Wizard's Sword (The Battle Wizard Saga, No.2) by C.M. Lance Page A

she pulled back. To straighten up, he pulled on her leg, and then lifted it up, pulling her off her feet. Shoving back and down, he slammed her upper back onto the mat. While she lay slightly stunned, he twisted her leg, to flop her over and dropped a knee into her kidneys. His other leg broke his descent to prevent injuring her.
    He stood, pressed his palms together and bowed to her, then extended a hand to help her up.
    "Thanks" she said, pulling on his hand to rise. Then she looked over his shoulder and said "Shit."
    Sig smiled. "You were predictable again. I took advantage. That′s the problem with sparring someone frequently. You pick up tendencies that aren′t detected in a random bout."
    Still looking over his shoulder, she hissed, "Quit babbling. It′s the Commander."
    Sig swung around to get his first sighting of the old woman everyone feared.
    He looked around and didn′t see her. He looked right and left— no old lady.
    He asked Arianna, "Where is she?"
    A tall, extremely attractive redhead he hadn′t met before asked him, "Where′s who?"
    Sig looked up into her sapphire blue eyes. At least six-feet-four inches tall, long muscles layered over her shapely form. She exuded an air of confidence. Hot was a good one-word description.
    "The Commander? Arianna said she′s here."
    She extended her hand, "Hello. They call me 'Commander′, but you can call me Rowena."
    Sig looked at her hand for a moment, before he took it. "I′m starting to get used to the taste of shoe leather. Pleased and surprised to meet you." Her grip was firm and warm.
    After a throaty chuckle, she said, "I must say I′m surprised as well. Your smaller than I imagined, and prettier."
    Sig flushed crimson. "Do you know professor Balcescu?"
    "Only by reputation. Why do you ask?"
    "You momentarily reminded me of her."
    She arched her eyebrows and looked at him reflectively.
    Sig realized he still held her hand. He released it and stood back, still embarrassed. He wished she hadn′t said that in front of all the other women.
    She gave him a crooked smile. "You have very good technique and exceptional quickness. I′ve been looking for an accomplished sparring partner. Would you like to try a few falls?"
    "How about tomorrow? I have to go to work now."
    "I look forward to it."
    He looked around and saw Giselle in the back of the group watching. He waved to her. "Don′t leave without me. I′ll change and be right out."
    †††
     
    Giselle waited in her idling Jeep when Sig exited the training facility. He threw his bag in the back, and got in beside her. She threw it into gear and accelerated away.
    He looked straight ahead as he said, "Sixty-six years old, huh? She′s remarkably well preserved. What′s her secret, skin cream?"
    Giselle chuckled. "That′s my mother." She looked over at Sig. "She′ll look like that until she′s two hundred. It′s Amazon magic."
    "Amazon′s have magic too? Jeez, everyone has magic except me." He slouched in his seat.
    "Pardon me? What do you call it when you turn into that gigantic hunk that demolishes All-America football players?"
    "You know what I mean. I′m supposed to have more magic. I work on it with the Professor every day. I need to find it to fight the Dark Mage who wants to kill me."
    "I think you′re lucky to have what you have. The Professor thinks the rest will come with time, as it does with us. I′m still waiting."
    "Really, he said that?"
    She gave him a crooked smile. "What— that I′m still waiting?"
    "No, the other… Never mind. You′re right, I am lucky. I used to wish for any kind of magic, and now I have this— and it′s more than I ever dreamed about. I get so frustrated working on what I don′t have that I forget to give thanks for what I do. Thanks for reminding me. What′s Amazon magic like?"
    "It′s more subtle than yours. Aging slowly, being stronger and faster than normals. We have group magic. That′s why we stay in tribes. Amazons who leave the tribe age