Hector fidgeted. “It’s uh, not so bad, I guess—It does sort of, well, shatter you, you know.”
“Yes I can see that now.”
“Another duel?” Hector asked, nodding his head toward the machine.
“Let’s get out of this place for a few hours. Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
They fought seven more duels over the next day and a half. Hector won three of them. It was late afternoon when Leoh called a halt to the tests.
“We can still get in another one or two,” the Watchman pointed out.
“No need,” Leoh said. “I have all the data I require. Tomorrow Massan meets Odal, unless we can put a stop to it. We have much to do before tomorrow morning.”
Hector sagged into the couch. “Just as well. I think I’ve aged seven years in the past seven days.”
“No, my boy,” Leoh said gently. “You haven’t aged. You’ve matured.”