nails, thrust a fingernail between the veins and tendons of his wrist, and gripped his hand with both of hers, forcing the thumb or little finger against his palm. She made Lalasa try each defense on her, since the maid refused to touch Neal. They showed Lalasa how to turn an attacker’s arm until she forced it up behind his back. Next they demonstrated how to stamp on an enemy’s instep when she was seized from behind, as well as eye gouges, nose and throat punches, and even the simple knee to the groin. By the time they had walked the cringing Lalasa through it all, an audience had gathered at Kel’s open door.
“Where did you learn all that?” Owen breathed, his eyes wide.
“Some I learned at the Yamani court,” Kel replied calmly, gulping down a cup of water. “Some Eda Bell taught me this summer.”
“I’m going to treat you with the reverence I reserve for the Crown Jewels,” Roald assured her, his eyes crinkled with mirth.
“Me too,” added Seaver and Merric.
“I’ll treat you with reverence once you help me with classwork, O moon of mathematical wisdom,” said Cleon lazily. He still addressed Kel by flowery names, not having tired of it yet. “And you, girl, take my advice,” he added, pointing at Lalasa. “Just carry a lead-weighted baton. Then you don’t have to be fancy.”
As Lalasa protested that she couldn’t pick up a weapon, the pages headed to the library. Neal went to fetch his books while Kel gathered all she needed to study.
“This isn’t the end of it,” she told Lalasa firmly. “We’re going to practice together till I know you can use any of those things.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of, miss,” Lalasa said, sounding as gloomy as her uncle Gower.
“I’ll tell you what the Yamanis told me,” said Kel as Freckle and Crown flew onto her shoulders. “Fear is a good thing. It means you’re paying attention.”
“They sound like wonderful people, I’m sure,” replied Lalasa meekly.
Kel looked at her. Was that a tiny smile on the older girl’s lips? It was. Feeling rather pleased with herself, Kel went to join her friends.
* * *
Showing Lalasa how to defend herself was fun. Making her practice what she’d been shown was another matter. Kel tried it when she returned that night, and the next morning, and again before bedtime. Lalasa squeaked and cringed, or she treated it as a silly game. While Kel was glad the older girl was comfortable enough to joke, Lalasa’s behavior at her lessons was exasperating.
She worked her vexation off in the practice courts. When winter arrived with four mortal days of sleet and freezing rain, Kel thought she might scream with impatience at being kept indoors. Riding was put aside. Not even giants or spidrens would raid villages when they could slip and break something, and the movements of their enemies were the measure Lord Wyldon used to define how and when they trained.
The pages moved to the indoor courts for archery, staff fighting, and unarmed combat. Lord Wyldon introduced the first-years to basic sword fighting while the older pages did more complex exercises. During swordplay Kel’s mood improved. Wielding a sword from Peachblossom’s back had made her feel even stupider than a first-year, if that was possible. It was nice to know that she hadn’t forgotten all she’d learned the year before; she just wasn’t good at doing it on horseback yet.
The second night of their forced indoor exercise was also Kel’s first time that year to wait on Lord Wyldon at supper. She had to manage it for three nights without mistake. Once that was over, she could relax until Midwinter. Serving Lord Wyldon, with his sharp eyes and cold manner, had to be worse than waiting on any noble or wealthy merchant in the palace banquet hall. So long as she could serve those people without spills, they would pay attention to their food and their companions, not to her. For the first time since she had become a page, Kel began to think she
“Where did you learn all that?” Owen breathed, his eyes wide.
“Some I learned at the Yamani court,” Kel replied calmly, gulping down a cup of water. “Some Eda Bell taught me this summer.”
“I’m going to treat you with the reverence I reserve for the Crown Jewels,” Roald assured her, his eyes crinkled with mirth.
“Me too,” added Seaver and Merric.
“I’ll treat you with reverence once you help me with classwork, O moon of mathematical wisdom,” said Cleon lazily. He still addressed Kel by flowery names, not having tired of it yet. “And you, girl, take my advice,” he added, pointing at Lalasa. “Just carry a lead-weighted baton. Then you don’t have to be fancy.”
As Lalasa protested that she couldn’t pick up a weapon, the pages headed to the library. Neal went to fetch his books while Kel gathered all she needed to study.
“This isn’t the end of it,” she told Lalasa firmly. “We’re going to practice together till I know you can use any of those things.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of, miss,” Lalasa said, sounding as gloomy as her uncle Gower.
“I’ll tell you what the Yamanis told me,” said Kel as Freckle and Crown flew onto her shoulders. “Fear is a good thing. It means you’re paying attention.”
“They sound like wonderful people, I’m sure,” replied Lalasa meekly.
Kel looked at her. Was that a tiny smile on the older girl’s lips? It was. Feeling rather pleased with herself, Kel went to join her friends.
* * *
Showing Lalasa how to defend herself was fun. Making her practice what she’d been shown was another matter. Kel tried it when she returned that night, and the next morning, and again before bedtime. Lalasa squeaked and cringed, or she treated it as a silly game. While Kel was glad the older girl was comfortable enough to joke, Lalasa’s behavior at her lessons was exasperating.
She worked her vexation off in the practice courts. When winter arrived with four mortal days of sleet and freezing rain, Kel thought she might scream with impatience at being kept indoors. Riding was put aside. Not even giants or spidrens would raid villages when they could slip and break something, and the movements of their enemies were the measure Lord Wyldon used to define how and when they trained.
The pages moved to the indoor courts for archery, staff fighting, and unarmed combat. Lord Wyldon introduced the first-years to basic sword fighting while the older pages did more complex exercises. During swordplay Kel’s mood improved. Wielding a sword from Peachblossom’s back had made her feel even stupider than a first-year, if that was possible. It was nice to know that she hadn’t forgotten all she’d learned the year before; she just wasn’t good at doing it on horseback yet.
The second night of their forced indoor exercise was also Kel’s first time that year to wait on Lord Wyldon at supper. She had to manage it for three nights without mistake. Once that was over, she could relax until Midwinter. Serving Lord Wyldon, with his sharp eyes and cold manner, had to be worse than waiting on any noble or wealthy merchant in the palace banquet hall. So long as she could serve those people without spills, they would pay attention to their food and their companions, not to her. For the first time since she had become a page, Kel began to think she
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