Sam managed to say, “N-no. I d-don’t think so.”
“Well, you’re right. The answer is your brain, connected to your mouth.” A few of the boys muttered something. “Don’t believe me? Think about it. What do you do when you really want something? You talk your parents into it. Convince them that you need it. Priests and wizards and mages still cast powerful spells using words. Even the greatest evil must speak lies in your ear to turn you toward foul things.”
Sam was only half listening. He was in shock from having coughed up the right answer. He didn’t know where it had come from.
“Alas,” Alsted said, “very few have the wisdom or foresight to use it. And since most of you will make little use of that wisdom, we’ll move on.”
Several boys continued to chatter, whispering to each other, something at the other end of the line having caught their attention. Sam took a slight step forward, craning his neck so he could see farther down the line of boys. He spotted her then, down at the end of the line. A girl with long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. It was hard to tell, but he guessed she was about his height, with a slender build and very fit-looking for a girl.
Since when do they let girls in warrior school? he thought. As far as Sam knew, they never had. He nudged Curtis and nodded in the girl’s direction. Curtis looked, his eyes widening when he spotted her.
“What the heck is she doing here?” Curtis whispered. “They’ve never let girls in the academy before.”
“Apparently,” Sam said, “they do now.”
“You boys got something to say?” It was Alsted. His shrewd eyes were fixed on Sam and Curtis, a sneer on his face.
“No, sir,” Sam said.
“Best keep it that way.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now, I want each of you to break up into pairs,” Alsted said. “The day’s young, so our first lesson will be basic dueling techniques. Find a partner.”
The line separated as the boys found partners. Sam and Curtis separated from the others and awaited instruction. There were seven groups of two in all, and Sam noticed that the blonde haired girl was paired up with the taller boy that had whispered to him during breakfast earlier that morning.
Curtis saw Sam staring at the girl and said, “She must have rich parents or something. Otherwise there’s no way they’d let her in.”
“I don’t see why it’s such a big deal.”
“Because it’s a girl. Next thing you know, they’ll be letting anybody in. She’s pretty though.”
Sam thought that was an understatement. The girl was beautiful. She was deeply tanned and well-muscled, but not overly so. She had her sword raised in front of her - Sam saw that it was a thin-bladed katana much like the one the owner of the Surly Dragon Arms had offered him for six gold, but the girl’s was shorter – and had the blade tipped toward her partner.
She knows how to use it, Sam thought. Which means she already knows more than I do.
“Thrust and parry,” Alsted said. “Like this.” Felgorn stood several feet from Alsted, his mace at the ready. Alsted raised his sword to chest level, the blade tilted horizontally, and then thrust it at Felgorn. Felgorn sidestepped the attack, bringing Skullbasher down in an arc so that it knocked Alsted’s blade away from his body. “It’s a very basic move, but you’ll want to know it so well that it’s instinct. It’ll save your life if you’re ever in the thick of it. Now practice.”
The boys took turns practicing the simple move as Alsted and Felgorn moved among the groups, watching. Finally, Felgorn made it over to Sam and Curtis. “Let’s see it then,” he said.
It took all of Sam’s effort to raise Rusty so that he was holding the sword at chest level the way Alsted had done. Curtis thrust his sword forward faster than Sam had expected. He felt a white hot lance of pain shoot through the right side of his chest.
“Sorry!” Curtis shouted. “I didn’t mean to, Sam.”
Curtis’s sword had punctured Sam’s tunic, and there was a small patch of blood blossoming on the spot where Gwendolyn had made contact. Sam touched his hand to the wound and winced.
“My God, Sam,” Curtis said, looking petrified. “I’m so sorry. I went too quick.”
“Don’t apologize,” Felgorn said, stepping closer to them. “It’ll teach him a lesson.” Felgorn turned his attention to Sam. “Had this been a real opponent intent on causing you harm, he would have run you through. Be quick.”
“I’m fine,” Sam said. “Let’s go again.”
“That’s the spirit,” Felgorn said.
