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“Your -“ I cast a quick glance at the guards, whose eyes were fixed on us with icy stares. “You, touching my back.”

“Better than tearing your throat out I suppose.” He said with a crooked grin. “Now, shall we get some training done, get some blood pumping in those stagnant limbs of yours?”

“Sure.”

He walked over to the wooden rack. “And your weapon of choice today, madam?”

“Hands.”

Rook turned to me slowly with a cocked eyebrow. “What’s that?”

I gave him a small smile. “Hand to hand combat. That’s an important skill, isn’t it?”

He laughed. “Yes it is.”

“And you were rather adamant last time we engaged in hand to hand combat that I had no idea what I was doing and was wasting your time.”

He rolled his eyes. “I suppose perhaps I did say that, didn’t I?” He cocked his head. “It’s true though.”

“Well then,” I said with a shrug, “shall you see what you might teach me?”

“I’m a little worried I’ll hurt you.” He pushed away the strands of hair that had escaped the black tie holding his curls out of his face.

“I’m well-rested and ready for you.” I raised my fists in front of me. “Go on then.”

Rook rolled his eyes. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” He walked around behind me. “First of all, thumbs go IN.” He tucked my thumbs along my fingers. “You punch with a thumb pointing out like that and it’ll be shattered.” One arm went around my waist, and his foot knocked my back leg towards him. “Back leg goes back, or you’ll have no leverage. And you swing from here.” He ran his hand across my hips. “Don’t just throw your arm, throw with your body. You’re small and you want to make the most impact.”

“I am not small.” I said, looking over my shoulder at him.

“You’re smaller than me, and I’m who you’re fighting.” He put his hands over mine, leaning against my back. “Now, you want one small punch, to disarm, and then a big one, to knock him on his ass.” He moved my left hand in the air, and then swung my right hard. “And then draw back.” He pulled my right hand back, and I looked over my shoulder at him. His mouth was so incredibly close we both started a little.

“I know what you’re doing,” he said in a low growl. “I’m not stupid.”

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“Pretending not to know how to throw a punch?” His hand moved from holding mine up to back around my waist. “What are you trying to tell me?”

“A lady surely shouldn’t have to be quite so forthcoming?” I grinned at him, and his eyes narrowed a little as he shook his head.

“Maybe the lady should show me what she’s made of.” He spun me around to face him and took a step back, arms spread wide. “Now then, do your worst.”

“I’ll hurt you.” I raised my fists.

“Maybe I’ll like it.” Rook gave me a satisfied smirk.

“Bitingandhitting.” I took a step sideways, and Rook matched my step so we began to circle each other. “You really do have some interesting habits, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t call ithitting.” He chuckled, flashing his mouthful of white teeth. “Spanking perhaps.” He leaned a little closer. “And only when you’ve been a very bad girl.”

“I thought I was the one doing the hitting.” We kept circling each other, like a dance, eyes locked on each other.

“Right now all you’re doing is flirting. Used this method on the battlefield a lot, did you?”

My punch caught him off guard, sending him stumbling, but his recovery was quick and his arm flew over my head to grapple me. I was too fast for him, ducking out of his reach and shoving him forwards. He spun on me, lunging at me, and I leapt onto his arm, using it as a springboard to fling myself onto his back. I laced my fingers under his chin and pulled backwards, leaping out of the way into a crouch as he hit the ground.

He turned over onto his stomach, grinning at me.

“Well, my lady, I think you’ve learned a lot more than how to throw a good punch.”