Excerpt from Chapter
2 of the fan novel now available on Wattpad:
"Good
morning!" the young woman sang
out. Her wide-boned face glowed from
scrubbing and no make-up. Her long hair
was pulled back in a single braid, hanging over her shoulder almost to her
waist. She slung a blue motorcycle
helmet into the corner by the stairs and tossed a heavy key ring into it.
"You
forgot something, Darcy," Duncan said, crossing the room to the wall rack
where three katanas hung on display.
"Next
time. I promise." She grinned at him, nearly upside down as she bent over to unlace her
boots.
"That's
what you said last time. How can I judge
your technique if I can't see the sword you've been practicing with?"
In
the doorway, Amanda cocked an eyebrow and took a closer look at this girl.
"I
didn't promise, last time." Darcy stood and levered her boot off her left
foot with the toe of her right boot.
"I always keep my promises."
"That's
good." Duncan tossed the katana
across the intervening space.
Darcy
swooped up underneath it and caught it with a resounding smack against her
palm. Grinning, she toed off her socks
and advanced onto the practice mats. She
shifted her grip to two-handed and held the sword parallel with the floor,
chest-level, waiting.
"That's
Amanda, by the way," Duncan said, gesturing toward the office door with
his chin.
"Hi,"
Darcy said, never taking her eyes off her teacher.
"Hi
yourself," Amanda murmured. She
took a long sip of coffee. Then
grimaced -- it was black.
"She
just got in from -- where did you just get in from?" he continued,
grinning.
"Don't
try to distract me, Duncan," Darcy said with a chuckle. "It worked last time, but it won't work
again."
"She's
such a good student. You might learn
something from her, Amanda."
"Yeah,
thanks." Amanda tugged her shirt
straight, slid down to the floor and settled down cross-legged to watch.
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