My Father's House

Chapter 34

When we reached the barn floor, I launched a discussion of strategy. Both of us were dusty and tired, Kael from tearing down the wall and I from the excitement of finding the jewel, but we had to have a plan.

"So, despite the dangers, our best option is still to go after Gideon directly," I half questioned, half stated.

He nodded, running his fingers along the large lump in his shirt pocket.

"The question is, how. Higgins must have discarded his phone, but don't worry about him or Madeline. I'll take care of them if we cross them again."

I chewed on my lip and flipped my dusty hair over my shoulder as I tried to help determine our next move.

"What about the safe house you mentioned? The one that you guys would use in emergencies? Guntha?" I pressed.

"Yes. The village is a couple miles east of here. I could see him going there but perhaps not staying there. It's close to Mason's group and difficult to stay out there unnoticed. They know what Gideon looks like and all their efforts would be focused on him if they knew he was that close."

"But it's a start," I argued. Right now, we had close to nothing in leads. "There's something else," I said petulantly. One of his eyebrows came up so I went on, seeing I had his attention, "I don't want to be useless anymore. I want you... I need you to show me how to do some stuff."

"Stuff being?"

"You know. Fight, defend myself, something! Every time we get in an altercation, I feel like I'm back in the middle of the street, vulnerable, handcuffed to you, and weighing you down. I just want to be able to help in the future." I couldn't read his expression so I went on, "just the basics. I know I'm not going to be able to do whatever it is you do." I waved my hands in the air in explanation.

He actually laughed and consented, "Alright, Harper. I'll show you some basics. Then, we need to leave."

I breathed a small sigh of relief. I hadn't been sure if he would take my request seriously. Considering our current situation, I had to abandon my familiar strategy of running from danger and learn how to face it for the first time in my life.

I hadn't expected immediate instruction, but when Kael removed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, my heart started pounding.

We stood facing each other for a second. Kael seemed to be deciding what to teach first. He moved toward me, and I backed up, holding up a hand. "Wai...wait. Don't hurt me, ok? I don't want any serious instruction."

"Yeah, alright."

He started toward me again, but I backed up further, brushing a strand of hair back from my face.

"And," I said as I pushed up my sleeves, trying to get ready, trying to delay. "Let's not make this too authentic ok? I don't want to be all..." I twisted my hands in the air, trying to think of the word.

"I'm not following."

Leaning forward, he placed his hands on bent knees and waited for me to unscramble my thoughts.

"I don't want to be all tangled in you, ok? That's what I mean." I wasn't sure that my words had come out as intended, but he had to understand the idea behind them.

"Don't hurt you, don't touch you. Got it."

Moments later, he stood just in front of me, telling me where to put my hands to use his own force against him, thus interrupting his attempts toward my throat, my face. It was amazing how much sense self-defense strategies made when he explained it. Despite the instruction, I harbored doubts that I would be capable of using these tools when actually threatened. We reviewed several times, each time ensuring I did the moves correctly.