242 The First Day of Training

"Lord Ghostblade!"

Arran awoke with a start. When he opened his eyes he saw that the sky was still dark, but among the shadows surrounding the hot spring, Jovan's burly figure could be seen.

"What is it?" Arran asked, still groggy with sleep.

"You said to wake you half an hour before dawn," the man's voice came. "And you shouldn't sleep in there. Might drown if you're unlucky."

As Arran exited the hot spring and dried himself off, he asked, "Did you get any sleep tonight?"

"A few hours," Jovan replied, though his weary tone suggested otherwise. "Mansion's just about done, though. Should be all ready when you return tonight."

Arran yawned as he stretched his body. "I suppose I might as well go now. It couldn't hurt to be a bit early."

"Can't train on an empty stomach," his steward said. "Eat something, first. I didn't know what you like, so I had the cooks prepare you some different things."