He watched as Sam readied himself for a second time, and this time when Curtis lunged forward, thrusting outward with his sword, Sam managed to perform the sidestep and bring Rusty around just in time. The heavy broadsword clanked against Curtis’s smaller sword, and Curtis was nearly thrown off balance.
Felgorn nodded. “Better. That’s an awful sword,” the ogre said, but his eyes seemed drawn to it as if there was something interesting about it. He brought his mace up under the sword while Sam was still holding it. Suddenly, Rusty felt light as a feather. “Far too heavy for you.”
“Four gold in the village,” Sam said as if that explained everything.
“Where’d you get it?”
“The Surly Dragon Arms,” Sam said. “Sir.”
“Jiao-long is an expert with matching boy to sword,” Felgorn said. “If he chose this one, there’s a reason for it.”
Sam said, “I think it’s because I only had four gold and this was the cheapest sword he had.”
“You’ll grow into it. Now, let’s see it again.”
This time it was Sam who thrust forward with his blade. It took every ounce of his strength to hold the sword horizontally, and when he lunged forward it was with such comic slowness that Curtis parried it easily.
“Keep going,” Felgorn said and headed off toward a different group of boys.
“Stupid sword,” Sam said. “I might have been better off without one at all.”
“You heard the ogr – Felgorn, you’ll grow into it. Sorry for nearly killing you by the way. I’d hate to be the death of my only friend here.”
“It’s already stopped bleeding. Just stings a little,” Sam said. “But I owe you one.”
“Don’t you dare!” Curtis said, laughing. “As rusty as that sword is you’d probably give me a mortal infection!”
CHAPTER SIX
GIRL ALLOWED
They ate lunch in the mess hall. Sam and Curtis sat at the end of the bench again, picking dry meat from their chicken.
“Like trying to eat leather,” Curtis said as he chewed on a piece of chicken. “I’m almost afraid to swallow it.”
Sam was struggling with his own piece of chicken when he noticed the blonde girl sitting at a table by herself. She looked perfectly content being on her own, but Sam couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for her. She was obviously an outcast; someone different from the others. Sam had spent his entire life being that person. The weak little boy who never had many friends, and was too frail to play with the others. That was another reason he had spent so much time locked away in his room reading books and fantasizing about all the things he would likely never do.
But at least no one is avoiding you like you’ve got the plague, he thought. At least he was allowed to sit at the same table as the other boys. She doesn’t look unhappy though.
“Put your tongue back in your mouth,” Curtis said, chucking a small chicken bone so it hit Sam on the nose.
“What?”
“You’re practically drooling on the table, and I know it’s not because the chicken’s that good. You’re staring at her.”
“I was thinking that we should go over there,” Sam said. “Introduce ourselves. She looks like she could use the company.”
Curtis twisted his neck around so he could see the girl. “She looks happy to me,” he said.
“Come on. Live a little. Let’s go over there.”
“Are you crazy? There’s
a reason she’s by herself. She’s being shunned!”
“Only because she’s a girl.”
“Maybe,” Curtis said, trying to be the voice of reason. “But if we go over there and talk to her, we’ll be shunned, too. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re not exactly the most popular boys in school. We don’t need the bad publicity.”
“Right. I don’t see any difference between being shunned and being ignored.”
“I do. They’re miles apart. If we’re ignored, we may only make it by the skin of our teeth, but we’ll still have made it. If we’re shunned…” Curtis gestured over his shoulder with his thumb and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Like her, it’ll make it easier for them to wash us out.”
“That’s nonsense.”
“Says the person who can barely lift their own sword.”
“Says the person who stabbed me on our first day,” Sam said. They both laughed at that.
“You’re never going to let me live that down.”
Sam grabbed his plate and stood up. “I’m going over there. You can stay here if you want.”
Curtis cursed under his breath, but followed Sam over to the almost empty table.
“Mind if we sit here?” Sam asked the girl when they reached the table.
“I don’t own the table,” the girl said.
Curtis gave Sam a Now-Do-You-Believe-Me look.
