Free The Secret of the Swords by Frances Watts Page A

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    â€˜Stop!’ she cried. ‘You’re hurting it.’
    The boy spun around and pointed the sword at Tommy. ‘Who are you?’ he demanded.
    â€˜I’m – I’m Tommy. I work in the kitchen.’
    â€˜A kitchen girl?’ said the boy. He laughed rudely. ‘Well I don’t take orders from kitchen girls – I’m Keeper of the Bows. I’m in charge of all the castle’s crossbows and longbows. What are you in charge of?’ His gaze fell on the broom Tommy was still holding in one hand. ‘Ha! I know – you’re Keeper of the Brooms!’ He snorted with laughter at his own joke, then said, ‘Go away, kitchen girl, I’m practising my sword fighting.’

    He turned and lunged towards the cat. Tommy sprang forward and with her free hand grabbed the hem of his tunic.

    With an angry shout the boy pushed Tommy away roughly. ‘Would you rather I practise on you?’ he said.
    â€˜At least it would be a fair fight,’ Tommy snapped.
    â€˜A fair fight?’ scoffed the boy. ‘How dare you presume to be my equal! Get lost, kitchen girl.’ And then he lifted his sword above his head and spun on his heel.
    As the wooden blade tore through the air towards the cat cowering against the stones, Tommy leaped forward. Flinging herself between the boy and the cat, she halted the sword’s arc with the broomstick.
    â€˜I warned you!’ he snarled, before swinging his arm back and driving his blade straight at Tommy.

CHAPTER 2

    T OMMY’S H EART was pounding as she dodged to her left. The point of the wooden sword snagged on the thin fabric of her dress, tearing it.
    The boy lunged at her again, and again Tommy dodged.
    â€˜Don’t you know how to do anything but dodge?’ the boy jeered. ‘You might have a boy’s name, but you fight like a girl!’
    Tommy’s fear turned to outrage. How dare he? First he was rude to her because she worked in the kitchen, now he thought he was better than her just because he was a boy!
    He swung the sword again, and suddenly a voice in Tommy’s head said, ‘Parry!’ She lifted her broom to block him.
    Taken by surprise, the boy nearly lost his balance. He glared at Tommy and began to lash out wildly with the wooden sword, slashing the air this way and that.
    Tommy, without even thinking, parried every blow. It was as if her arm was remembering all the times she had watched the knights with their swords, and knew exactly what to do.
    By now the boy was panting and his face was as red as his hair. His movements were growing slow and clumsy, but Tommy, who was smaller and lighter, felt full of energy.
    â€˜Come on,’ she said, holding the broomstick in both hands and waving it back and forth. ‘You can beat a kitchen girl with a broom, can’t you?’
    The boy’s grip tightened on his sword.‘I’ll show you …’ he began, but before he could show her anything a shout rang across the courtyard.
    â€˜Reynard! Get in here at once!’
    The boy let his sword fall to his side. ‘Coming, Smith!’ he called over his shoulder. Looking at Tommy, he narrowed his eyes and said, ‘You’re in big trouble, kitchen girl.’ Then he turned and hurried towards the armoury.
    Tommy sighed. The boy – Reynard – was right. What had she been thinking? She, a mere kitchen girl, fighting the Keeper of the Bows! ‘I am in big trouble,’ she said aloud.
    â€˜I wouldn’t be so sure,’ said a voice.
    Tommy jumped. ‘Who said that?’ She looked around the courtyard. It was deserted. Perhaps a guard …? But when she looked up to the tops of the towers, shading her eyes against the sun, the guards all had their backs to her.

    She turned to look at the cat, which was now calmly licking its paw. The cat paused in its licking to meet Tommy’s gaze, then returned to its bath.
    Tommy shrugged. She must