Chapter 50

 

I went through a few light moves, testing the resistance of my leg and side. It pulled but it wasn’t anything unbearable. Looking around for a bar or something that was at least a reachable height for me, I spotted nothing remotely close enough to what I needed. Glancing over my shoulder to the man standing beside the door like he was part of the wall, I motioned him over. “I could use a hand.”

His face was filled with a look of doubt, but he came over.

“Put out your hand.” I watched as he extended his hand as if I was going to cut it off. I grinned. “I need you to be my bar. Hold my foot so I can lean into some stretches and get the blood flowing.”

Relief washed over his expression. Nodding he opened his hand again so I could lift my foot into it.

“Much better.” I worked on the leg that hadn’t been injured but still noticed it pulled my side a lot more than I probably should have. “You’d think I had been in bed for weeks with the lazy feeling of my muscles.”

“You almost died, my Queen” Tim offered quietly.

“But I didn’t.” I leaned forward over my leg again and ignored the way my side complained. “I can’t afford too much downtime.”

“I don’t understand.”

Ignoring the burning in my side I stretched up again. “I have a job in my realm too.”

He grinned. “Yes, you are a hunter there as well.”

Nodding, I put my foot back on the floor and squatted a few times. I hadn’t heard from Frank in the last few days but there were always dry spells when it came to bail jumpers, so I wasn’t worried yet.

Nodding to Tim, I kicked my sore leg a few times before placing my foot in his hand. This side was a little tighter and the stretching took me a few more times to get it to the point I was comfortable with it.

“Maybe you’re pushing a little too soon,” Tim offered in a quiet voice.

I leaned down again and grit my teeth against the burning sensation. His grip on my foot tightened making me pause and straighten. He eyes were locked on the door and I saw real fear in them. There was only one man on this side that would bring the large man to task. “Busted,” I whispered before I pulled my foot free and turned to see Chase standing in the door.

“This doesn’t look like resting.” His eyes moved over me as if he was looking for a new injury.

“Just working out the stiffness.” I watched as Tim moved quickly over to the door and exited without a word.

When I turned back, Chase was standing well inside my personal bubble. “I left you to rest, Daxx.”

Why did I feel like a child when he used my name? “I feel fine, better than fine.” I offered what I hoped came across as a cheeky grin. “That blood of yours is quite the rejuvenator; you should bottle and sell it.” He grunted his expression still serious. Moving away from him, I walked over to the weapon wall and pretended I was studying it. “I don’t like lounging.” I glanced over my shoulder to see him watching me. “And I don’t like getting my ass kicked in any realm.”

“You have an advantage on this side of the realms that most of your opponents do not have.”

Turning I watched him move in my direction. “Really? And what is that?” If I had some advantage I really wanted to know what it was.

“Your size, I’ve watched you fight. The way you maneuver is something most over here could only dream of doing.” He paused right in front of me. “And one other thing, you fight ambidextrously…”

“I what?”

“You seem to be able to use both arms equally well. I do the same, only it took me fifty years to master it.”

I felt somewhat pleased that I’d done something in half the time. “Well, when you get injured as often as I do, having a backup arm is always good.”

Reaching behind me, he pulled my weapon of choice off the wall. “So why do you fight with a small knife and tonfa?”

At least he hadn’t called it a cute knife. “Because I’m good with them.”

He nodded, like he was considering what I said. “Yes, but over here you are not limited to non-lethal weapons.”

I snorted, remembering the battle axe trying to chop me in half. “So, what do you suggest?”

Placing the tonfa back on the wall, he moved down it further. “I’m thinking something similar to what I use, only smaller than a katana.” He reached up and pulled two Sais off the wall. “These, they are perfect for your size and can be both defensive and offensive.” I watched him flip them from one position to the other. “There are multiple ways to score a hit with them…” He demonstrated some more.

They were a cool weapon. I’d never considered them before I suppose because walking around in my neighborhood with those on your back would be a good way to get arrested. But here, on this side, all was fair. “Okay let me try them on.” I held out my hands and he shook his head.

“After, learning to move, your body’s size and advantage comes first.”

I shrugged. “Fine.”

“And we take it slow today.”

I really hated feeling like an invalid and the sooner we moved past that the happier I was going to be. “I feel great.”

He smirked. “That’s lovely to hear, but it’s still slow.”

My choices were his way or get my ass beat in the future. I didn’t like having no real choice, but I sucked it up. “Fine.”