Sam sat down across from the girl. “I’m Sam Finch. This is my friend Curtis Meeks.”
“Sarah Gemstead.” She continued to pick the meat off the chicken bones, but Sam noticed she didn’t eat any of it; simply formed a pile of shredded meat on the corner of her plate.
“How’d you get in?” Curtis asked. He glanced at Sam, who looked at Curtis like he wanted to murder him.
“Same way as everyone else,” Sarah said. “I took the tests, passed, and they let me in. What did you think I did?”
“W-well…” Curtis stuttered. “You’re a…”
Sarah dropped the bare chicken bone on her plate. “A girl?” She glared at Curtis; if her eyes had been daggers, Sam thought his friend would already be dead. “Oh, I see. Is this an intelligence gathering operation, Curtis Meeks? A feeble attempt at finding out why they would let a girl of all people into warrior school so you can win some favor by spreading gossip. Is that it?”
“N-no. It wasn’t m-my idea to c-come over here. It was his.” Curtis pointed at Sam.
“So you’re the mastermind? The skinny little boy who carries a sword that weighs more than he does.”
It was Sam’s turn to get angry now. He had been full of nothing but good intentions, and here was this girl – this mean (but still beautiful) girl – insulting him. “Hey, I only thought you could do with the company since everyone else is treating you like you might be cursed. And for your information, I have the sword that I do because I’m poor and it’s all they had in my price range.”
Sam stood up, his face now bright red. Curtis was staring at him, obviously looking for some indication of what he was supposed to do. “Sorry for bothering you.”
Rose-colored blotches blossomed on Sarah’s cheeks. “I’m sorry. Please sit down.”
Without thinking, Sam did as she asked, his anger waning. She could tell me to climb the castle’s highest tower and then tell me to jump off and I’d probably do it, he thought. She was hard to resist.
“I apologize,” Sarah said. “I’m just on guard, I guess. I can tell perfectly well what people think of me.”
“I don’t think it’s you personally. It’s just because you’re a girl. In warrior school. No one’s ever seen that before.”
Curtis said, “Your parents must have pulled a lot of strings.”
“You should just stop talking now,” Sam said to Curtis.
“You see, for as long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be a warrior. I realize it’s strange. Believe me, I’ve been hearing it from my father for years.”
And the way she said it, Sam immediately identified with her. Her situation was so similar to his own; the only difference being that he was weak and she was a girl, but they shared the same dream, and had both been told it was one they ought not to pursue.
“Me too,” Sam said.
“Well, you obviously aren’t great with a sword,” Sarah said, pointing at the bloodstain which was still drying on his shirt. She laughed, and Sam and Curtis laughed with her.
“Since you can’t stay in our living quarters, where are you staying?”
“I have a room in the castle.”
“Sweet!” Curtis said. “Do you talk to the King?”
Sarah hesitated for a moment. “I’ve met him, yes,” she said. “But he’s a busy man. It’s really pretty boring.”
“Are your parents rich or something? I’m sure they wouldn’t have let just any girl in the academy. Even with perfect scores.”
“My parents are…well connected. My father doesn’t like the idea of me attending warrior school, but I can usually get him to do what I want.”
“Wish I could pull one over on my old man,” Curtis said. “But he’d whip the snot out of me.”
“I’d prefer if you didn’t tell anyone about my situation. I’m sure there are plenty of rumors floating around already, but I’d rather leave it at rumors than for everyone to know the truth. Rumors fade, truth doesn’t.”
“Your secret’s safe with us,” Sam said. Sarah smiled and butterflies danced in Sam’s stomach.
Most of the lunchroom had cleared out; the other boys were headed back to the arena.
“Well, I better get back. It was nice meeting both of you. Thanks for the company,” Sarah said.
The three of them stood up and Sam said, “If you don’t mind, we’ll start sitting with you from now on. We’re not much more popular than you are, but strength in numbers and all that.”
“I’d like that.”
Sam watched her leave.
“She seems nice,” Curtis said.
