Fleeing the clutches of her disreputable relatives, Sera Livingston has made her escape to Australia's Outback. Disguised as a boy, sharp-tongued Sera searches for her sister but is attacked by bushrangers. Thievery becomes her only chance at surviv...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"For long distance don't bend your wrist. You don't want the knife flipping too much. Don't forget your stance either. Weight on this foot with your elbow like this and the knife right at your head."
Sera did as Omeo instructed and swung the knife, shifting her weight to her other leg and releasing it from her pinched grip, letting her arm follow.
It hit right in the center of the target but with the handle striking instead of the point. Sera huffed with indignation as Omeo smiled gleefully. "Don't worry, Miss Sera, at least your aim is good. It just takes some practice."
"It doesn't matter if her aim is good if she can't throw it right." Sera turned to Remington striding over in a lazy but powerful manner.
She hadn't seen him in a while and his thick beard was starting to come back already. She must admit, life had become quite dull without him around and she found herself looking for his foreboding figure occasionally.
What didn't help were the dreams she would have at night of the steady dark gaze that he was using on her right now, but it was much more up close and personal in her dreams. He'd cup her face and tease her skin with his lips. Sera felt her cheeks flush a little as if he would be able to read her thoughts. She quickly strode over to her knife, almost tripping over her skirts that twisted around her legs.
"Uncle Rom!" Omeo beamed and Sera realized with one look that Omeo worshipped the man.
"Omeo, why don't you go see your dad before heading to school." Remington tousled the boy's hair and bent down in front of him. "Afterwards you can show me how good you've gotten at this."
That earned a massive smile with Omeo running off, but not before shouting, "Uncle Rom is the best teacher, Miss Sera, he'll show you how it's done."
"Like he'd teach me," Sera muttered to herself.
"Why are you wanting to learn?" Remington questioned as he took Sera's dagger from her hand and without looking threw it with the knife digging right into the center of Omeo's practice target.
Sera's eyes widened. "How'd you do that?"
"Muscle memory," Remington stated as if bored. "Now tell me why you want to learn. I hope it's not to kill me."
The smile that scrunched his face up revealed boyish dimples and had Sera breathing a little unsteadily. Taking a deep breath, she raised her chin. "For protection. I figured it would be beneficial. I am efficient with it for close range thanks to a friend I met during my travels, but if I can eliminate the threat far away, I'd rather do that."
"Smart. But why not use a gun?"
"Because I don't have one and it would be best for me to learn how to protect myself with what is available to me."
Remington regarded her with those onyx eyes, and he nodded as if deciding something. He turned and grabbed the hilt of Sera's knife and put his other hand on the wooden target, ripping the knife out. He tossed it up and caught it with ease at the point, not earning a scratch.
