life."

"That is true," Ryan replied slowly. "Very well, Highness, I will make
the arrangements. But you should rest until then, doing no magic--and
you must try to eat. In your present condition, even winning a duel
would be fatal; to have a chance of surviving, you need to build
yourself back up."

"I will," Medart promised. "I don't want to die; I've got too many
interesting things to do first. And--" he looked from Kelly to her
son--"I have a couple of guardians who wouldn't let me overdo even if I
wanted to."

* * * * *

Medart kept his promise. It took Ryan six days to finalize
arrangements for the duel, including what Clan Miklos needed to
broadcast it to Sandemans and Empire alike; Medart spent the time
resting as well as he could, nibbling on the food either Kelly or Haley
kept him supplied with, and talking to the two of them.

He regained some strength, but the pain didn't ease in spite of Kelly's
healing spells, so finally, the evening before the duel, he decided to
ask her for a prognosis.

When he did, she frowned. "There's been no relief at all?"

"None that I've been able to notice."

"That is bad." Kelly paused. "As Ryan told you, we've had little
experience with training adults to use magic, and you are our only
experience teaching our system to a Terran. This makes it difficult
for me to give you an accurate evaluation; I have almost nothing to
base it on."

"I understand that."

"With that caution, then," Kelly said slowly, "I'm afraid our efforts
to teach you have caused permanent damage. Either your age or your
Terran physical characteristics--or possibly your extra-universe
origin--have made it impossible to clear what Ryan called your
magical-energy channels. Since my healing spells have no effect, I would
say the attempts to train you have been . . . the best analogy I can think
of is burning . . . them out."

Medart leaned back, sighing. "That's what I was afraid of. Is my
opponent going to be battleprepped?"

"Of course."

"Will I be allowed a similar form of preparation?"

"Of course, if you have it."

"I do. Not built in, the way yours is, but I had a special medikit set
up just in case; I have drugs that'll boost my strength and speed. And
to block the pain, now that the duel's close--unless you think the
painkiller'd interfere with what little control I do have."

"I can see no reason it should," Kelly said. "It should help, i