Free Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce Page A

and a noble. He picks his fights in back halls—so no one can see him cheat.”
    The boys were open-mouthed with surprise. Suddenly Gary beat on Jonathan’s shoulder, grinning savagely. “I knew it!” he whispered. “I knew he’d do it!”
    Ralon was staring at Alanna, gasping for words. “ What did you say?” he finally squeaked.
    â€œLiar. Sneak. Coward. Bully.” She threw the words at him. “You disgrace your name. D’you want me to write it down for you? Oh—I forgot. You can’t read, either.”
    â€œShut up!” Ralon screamed, his eyes bulging. “You pig! You wouldn’t be so brave if your friends weren’t here to do your fighting—”
    â€œI fight my own battles!” she snapped. “I want satisfaction for all I’ve taken from you. They’re my witnesses.”
    Ralon looked at the others. “They won’t step in, no matter what?” he asked slyly.
    â€œThey won’t. I swear on my honor as a gentleman. You’d better swear by something else, though. You don’t have any honor.” She slapped him with all her strength and ducked.
    Ralon swung at her, missed, and Alanna came up under his swing to ram into his chest. He yelped and grabbed her hair. She punched him twice in the stomach, hard, ignoring the pain as some hair came out of her scalp. Ralon seized her throat, choking her. She shoved her thumb into his eye, stamping hard on one of his feet at the same time. Ralon screamed in pain, breaking away. They circled each other carefully. Now Ralon knew something had changed since thelast time they had fought. He was sweating heavily as he charged.
    Alanna lunged forward, thrusting her hip between Ralon’s legs. He stumbled. She helped him fall by throwing him over her hip. Quickly she knelt on his back, knowing better than to let him up. Twisting his arms up behind him, with one hand, she used her other hand to pull his head up by the hair.
    â€œGive up?” she panted. Ralon, gasping, nodded. She stood up, and he leaped at her, landing a wild punch on her cheek. Thanks to the dishonorable George, Alanna was ready for this. She slammed a fist up and under, into his stomach again, knocking the breath from his body. Swiftly she broke his nose with the other hand. Ralon collapsed, crying like a small child.
    Alanna stood back, heaving as she fought for breath. She wiped sweat from her eyes. “Never touch me again. If you do, I swear—I swear by Mithros and the Goddess—I’ll kill you.” Ralon lay there, still crying.
    Alanna turned to her friends. “Let’s go wash.”
    Ralon called out, “Alan of Trebond!”
    Alanna turned back to look. Her enemy was on his feet. He was a bloody mess with crazy eyes. “I’llmake you pay for this!” he screamed. “Just wait—I’ll make you sorry!”
    Raoul clapped Alanna on the shoulder. “Come on,” he said. “It’s getting windy in here.”

    Myles found her alone in her room, sitting in the dark. “You weren’t at dinner tonight,” the knight commented. Alanna blinked at him with surprise as he lit a candle.
    â€œRalon of Malven has left Court,” Myles went on, sitting in her only chair. “Your servant Coram is bragging to his fellow Guardsmen that he knew you could do it all along. The other boys want to celebrate—they think you’re a hero. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
    She splashed cold water on her face. “Is it? I don’t know.” She rubbed her face dry and looked at him. “I threw up after,” she confessed. “I hate myself. I just knew more than Ralon did. And he always loses his temper when he fights—I took advantage of that. I’m as bad as he was.”
    â€œI doubt Ralon ever threw up after he beat someone smaller and younger than he was.”
    Alanna frowned. “You think