Chapter 15
The next day, Gavi woke Aria and Ivy at dawn. Abbas was already up, going through his paces, swinging his staff in arcs with the rising sun illuminating him. Abbas always woke earlier than anyone else, practicing staff work, or archery, or footwork. He seemed to be perpetually in motion and always aware, and Gavi was beginning to understand how disciplined he was, to continue in that way. He paused to watch the warrior prince for a moment.
Spines and stones, he needed to learn from Abbas. Abbas looked up as though he could sense Gavi watching. He whirled one more quarter circle and lunged with his staff, then relaxed, placing the staff point down and leaning on it.
“Can you teach me how to do that?” Gavi asked.
Abbas’s eyebrows shot up and he smiled. “Yes. Should we start no
