Page 9 of Quest of the Wolf

“Dojo?” I looked at the sticks on Yuto’s back again. Maybe those were practice swords, not cudgels for vandalizing cars.

“Yeah. I work there for my uncle to help pay my way through school. I heard you’re looking to learn how to fight with swords.”

Ihadvowed to find some lessons, but… “Are you sure you’re old enough for that? I figured I’d get a Mister Miyagi and have to learn how to wax-on-wax-off first.”

Yuto looked blankly at me. Apparently, making students watch theKarate Kidhadn’t been part of his uncle’s training program.

“I’ve got a lot going on right now,” I said.

“We all do this time of year, but the lessons are already paid for. I came by to get your contact information and have you sign a waiver, but we can have the first practice here, if you like. It’s nice out today, and any flat area would work.”

“Duncan paid for lessons for me?”

“The first ten, yup.”

A lump of emotion formed in my throat. Duncan waswatching out for me even though he wasn’t here. Even though he was… Where the hellwashe?

I owed him, damn it. He was the one who’d given me the sword and suggested I use it to protect myself—and others—when I couldn’t take, orshouldn’ttake, my more powerful lupine form.

“Ten?” I asked lightly, not wanting to admit my emotions to a twenty-year-old stranger. “Is that how many it will take for me to master swordsmanship?”

Yuto opened his mouth but didn’t seem to know if I was joking or not. I was, but with my limited time, I didn’t know how many lessons I could fit in.

“I started training in martial arts when I was four,” he said, “and I’m still learning.”

“So, it’ll take more than ten lessons?”

“For mastery, yes.”

“What if I just want to be able to prong werewolves?” I kept my tone light to indicate it was a joke—even if it wasn’t. With Augustus gone, I might get lucky and notneedto prong any more lupine family members, but luck hadn’t favored me lately.

“I… guess that would depend on the defensive skills of the werewolf.”

“They’re pretty badass.”

“You might need twenty lessons then.”

“Okay. Let’s plan on that.”

“Are you ready to get started?”

I looked toward where I’d last seen the Sylvans. They’d disappeared from view, but I wasn’t about to wave swords around on the lawn while the owners were on the premises. If anything, I needed to check my email and see what maintenance orders tenants had sent in while I’d been away.

“I can after work hours. I’m the property manager here,” I added, figuring he might wonder how someone wandering out tomeet visitors in the parking lot at an apartment complex could be atwork.

“I thought you might be security.” Yuto grinned. “You looked like you were going to kick my ass when I rode up.”

“As someone who’s been studying martial arts since you were four, you had to be terrified by the prospect of being attacked by a middle-aged woman.”

His grin widened. “All my experience has informed me that middle-aged women can be some of the scariest people you’ll encounter.” Yuto held out his phone, a form to sign on the screen. “Here’s the waiver. You have to promise not to sue the dojo if you’re injured while training.”

“No problem.” As I signed, I casually asked, “How much are these lessons?”

I couldn’t imagine private sword-fighting instruction came cheaply. How much had Duncan spent? I appreciated him looking out for me, but I didn’t want to take his money—or the equivalent. After I rescued him, I would find a way to pay him back, assuming I could afford a ten-pack of sword-fighting lessons. Maybe there was an installment plan.

“I believe Mr. Calderwood and my uncle bartered and came up with a non-financial arrangement.”

“Does that mean Duncan paid with something he dragged up from a lake bottom?” I asked with certainty. That was, after all, how he’d found my magical sword.

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