Read Online Dawn of the Zombie Knights by Adam Wallace - Free Book Online Page B

arm more. Sir Mountable was no help. Pete could see him from his prone position, and all Sir Mountable was doing was drinking a whole heap of water and calling out the stupidest encouragement ever.
    â€˜Get up, boy!’
    â€˜I don’t think you’re winning, my little squire.’
    â€˜Three horses.’
    Pete didn’t know what that last one even meant, but he did know he was hugely relieved when he heard Sir Nayme’s whistle blow twice. Smithers let go of his arm and stood up.
    â€˜One round down, McGee. You’ll never last three rounds, let alone the rest of the training.’
    Pete stood up, shaking his arm. He stared straight at Smithers.
    â€˜Thou art going down, Smi—’
    His brave words were cut off by a whistle, and then he couldn’t speak at all because Smithers had somehow got behind and had him in a headlock. Pete was finding it almost impossible to breathe. He waved his arm around, trying to break free. Then he realised something. He may only have one arm, but he had two legs. He stomped down on Smithers’ foot as hard as he could. The other boy cried out in shock and the headlock was released. Pete spun around smiling, but saw that all he had done was make Smithers mad.
    Ohhhh boy!
    The rest of that round and the entire next round was a blur of being thrown on the ground and headlocks and holds and everything else. Even though there was meant to be no hitting, Smithers got in sneaky punches to Pete’s ribs, and even kneed him a few times. Sir Mountable yelled out some more random things, and Pete began to suspect that it wasn’t water in the bottle at all.
    Finally the whistle blew three times, and with a final punch to Pete’s ribs, Larson Smithers stood up.
    â€˜Go home, McGee … if you can make it!’
    Pete could barely move, let alone come up with a snappy comeback. He simply walked over to where all the trainee knights gathered with Sir Nayme. Smithers shook his head. Sir Mountable did a little dance as he started on his third bottle of ‘water’.
    â€˜Trainees,’ Sir Nayme said. ‘Choose a different partner. We shall now practice the Arjayne throwing technique. Do you all understand this technique?’
    All the trainees nodded except Pete. Smithers spoke up.
    â€˜Sir? Seeing as McGee knows nothing of this, and seeing as he is my bestest friend, can I teach it to him?’
    â€˜You are a good friend indeed, Smithers. Yes. Teach him. Teach him well.’
    â€˜Oh I will, Sir.’
    Pete groaned. His groan was warranted. For the next ten minutes he was thrown about a billion times, no exaggerisation. By the time the whistle blew three times, he was spent, but he was determined not to let Smithers win. It turned out Smithers won without doing anything.
‘Oh the little pixies sing a song,
They sing it to me all day long.
It’s a song so light and bright,
They sing it to me day or night.’
    Sir Mountable was singing the pixie song. Smithers couldn’t stop laughing. Pete had had enough. He leapt onto Smithers and started hitting him with all his might. A roar went up from the other boys, but it stopped instantly. Pete didn’t know why, so he just kept hitting, Smithers trying to block the blows.
    Eventually, the reason for the lack of roaring was revealed, as a strong hand gripped Pete’s arm when it swung back for another punch. Pete was lifted to his feet, and stood face-to-face with King Rayon.
    â€˜Pete McGee,’ the King said, his voice unusually hard as he let go of the young boy. ‘Attacking another knight, one of your own, is totally out of order. I believe it is time for you to leave knight-training. I apologise, but this is not something I can overlook, and you are no longer accepted here. Pick up your goods, leave, and please take Sir Mountable with you.’
    â€˜So can I come back again tomorrow?’ Pete asked.
    King Rayon shook his head. Smithers was on his feet,