ce of opponent to us, you inform a
Warleader or clan-chief. You've already told me, and I'm willing to
pass it along as a formal challenge if you want me to."

"I'd appreciate that. You do realize the Empire'll use the truce to
regroup and rebuild?"

"I certainly hope so; they haven't been doing too well the last several
weeks."

* * * * *

As he had for the last month, Medart woke feeling like he hadn't slept
for a year. If anything, Ryan had understated what he'd be going
through, starting Sandeman-style magical training so late. He hurt all
the time, and was usually on the edge of nausea, making it difficult to
eat. That, in turn, meant he'd lost weight he could ill afford.

On the whole, he knew, he was in lousy shape--probably his worst since
the early part of his recuperation from that Traiti almost tearing him
in half. He'd been having doubts, the last couple of days, whether or
not he'd be able to make it through the training, much less be able to
fight and win a duel with someone who'd been using magic all his life.
He couldn't quit now, though; at the very worst, he was buying the
Empire some time. And there was always a chance he'd win the duel;
pure dumb luck had been known to come to the rescue before.

He sighed, then forced himself to get out of bed, bathe, and dress.
He'd been supplied with warrior-drab coveralls, complete with his arms
on the breast--not too different from his uniform, and more practical
than the civvies he'd worn at first.

And after the first couple of days, Ryan had ordered him exempted from
the chores the entire warrior caste shared--cooking, clean-up, laundry
and the like--because of the toll his training exacted even that early.
Medart was grateful, though he'd felt guilty about it at first; by now,
guilt had been swallowed by the chronic pain.

It amused him that he'd been more or less adopted by the lady Kelly and
her son Haley, one of the young warriors in training. Like the rest of
the clan, Haley had been aloofly superior at first--the typical
Sandeman reaction Medart expected from those who hadn't been around
Imperials much--but his stubborn determination to learn in spite of
what the lessons did to him had broken down that reserve. The clan
accepted him, and those two had practically become mother hens. As
usual one--Kelly, this time--met him at the dining hall door, then
brought him a tray and joined him.

"Thanks, Kelly." Me