Sam woke early the next morning. After he dressed and strapped on his sword, he went straight to Seth's chamber, but he was nowhere to be found. So, he went out into the courtyard, preparing for a good workout. The sun was beginning to appear above the horizon, sending shoots of purple and deep red against the dark blue early morning sky as the dew glistened on the verdant lawn.

He unsheathed his sword and brought it up and down abruptly in a cotta that Seth had shown him. It ...