“Told you it would turn out all right.”
On their walk back to the arena, the boy in front of them fell back so that he was walking next to Sam and Curtis. “So how’d she pull it off?” the boy asked.
“Pull what off?”
“You know, getting in. Rumor is her parents are loaded. Paid off the King.”
“We didn’t get into it,” Sam said. “And you might want to watch how you talk about the King. I doubt he’d appreciate you spreading rumors about him.”
“Why? Gonna squeal on me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Curtis said. “We aren’t squealers. But you know it’s a crime to slander the King, right?”
“It’s not like he can hear us. Nobody would listen to you freaks anyway,” the boy said, sneering at them. “Spending all your time fraternizing with a girl.”
“Sorry if you don’t like girls,” Sam said. He and Curtis snickered.
“He got you there!” Curtis said.
“Laugh it up, nerds. My father’s always saying that standards have been slipping since Leodan took over. You won’t last here much longer. You or your girlfriend.” The boy sped up his pace, leaving Sam and Curtis behind.
“Who was that anyway?”
“Cully Duke,” Curtis said. “Real snob. He lives in the town east of my village. Parents are wealthy because they own a bunch of land. His pa is a real tyrant as a landlord.”
“Like father like son, I guess,” Sam said.
“What did I tell you? We’re being shunned now. All because you wanted to talk to her so bad.”
“You said yourself she seemed nice,” Sam said.
“Sure, but nice isn’t enough to get kicked out of school for. You heard Cully. We won’t last much longer.”
Sam stared straight ahead. He felt the anger rising up inside of him again and wanted to take it out on something. “What does he know? I could care less if he has rich parents. Doesn’t make him better than us.”
“Calm down,” Curtis said. “I�
�m on your side.”
“I’m still going to sit with her during meals,” Sam said defiantly.
Curtis rolled his eyes and spoke around the lump in his throat. “And I’ll be right there with you.”
By the end of the day, Sam’s arms ached fiercely from working with Rusty for several hours. They had practiced the same dodge and parry move they had learned earlier, and then Alsted had taught them a few new ones. Sam struggled with getting his sword up in time, but he was getting better; Curtis hadn’t made him bleed again.
Sam wiped the sweat from his forehead. Curtis, despite his lighter sword, also looked exhausted. A much needed break came when Alsted called, “Form a line, boys! And look sharp!”
A man strode into the arena, flanked on either side by two guards wearing the blue and silver formal dress indicating that they were knights in King Leodan’s army. The man they guarded was taller, a blue cape billowing out behind him. A bejeweled crown sat atop his head of flowing blonde hair.
“Kneel before the King,” Alsted shouted.
They kneeled. “I can’t believe it’s the King,” Curtis said.
Sam didn’t hear him. He was too busy staring at the figure walking toward them. When he was closer, Sam could see that the man was younger than he would have guessed, but his rugged face was lined with the deep lines of age. His eyes were the bright blue color of a clear summer sky. King Leodan stopped in front of the line of boys, shaking hands first with Alsted and then with Felgorn. He turned to face the boys and said, “Rise.”
They rose as commanded. Leodan sized them up much the same way Alsted had done earlier that morning. Sam thought he saw the King’s eyes linger on him a little longer than the rest, but it was probably just paranoia.
“It appears we have a fine class this year, Alsted,” Leodan said.
“Yes, M’Lord. I think they’ll shape up.”
Leodan’s eyes swept over the boys again. “Boys, you have my deepest respect. It’s an honor to have all of you here. Make no mistake, Alsted and Felgorn are the greatest instructors in the land. They will test you in every way imaginable, but you will come out as men by the end of it. Ready to face anything.” And for a moment, Leodan’s voice grew solemn. “There will always be dark forces working behind the scenes. But what you learn here over the coming years will teach you to deal with it. Integrity, loyalty to your fellow classmates, and a strong will can defeat any enemy, no matter how powerful. That is all. I wish you luck.”
Sam Finch and the Zombie Hybrid (Sam Finch Series Book 1) Page 5
