Redemption: Alchemy Series Book #4 (15 page)

I was sitting against the wall, kicking at the mat when he filled the doorway. I didn't look directly at him and he returned the favor.

"How's it going?" he asked Burrom.

"I tried. I can't do it."

"I didn't think it was going to work."

"You said this was your idea?" I accused Burrom.

"Technically, it was mine, Cormac just mentioned the need for it and he made really valid points."

Cormac looked around the room. "I can't spar here. It's too small. Let's go outside."

That got me to my feet and ended the charade of nonchalance. "It's cold, about to get dark, and worse, people will be able to see us." Did I have to explain this all to him?

"And you think you're always going to get to choose where you fight? It might be cold, dark and have people then, too."

"Fine," I was on a real winning streak now. "Let me get my jacket."

"No. The last thing you want is a bunch of bulky clothes when you fight. And if you know you're about to be attacked, get rid of them."

If it had been anyone else bossing me around right now, I swear, it would've been so much easier to be mature. But it wasn't.

It was Cormac. And I wasn't in a good enough mental place to deal with this, but I would. I wasn't ready to have this much psychical contact either, but again, I would. Why? Because I
was
in the mood to beat the hell out of him. And if I had to stay out there all day and night, I was determined to get a couple of good shots in. So when he turned and started walking, I followed after, a respectable distance away and enough space between us to interrogate Burrom.

"Can't believe you sold me out." I punched his arm as he walked next to me, Cormac in view ahead.

"Me? I had to apologize for like three hours just for getting in bed with you. I
have
to play nice now."

"Really?"

"Yes. It was exhausting. He even threatened to pull the liquor license on my club."

"Uh, there are no more liquor licenses."

"Not according to Cormac."

A twinge of guilt replaced the annoyance I'd been feeling. "I really didn't mean to give you up like that."

"Just get a good shot in for me."

It was still light out when we stepped into the courtyard
, but I was grateful no one was paying much attention to us. I had no delusions, though. The small amount of privacy probably wouldn't last long.

Cormac stopped as he reached the center of the courtyard, about ten feet away from me.

"Give me everything you’ve got," he said. "Don't hold back."

"Nothing to worry about there," I countered, staring at him across from me in a snug shirt and work out pants.

"You know, all you are doing is misdirecting energy."

"You're saying my anger is misdirected…" I left the word
desire
off the sentence because there were some people listening.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Absolutely not. Right now, I don't even like you."

He tilted his head back as he laughed. "Not only do you like me
, but you might even?" He left the word love off and smiled mockingly.

"I do not."

"And even though you seem to have a violent streak," he paused taking in my lethal stare, "that might be getting worse, I'm still willing to have you."

"Just shut up and start."

"When you do fight, you can be an attacker, or counter fighter. Your short stature is going to be a problem, since you'll have to overcome your opponent's reach. In your case, I think you would be better off waiting for them to approach you and then try and catch an opening."

"Do something
, already."

I held up my hands
, trying to protect my face and ribs as I waited for him. I didn't have any formal training but I had gone through Oslo's street fighting boot camp. That's what we used to jokingly call it. I knew every dirty trick there was and had no shame using them.

We circled each other, as I eyed up potential weaknesses. Problem was, I didn't think he had any. I knew that I, on the other hand, had a ton. I probably weighed less than half of him
, and couldn't move anywhere near as fast.

He lunged for me. I knew he was only moving at half speed because I dodged him easily. He made another halfhearted attempt. I've seen him move, he could be a hell of a lot quicker than that. Quick enough
, in fact, that I wouldn't even see him if he didn't want me to.

"Now this is just getting insulting." I dropped my guard and stood still. "If we are going to do this, let's do it."

He didn't say anything but he nodded. His next move, all I saw was a blur and then I was catching my breath while lying flat on my back. Cormac's hand hovered over me, offering me help up. I ignored it and got to my feet unaided. I brushed off the residual snow from my back. The snow had been shoveled from the front courtyard but a thin coating remained.

I'd asked for this but it was still frustrating when I wanted to be the one kicking some butt. I prepared myself and looked around. A handful of people had made their way outside and were standing back watching and whispering. Here came the audience.

He'd left me and now thought he was going to publicly kick my ass? I didn't think so.

We began to circle each other again. This time I was going to really concentrate, block out everything but him.

"Try to use your legs. Your upper body can't compete with me, but your legs might."

I didn't speak or tell him to shut up and fight. I was going to remain calm and concentrated. No more blurry man moves taking me by surprise.

And then I was on my back. Again. I sucked wind for a minute, waiting for the air to inflate my lungs back up. If I didn't know how quickly I'd heal, I might be a bit concerned over the ache I was already feeling. This time, he didn't bother offering me his hand. I got to my feet again, although a bit slower. 

I didn't bother wiping the snow off
, considering I might be back in it in another second. When I turned to get a lock on Cormac's position, I cringed. We'd gained an even greater audience.

I'd worked hard to keep control of this place when he'd left. I'd earned respect. Even the ones that didn't like me, and there were a lot, still gave me my due. I wasn't going to get my ass kicked in front of everyone. I needed to change tactics. Waiting for the blows to come and counter attacking wasn't working. I needed to go on the offensive.

