Altaïr smiles at the casual comment and doesn't try to hide it. No, he is sure they would not. And what a bargain they would get, whether or not they realized it. Even if their skills with the blade aren't equal, raw talent and carefully applied effort can take one a long way. And it has, for Jo.

"If I get bored, I'll try to come up with something considerably less predictable," he says, amusement sparkling in his eyes. "When I can stop surprising you — that might be when you no longer need a teacher."

It's not something he expects to happen anytime soon. But one day, perhaps. If she stays on the path she's begun walking.