The Protectors: New Generation Book 1

31 - Interesting Art - Dominic POV

The group has been taking classes twice a day now for about a week with Ande and I dancing around the topic of getting to know each other better. Jonah tells me to get my act together and ask her to do something with me. After breakfast on the way to our first lessons of the day, I pull Ande aside and ask her if she wants to take a walk with me during our midday break. She just smiles, nods, and heads off with the rest of the ones learning witchcraft.

Happy I'm coming closer to knowing Ande better, I head out of the cabin and see Jonah waiting on me to walk to where our lessons are being held this morning. Jonah smirks knowing what I've done.

"From that look I'm guessing it went well," Jonah says.

"We are going on a walk during the midday break."

"Just a walk?" Jonah asks while wiggling his eyebrows.

"Grow up." I growl playfully and hit his arm. "What do you expect me to do? I've known the girl for a week, and I don't plan on this being a casual hookup."

A wide smile lights up Jonah's face. "So you don't plan..."

I roll my eyes. "I've not thought that far yet."

"Sure. Now, I believe that." He pauses. "Not."

Luckily, EJ interrupts this line of questioning. "Are you guys coming or you going to stand around and cackle like hens all day?"

We jog up to join him on the trail.

While Miriam and Mia are teaching the others more about spells and healing, Estel must be waiting on EJ, Jonah, Hunter and I at the clearing for target practice. Once we clear the treeline, Estel can be seen walking back and forth between targets singing a song I'll probably never understand, unless I learn Spanish.

When she turns and sees us approaching, her face beams.

"I'm glad you're finally here," she says as she bounces over to some sort of table at the edge of the clearing.

She waits for us to settle before she begins. "We've been working the last week on self-defense and basic weapons handling. Today, we are going to talk about different weapons and let you each handle them to see if there is one you'd like to work with. We'd like to see if any of you have a hidden talent with one of them."

I try to see what is laid out, but it is impossible from this viewpoint. "What are the different weapons?" I ask.

EJ goes to a table set up along the side near where we aim at targets. He motions us over.to the table where various weapons are laid out. There is a wide selection of weapons including throwing knives, axes, staffs, bows and arrows and even a few whips. EJ and Estel take turns explaining a little about each weapon, what it can do, and the best way to use it.

When they're finished, Jonah steps forward first and goes down the line, picking up each weapon. Eventually he goes back to the axes and picks up each a second time. He nods to EJ.

EJ's lips twitch. "Let's see what you can do with that. I'm actually not going to teach you how to use this weapon. What I will caution you on is always being aware where the axe is when you are holding it and only throw it at a person if you want to seriously injure or kill them. Go ahead now, see what you can do?"

Jonah walks to the line closest to the targets.

Estel walks by us. "I'd suggest you follow me to the tree line furthest from the targets. We don't want to become unexpected victims." Estel winks.

All of us walk off to the side, and EJ tells Jonah to start.

Jonah keeps testing the weight of the axe in his hand and seeming to concentrate only on it.