"You ready?" he asked.

I nodded but before he had the chance to attack, I moved in as quickly as I could push myself. And I caught big fat air. He dodged my swing as if I were a child fighting Goliath.

"Time!" Burrom called from the side. "Need to speak to my fighter."

"Time? What?" Cormac yelled back.

"I said time!"

"This isn't a boxing match."

Burrom ignored him and yelled for someone to get him a stool. I walked over to him where he stood surrounded by the ever increasing crowd. A stool was plunked down in front of me and I gratefully sat.

He handed me a water bottle right before he laid into me. "What are you doing out there?"

"Getting my ass kicked?"

I looked over to where Cormac waited, now with Dodd and Dark. Traitors.

"You are magic."

I shook my head. "He is
, too. And right now, I'm closer to pummeled raw meat."

"He might have some magic, but you've got more. Start channeling it. You're so in your head that you aren't letting it flow. You're lost before you even swing. Stop being the old Jo and be the woman I've seen you become in the last three months. Stop thinking. Trust me, it's doing you absolutely no good."

As far as pep talks, I'd heard better;
given
better, I think. But I'd give it a try. I nodded, and stood up. When I walked back into the clearing, now lined with people, I knew this was it. I was either going to show him, and the crowd, I was someone to be reckoned with, or I'd lose all the respect I'd built.

I took a long slow breath and focused on letting it all go, the panic, the preconceptions of failure, not being good enough, everything. I reached out around me to every ounce of magic I could. Anybody looking might mistake it as my frozen breath on the air but I felt it flowing to me. I was trying to absorb it and channel it. And I could feel it working.

Cormac stood ten feet away, waiting. I nodded I was ready and then so did he. The second his head moved, I let the magic burst through me. I didn't know what it would do, what I could do. I was just acting and reacting.

I was operating on sheer instinct and I was fucking amazing. I leapt into the air a split second before I reached Cormac, did a twist to evade his hands and planted my foot on his chest. I sent him sprawling as I landed softly and untouched behind him.

I whipped around as he was getting to his feet, surprise on his face, and I thought maybe a hint of pride?

"I told you about that look," I halfheartedly warned him.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you are talking about." He was smiling as he said it. He was impressed.

"You ready to go again?" It felt good to be the one standing, waiting for him to signal he'd recouped enough to continue.

I was bouncing from foot to foot, pulling as much energy as I could to me, feeling almost high from it.

"You under control?" Cormac asked, his stare turning from impressed to slightly suspicious.

"You trying to stall?"

He
waved his hand in a bring-it-on motion. This little demonstration had just taken on a new life. A look around showed even more people, perhaps half the castle, stood watching, hanging on our every movement. They stood as close as they could without risking direct participation.

And were they betting? I'll be damned if I didn't hear wagers being called out.

I turned back to Cormac and it was clear this practice had just turned serious for him. Where he was soft pedaling before, I could see the changes in him, and he looked like he was happy about it. I realized he was excited for a real challenge. It made sense. He probably didn't get one often and I was feeling pumped up that I was the one bringing it to him.

I didn't think about what I was going to do. I just trusted my body and the magic streaming through me to handle the details.

We circled each other like two well-paired combatants. When he came for me again, instead of the blur he'd been before, I could see him with perfect clarity. The overload of magic pumping through me was heightening my senses. As he neared, I jumped into the air and did a back flip, landing easily out of reach.

He turned to my new position. His face full of questions. A single silent question on his lips.
How?

I smiled in response, offering no insight, as I pulled as much magic to me as I possibly could. And that's when I looked around and realized it was everywhere.

I'd felt the magic for a while, but I was actually seeing it, waves in different colors, layering through the air. I lifted my hand right where a swell of purple mist was and pulled at it. I could see my body absorbing it as it flowed right into my hand.

"Jo?" Cormac asked as I seemed to drift off into my own world.

"I'm ready," I said as I gave him back my full attention.

I moved a couple of steps to my left as he moved with me, both of us looking for an opening. Suddenly, in a burst of movement, even quicker than the first time he came at me, he attacked with a swift kick designed to take my legs out. But I jumped into the air, flipped over him and caught him with a sidekick to the back rib area.

I was on fire.

And suddenly, I wasn't feeling so hot.

He spun around, seemingly undaunted by a kick I knew would've cracked a lesser man's ribs. He was hopping from foot to foot now looking invigorated. The guy could take a beating with style.

Then the expression on his face changed. He dropped his fighter stance and walked toward me.

"Jo? You okay?" He stood only inches away from me.

"I'm not sure," I said in an equally hushed voice. I looked at him, asking without words to end this somehow without alerting everyone watching that was something was amiss as my gaze scanned the crowd 

He did a single nod. "You might not like how I achieve your exit."

He closed the last of the distance between us, one arm circled my back while the other moved to the back of my head.

I made it easy for him as my mouth gaped open, surprised with the way he'd decided to accomplish his goal. His lips covered mine softly, and I felt his tongue trace my own. "You didn't think it would be free, did you?" his lips whispered, still so close.

He leaned his head back, but kept an arm around me as I was snug to him. "Fight
’s over!" he yelled to the crowd.

He leaned back down and whispered in my ear, "Can you walk?"

"Not sure."