorway as she talked with Jenks for a moment. The were boys went through in a pack and someone slammed into me so hard I almost lost my breath.
“Sorry, Duckland. Didn’t see you there. You’re so small, it’s easy to miss you,” Delwood said.
I smiled and anchored his left foot to the floor with a thought, which caused him to stumble to one knee. He jumped up, not realizing I had chosen to release him, instantly furious. Ready to give him the O’Carroll do-it-yourself uber taser, I suddenly sensed someone behind us.
Delwood froze, looking behind me. “Leave off, Mr. Singer. Go on, head out. Mr. O’Carroll, a word please,” Jenks said.
Caeco was a step behind him, a puzzled look on her face.
“Mr. O’Carroll, perhaps you weren’t listening a moment ago, but a warlock against a werewolf is a poor matchup. Against the son of an Alpha like Singer, it’s even worse. One of the girls would likely hold her own, but you? Not so much. So do yourself a favor and stop antagonizing him. A little foot trip won’t save your ass in a