Read Online Sisters of the Sword by Maya Snow - Free Book Online Page B

no idea he was helping me. “Yes,” I said quietly. “My name is Kagenashi andpeople call me Shadowless Feet.”
    Master Goku smiled. “You spoke the truth, shadowless one. You both have potential—”
    â€œOh, thank you!” I cried.
    But Master Goku silenced me by raising his hand. “That does not mean I can accept you into my school,” he said, a small frown creasing his brow. My heart fell. “I also spoke the truth when I said we have no room. We have just completed the admission of new students for the year. I say that with regret, because I can see your natural talents and I wish I could develop them…but I cannot.” He bowed again. “I am sorry.”
    Before we had time to speak, or show our disappointment, Master Goku gestured to one of the nearby servants. “These boys are leaving,” he said. “But they’ve traveled far and are hungry and thirsty. Please fetch them some water and a travel pack of rice so that they can refresh themselves.”
    The servant nodded and hurried away. I watched him go, my thoughts in turmoil. Master Goku looked at me kindly, and suddenly a new idea broke into my mind like an enormous wave crashing against a cliff. “Servants,” I muttered. “We could be servants….”
    â€œOh yes!” Hana quickly nodded her agreement.
    â€œIf your school is full, Master Goku,” I went on,“then there must be much work for your servants. We could help by sweeping the floors and serving food. We could—” I came to an abrupt halt. What else did servants do? Everything! Except that Hana and I had no idea how to do any of it. But the important thing was that we must stay here. We couldn’t risk being back out on the road again.
    â€œWe’re hard workers,” I said.
    Master Goku folded his hands into his wide sleeves and gazed at me. I wished I could tell what he was thinking.
    Eventually he said, “A servant—like a good samurai—must be humble and quiet and patient. Do you have those qualities, Kagenashi?”
    I nodded, and beside me Hana nodded too. “We both do,” I said firmly.
    The servant came hurrying back across the courtyard with a bamboo container and a ball of sticky rice half wrapped in a green leaf. “The food and water, Master,” he said.
    â€œThank you,” Master Goku said to the servant. There was a moment’s silence and then he added, “I’m sorry to have sent you on a useless errand. These boys have no need for travel food now. They won’t be leaving after all.”
    I caught my breath. “We won’t?” I said, grinning. Beside me, Hana’s face was shining like the moon ona warm spring night. “We can stay?”
    Master Goku smiled. “You can stay,” he confirmed. “But I expect hard work from you both. And maybe… maybe …if you work hard enough, you may be rewarded with an invitation to attend some of my classes.”
    I wanted to leap forward and hug Master Goku, but I knew it would not be polite. And besides, he was already turning away to walk across the courtyard.
    â€œFollow me,” he called back over his shoulder. “My servants do not stand idle with grins on their faces when there is work to be done.”
    Hana and I exchanged delighted glances and then hurried to catch up with the Master as he led us out of the courtyard and along a wooden walkway edged with cherry trees. To our left were buildings and to the right was another small courtyard where four or five students sparred with blunted swords.
    â€œI will introduce you to our head servant here at the dojo,” Master Goku said as we turned a corner. Sounds carried up to us from the far corners of the school: the faint thud of an arrow striking a target, a clash of wooden poles, the grunt of someone hitting the ground.
    â€œThe head servant’s name is Choji,” Master Gokuwent on. “You