Mathieu (White Flame Trilogy) - By Paula Flumerfelt Page 0,28
your name?”
“Demetri Uliff.”
The name meant nothing to him, but the way it was said indicated that he was supposed to be impressed. “That’s er…cool?”
“You have no idea who I am, do you?” Demetri queried.
“Not the slightest.”
Avian perked up. “He was a top notch fighter until he had to retire because of an elbow injury. So now he just picks on me. I mean teaches. Yes, teaches.”
“You get everything you deserve, child. Don’t complain.” Mathieu took this time to look closer at the man. He couldn’t be that old, maybe thirty or thirty-five, and his had the crooked nose of a fighter. His jaw seemed to be permanently set in a look of displeasure, and Demetri’s nostrils flared whenever he exhaled. The skin that covered him was the color of night.
Indignation filled Avian’s voice. “Excuse me, but you digressed first, okay? I just protected myself!” Huffing, she chucked her face guard at Demetri with every intention to cause harm.
Easily, he knocked it away before it got close. “Your maturity does astound. By the way, your aim sucks and you should learn to throw harder.”
“I’m a woman, not a machine!” Her nose wrinkled in displeasure at him telling her that she wasn’t up to par. “If you think I’m so lame, why don’t you tell Dad so he’ll tell you to force me to go pump iron or something?”
“Never said you needed to be accurate or strong. I was just pointing it out, Avian. You really should lean to handle criticism better.” Demetri stretched his legs out.
“I handle criticism just fine!” She threw her foil too and was nearly in tears by the time Mathieu came to her side. He had the sword thing in one hand, the face guard in the other.
Sitting beside her, he gave her a concerned look. “Are you okay?”
Sighing, she wiped her eyes, avoiding his gaze. “I’m fine. Sorry. I get a bit…on edge when I don’t sleep well. Nothing to worry about.” She smiled, but it didn’t meet her eyes. “Listen, I know that when I have my lunch is some of your only time off, but if you wanted to come eat with me, you’re more than welcome to…no pressure or anything like that. Just wanted to let you know…” With that, she got to her feet and put her face guard back on, ready to go round two with her instructor.
Demetri nodded to him as he passed and patted his shoulder, silently telling him that he diffused the situation well.
Yawning himself, Mathieu took his seat again and watched Avian. He was worried that something more was bothering the young woman, but not having known her very long made it hard for him to read her. Maybe it was just easy for her to be upset when tired. Women were weird.
Demetri didn’t give an inch this time, unlike before when he’d allowed her to get under his guard, she now had to fight for every touch and every extra hit. Mathieu also saw that Avian had been holding back before, as well. The small speed that she had used the day before was back, keeping her feet constantly moving and her hands blurring through the air, the foil in one, the other a fist.
The only way he could have described it to someone who hadn’t seen her was that it was like seeing a statue in the path of a storm, so sure it was going to be destroyed, and then the statue was sprinting away, not hurt in the slightest. Very deceptive. Dancing was what it also something the duo reminded him of. A well choreographed dance that they performed without a hitch.
What does she need a body guard for? Mathieu was genuinely wondering why he was hired if she could fight like this.
His instinct told him something was going to happen before his eyes told him what it was. And by then, his body was already in motion, as were the others. Thinking back, he figured that it happened something like this: something inside him told him that Avian was in trouble, he jumped to his feet and ran as fast as he could to get between her and the stray blow, he realized he wouldn’t make it in time and something welled deep in him, forcing itself out and between the two people sparring.
The ‘something’ was a very solid, very colorful barrier. It was made of energy if the way that it swirled and shifted was any indication.