The Master's First Lesson
This morning was Zaber's second day of training.
"Get up," Larden said quietly, turning his face toward Zaber. "We begin today."
Zaber took a deep breath and gripped Limir more firmly on his shoulder. The kitten's body was warm, its breathing calm.
"Yes, Master."
The city had not yet awakened. The streets were empty, with only a few places where morning life was slowly stirring. Somewhere doors creaked open; in the distance came the voices of early merchants. But now Zaber walked these streets not merely to survive, but to understand this world and adapt to it.
The air was fresh, yet the spatial-step pressure that had been following him for several days still lingered in his body. It hadn't disappeared—it had merely hidden deeper.
"You must walk not by seeing, but by feeling," Larden said, stepping beside him in calm, measured strides. "If you understand this path, the later stages will become easier."
