Baba Yaga Saga Collection by Donna McDonald

Author:Donna McDonald [McDonald, Donna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Donna McDonald

Chapter Ten

They stripped down as far as they dared on campus and left their excess clothing on a set of benches near the training ring. Pugil sticks in hand, they walked around the dirt area taking some practice swings to loosen up.

Hildy sighed. “Warlock Edo told me they moved the Jezibaba back into her old quarters. She didn’t even bother to replace the bed this time. Edo said she sits in the chair and stares at the wall, except for when she visits Nathaniel. Then she sits and stares at Nathaniel in his coma. Edo’s worried about her. All the warlocks are. They said she’s never been like this in all the years they’ve worked for her.”

Carol’s face wrinkled in thought. “Are you dating a warlock now? I thought you didn’t like warlocks.”

Hildy rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Edo’s the warlock initiate in the Jezibaba’s posse. He’s the one who doesn’t bother with his cowl unless they’re all wearing them.”

“Oh,” Carol said, shrugging. “I guess I didn’t notice. Her warlocks are always so quiet you forget they’re around.”

Hildy sighed. “The Jezibaba and Professor Smoke broke up, Carol. That’s the important part of what I’m saying. Pay attention. We have a big problem here. ”

“I heard you already,” Carol said as she nodded and chewed on her lip. “Do you think it was because of Thane?”

Hildy nodded. “Can you think of any other reason for them to fight? Jezibaba said she would take care of things, but Thane is still here on the campus. I saw him go into the biology building earlier. Professor Smoke must have sided against her.”

Carol snickered. “Are you stalking Dragon Boy?”

“Not in the good way,” Hildy declared, swinging her pugil stick until it whizzed through the air. “I can’t stand thinking about this. Charge me so I can knock you out. Maybe I’ll feel better.”

“You? Knock me out? In your dreams maybe,” Carol bragged, tossing her stick from hand-to-hand.

Hildy snorted. “That’s it. You’re going down, girlfriend.”

In the end, they both charged each other. It was after all what they’d been trained to do. Neither had been taught to wait passively for an attack to happen.

Their sticks clashed and bounced off each other. End met end, and then Carol scored a hit to Hildy’s shoulder. Hildy screamed in anger and stomped away to cool off.

“Don’t go away mad. You almost had me,” Carol said.

“No, I didn’t. Don’t patronize me, Carol.” Hildy spat the words and grunted as she came back to face her friend again. “You think you’re always going to be a better fighter than me.”

“Because I’m awesome at it,” Carol bragged, shifting her stick just in time to block what she knew Hildy meant to be a surprise blow. “But my real edge in fighting you is that I know you. I know how you think and I know exactly how long you always hesitate before striking out.”

Sticks slammed together. Clash. Slam. Clash. For every move Hildy made, Carol countered it.

“Temper won’t help you win,” Carol said softly.

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