01_-_The_Alchemyst

Scathach pulled Josh to his feet. “If you continue at this rate, you’ll not
last long in this world.”
“I just wanted to ask you a few questions.”
“You’re lucky. A couple of centuries ago, I probably would have killed
you. I used to have a bit of a temper,” she admitted, “but I’ve been working
on my self-control.”
Josh rubbed the small of his back. If Scathach had smashed him down
on the stones, he could really have been hurt, but he recognized that she’d
been careful to drop him onto the grass and moss. “That felt like a judo
throw,” he said shakily, attempting to sound casual and change the subject.
“Something like that…”
“Where did you learn judo, anyway?”
“I didn’t learn judo. I created the distant ancestor of most of the martial
arts that are studied today,” the red-haired warrior said, bright green eyes
flashing wickedly. “In fact, it would do neither of you any harm if I were to
show you a few simple moves.”
“I think we can do better than simple,” Josh said. “We studied tae kwon
do for two years when our parents were teaching in Chicago, and we did a
year of karate in New York…or was that Boston?”
“You created judo?” Sophie asked, keeping her voice carefully neutral.
“No, Kano Jigoro created modern judo, but he based his fighting system
on jujitsu, which is related to aikido, which evolved around the fourteenth
century. I believe I was in Japan around then. All martial arts have a common
root. And that’s me,” Scatty said modestly. “Come, if you know a little tae
kwon do and karate, that’s useful. Let me show you some basic moves while
we’re waiting for Nicholas.”
“Where is he?” Sophie asked, looking back over her shoulder at the
house. What was going on in there? “Is he asking Hekate to Awaken our
magical potential?”
“He is,” Scatty affirmed.