"Speak," Jack Brooks said, his voice calm and level.
Faye Zane nodded, stepping aside to reveal her friend. "Gigi wishes to learn from you. She wants to know if you would be willing to accept her as your apprentice."
Gigi Vance, the proud daughter of the Mayor and a PhD from the Imperial Capital, took a deep breath. She stepped forward, her face flushed with a mixture of shame and determination.
She bent her waist, bowing a full ninety degrees in a gesture of absolute submission and respect.
"Mr. Brooks," Gigi said, her voice trembling slightly. "In the past, I was blind and offensive. I questioned your skills and insulted your character. I ask for your forgiveness."
"I have seen the mountain today. I wish to follow you and study the Dao of Medicine. Please, give me a chance!"
The te
