Jackson and I start slowly for a moment, circling each other, looking for openings, but he strikes quick as a cobra, taking advantage of his larger size and charging for me with a wide swing of his staff. Panicked, I leap to the side with a little yelp, ducking to avoid the sweep of wood that probably would have cracked my skull if it had landed.
Some instinct in me kicks in, either from the quick lesson we just received or my years of casual sparring with Rafe and Jesse, and I move in closer, knowing that he has less chance of hurting me if he can’t use his whole range. Quickly, I use the butt of my staff to jab at the outside of his knee, connecting solidly.
Jackson gives a little gasp of pain and his leg buckles slightly, but my victory is short-won, because before I can comprehend wh
