Chapter 9

Ollie could tell the kid was hiding something. He had
too honest a face to keep any secrets. Ollie had his
suspicions, but he would keep them to himself for the
time being. As long as nothing bad came of it, the kid
could do what he wanted. Hell, even if something did
come of it, he was a grown man, if still a little wet
behind the ears.

However, that wetness had been substantially drying up
over the last few, what? Weeks? Months? Years? Ah, who
knew, and who cared. What mattered was that the kid was
doing well in his training.

"Maybe too well," Ollie reflected, rubbing his chin. The
kid had definitely licked the 'power' problem of his
punches, that was for sure. He was already starting to
make Ollie sweat during practices.

It won't be long now till he starts teaching me in hand
to hand, Ollie thought, not without a bit of pride.

Ollie still ruled in the archery department, but again,
that was to be expected, he thought smugly. He hadn't
got his name because he was a bad shot. But yeah, the
kid's good. Damned good.

Ollie had seen a lot of bowslingers in his time, but
Joxer was one of the best. Give it time, and he could
give Roy a run for his money.

Hell, let the kid have his secrets, he thought. With the
job he's doing he deserves them.

With that, he refilled his and Joxer's bowls with some
more chili.