Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce Read Free Book Online Page B

distance away, where they wouldn’t disturb Coram. Faithful trotted after them, to perch on a rock where he could see everything.
    She’d exercised for so long that her body knew what was expected. Habit took over, so she could keep an eye on Liam. The Dragon went through intricate routines, slow the first time, fast the second. He punched and blocked with his arms. He kicked from standing positions. Then while leaping, he flipped back and forth with a tumbler’s ease that looked odd on his heavily muscled frame. By the time he finished, he’d exercised every part of his body.
    Once that was done, he wiped his face on his arm and looked at Alanna. “Come here.”
    Warily she obeyed. Taking Alanna’s hand, Liam shaped it into a thumb-over-fingers fist. “Always hit with the first two knuckles,” he explained. “It’ll get easier if you practice on every flat surface you find—dirt, rock, a wall, whatever. That’s how you build enough callus to protect those two knuckles.” He held up his hands, showing her what he meant.
    Liam then guided Alanna through a different punch from the one she’d learned as a page. Her fist started palm up at her waist, turning as she punched until it hit the target palm down. She punched until her right arm was sore, then switched hands.
    The man circled, watching. Often he adjusted her feet or repositioned her shoulders. Once he rappedher stomach hard: “Keep those muscles tight!” Alanna blushed: He’d caught her forgetting something she already knew.
    â€œPicture an opponent right where your punch ends—aim for the bottom of his rib cage,” Liam explained. “On me that’s the same as where my ribs end, but you aim higher. Otherwise you’ll hit most folk on the knees.” Alanna glared at him, then tried again. Later he added high and low punches, then arm blocks. “Practice till it hurts,” he said when they were finished. “You know that from fencing. You do it so much that by the time you need it, you don’t have to think. The punch or the block just happens.”

    Alanna nodded, exhausted.
    This was your idea, Faithful reminded her as she trudged to the stream to wash. As she rolled up her sleeves—nothing could make her take an outdoor bath at this time of year!—the cat added, When will you learn to leave well enough alone?
    Alanna sighed. “When I want to stop learning, I guess.”

    Coram was awake when she returned. “It’s your turn to fix breakfast,” he reminded Alanna, adding softly,“Gods help us.” Picking up his gear, he joined Liam at the stream.
    Alanna ignored his comment and started to work. Liam was the first to return from the stream. He sat by the fire, watching her movements with suspicion.
    â€œDo you put yourself through this often?” Alanna filled Liam’s bowl with porridge and handed it to him.
    The Dragon sorted through his breakfast with a spoon. “Every morning, plus whatever else I fit in later. You clean your armor and weapons regularly, and you do your own exercises.”
    â€œI don’t half kill myself. It isn’t burnt or anything,” she snapped, meaning the porridge. “I know how to cook!”
    â€œShang discipline is stricter than a knight’s.” He tasted his food, shuddered, and continued to eat.
    â€œIs it worth it?” she demanded. She was stung by his attitude toward her cooking and by the idea that anyone might think themselves better than a proven knight.
    He looked at her. “If something happens to my weapons, I can still protect myself and anyone else who comes along.”
    Alanna shut up.
    Her curiosity didn’t desert her for long. “Howlong have you been doing this?” she asked when they’d been riding for several hours.
    Liam had to think a moment. “Thirty years, give or take a month.”
    â€œThirty years !”
    He nodded.