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was not effortless. Evolution had done a smart thing in protecting the heart with the sternum<br />
and ribs. Yet through it all, Dimitri never faltered in diligence and patience, guiding me through<br />
every step and correcting the finest details.<br />
"Slide up through the ribs," he explained, watching me try to fit the stake's point through a gap<br />
in the bones. "It'll be easier since you're shorter than most of your attackers. Plus, you can slide<br />
along the lower rib's edge."<br />
When practice ended, he took the stake back and nodded his approval.<br />
"Good. Very good."<br />
I glanced at him in surprise. He didn't usually hand out a lot of praise.<br />
"Really?"<br />
"You do it like you've been doing it for years."<br />
I felt a delighted grin creep over my face as we started leaving the practice room. When we<br />
neared the door, I noticed a dummy with curly red hair. Suddenly, all the events from Stan's<br />
class came tumbling back into my head. I scowled.<br />
"Can I stake that one next time?"<br />
He picked up his coat and put it on. It was long and brown, made of distressed leather. It looked<br />
very much like a cowboy duster, though he'd never admit to it. He had a secret fascination with<br />
the Old West. I didn't really understand it, but then, I didn't get his weird musical preferences<br />
either.<br />
"I don't think that'd be healthy," he said.<br />
"It'd be better than me actually doing it to her," I grumbled, slinging my backpack over one<br />
shoulder. We headed out to the gym.<br />
"Violence isn't the answer to your problems," he said sagely.<br />
"She's the one with the problem. And I thought the whole point of my education was that<br />
violence is the answer."
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