Page 22 of Dragon Me Through Space

“So, you don’t get hurt,” he added.

“I escaped you three just fine. I’ll be okay,” I replied, but still went and stood against a wall, leaning my upper back against it.

“Move a bit farther out,” Zeke ordered them as he walked to stand beside me.

“You really think they might hurt me?” I asked, tilting my head back to look up high enough to meet his eyes.

He looked down at me and nodded once. “Yes, but I will stand beside you and protect you should they lose control.”

I grumbled and folded my arms across my chest. Rude males thinking I was weak.

Wayne and Gage faced each other, hands up by their faces, and legs spread in a stance to give them stability.

“Begin,” Preston said quietly.

Wayne and Gage exploded into movement. They punched, kicked, spun, ducked, and blocked at incredible speeds. They moved around the room, pushing off the walls with their feet to give themselves extra momentum during their attacks.

Gage held his own for a bit, but Wayne landed a jab on Gage’s jaw that knocked him onto his ass.

Gage rubbed his jaw and shook his head. “Ouch.”

“You break anything?” Preston asked.

Gage stood, stumbled a step, and straightened. “Nope.”

“You’ve improved,” Wayne said with a nod.

Had I not been trying to act impassive, my jaw would have been on the floor. Calm, quiet Wayne was an insane fighter. I never would have guessed that.

“Going to head back to ensure our course is correct,” Gage said as he left.

Ah, he must be the pilot of their small crew.

“My turn,” Zeke said and pushed off the wall.

Wayne backed up so that he was on the other side of the room.

Zeke walked over, his long strides eating up the distance quickly. Once he reached Wayne, his fist flew out at his face.

Wayne dodged and punched Zeke in the stomach.

Zeke punched Wayne in the lower back.

They bounced apart and squared off.

“They’re fine,” Preston whispered to me.

“Hm?” I asked, refusing to take my eyes off of them.

Zeke kicked Wayne’s upper thigh and the smack was loud even across the gym.

Wayne darted forward and punched Zeke’s stomach again.

Zeke grabbed Wayne and tried to knock him to the ground, but Wayne spun and ran up the side of the wall.

Zeke jumped up, almost headbutting Wayne’s stomach as Wayne jumped over him. Wayne spun and pushed off of Zeke’s shoulders, jumping almost all the way up to the ceiling.

Zeke used the wall to propel himself up and slammed into Wayne as he fell back down.