The Constable Booked the Assassin Every Night novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Through Me

The Doors' armory is a long stone room under the Hall, smelling of oil and old leather.

It has an empty practice floor in the middle and racks of blunted weapons down both walls.

Shouzhi took Qinghe there in the hour before the first bell, when only the night porter was awake, and he was asleep.

Shouzhi had not slept at all.

He handed Qinghe a hardwood staff and took one for himself.

"Wooden," he said. "Nobody dies."

"That's a lovely rule."

"We fight, and I find out what I'm up against."

"Shouzhi, I'd really rather not hit you."

"Then don't hit me hard."

Qinghe grinned, the gap showing, and the grin did something to Shouzhi's stomach.

Then Qinghe went quiet and settled his weight on the balls of his feet, and Shouzhi felt the room change.

Shouzhi was a decent fighter.

He was a constable of ten years' standing, and he had taken knives off men twice his size.

Qinghe took the staff out of his hands in four moves.

It spun away across the floor and clattered against the rack.

Before Shouzhi could turn, Qinghe had the butt of his own staff across his collarbone and a leg hooked behind his knee.

"Yield," Qinghe said softly.

"No."

"Constable."

"No. Again."

They went again.

The second time Shouzhi held out for nine moves.

Qinghe slid inside his guard.

Shouzhi lost the staff and then the floor, and landed flat on his back with the air knocked out of him.

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