Page 194 of As The Shifter World Turns

“We’re dueling?” Daire spoke low as to not have Toby overhear.

“Guess so. He’s a hard kid to say no to.” Especially if he somehow managed to get people to stop fighting. I felt like I was a kid again right before my father decided to sleep with my dad’s best friend… in their bed… when my dad was expected home.

We walked out and Toby told us each where to stand.

“I never took dueling one-oh-one,” Daire told Toby. “I’m going to need the rules.”

This is where things should've fallen apart and the duel deemed officially over. I mean how did Toby have rules for such a thing.

But my son did. Nineteen of them as a matter of fact. And the way he recited them, they were truly rules in his mind and he said he’d repeat them if we forgot.

The gist of it was that if a sword touched another it was over and the swordsman was victorious.

It sounded easy enough until he began part two, the thirty three ways you could be disqualified and while I did appreciate that swearing was one of them, having your toes point the wrong way seemed a bit like he was making things up at this point.

Kudos for being creative.

“Does everyone understand the rules?”

We each responded in the affirmative. As ridiculous as this was, I tried to remember that in twenty years Toby was going to be telling this story as a fond childhood memory. Unless I lost and then it was going to be how his father ruined his life. Great. What had I gotten myself into?

“And the winner picks who gets the apartment.” He held up his hand. “Now turn around and face the opposite direction.”

We both did. I had to give it to Daire, he was a good guy for at least pretending to go along with this.

“Now take five large steps,” my son instructed. I had a feeling he was combining pistol challenges from the days of old with duels, but it didn’t matter. We had play swords, no one would get hurt, and the winner picked the one who got the apartment, if I understood things correctly.

“When I count to zero, turn around and the duel will begin and remember the rules. Being disqualified is a very non respectable way to lose.”

As if there was anything hi-brow about this entire thing.

“Three, two, one, and zero.”

I pivoted around on my foot and Daire was already heading toward me, hissword drawn, his foot clearly pointing the wrong way, at least according to the rules.

Toby didn’t seem to notice, his eyes fixed on our swords.

The swords clashed and I went to “stab” Daire, his sword hitting mine first. He had won. Which was probably for the best given he’d officially been the first one to ask for the place.

“And Daire is the victor, my father’s going home in defeat and disgrace.”

Jeeze, thanks, son.

“What say you, victor of the duel? Who will move in here?”

“I deem this garden deserving of a small boy as does the royal pup.” Wait? What? He was giving it to us. After all that fighting he was just saying it was ours. Not that I should be surprised, he had tried to throw the duel, still… It caught me off guard.

Toby ran to Daire, throwing his arms around him. “Thanks, Daire. I really wanted to live with Patch.”

And I really wanted to live with Neil. I just hadn’t quite figured out how to make it happen.

83

BIG IDEAS

Neil

“Hi, Nate. Is Daire around?”

---