"No," Vertan admitted. "But there's more involved here than your knees.. Yourmuscles, "especially -yow-leg muscles, must be worked if you are to keep anystrength in them. Waving your feet in the air isn't enough for your legs; theymust bear weight again-and the sooner the better."
"Very well," the slaver agreed, finishing the last of the meat and wiping hishands on his sleeves. "Let's do it now-before I've got to relieve myself again."That function, too, had increased five-fold.
Seizing the wall with one hand, Jubal drew his feet under him then pushed withhis legs. Standing up had once seemed so simple; nothing he ever thought about.Now sweat popped out on his brow and his vision blurred. He kept pushing; by nowagony was as familiar as the Lizerene's face. Slowly, his hands scrabblingagainst the walls, he rose until his weight was on his feet.
"There," he stated through clenched teeth, wishing he could stop the wavingmotion of the floor and walls around him. "As you said, nothing is impossible ifthe will is strong enough."
"Good," Vertan said with a malicious laugh, "then you won't mind walking backand forth a bit."
"Walking?" Jubal clutched at the wall, a wave of dizziness washed over him. "Yousaid nothing about walking!"
"Of course," the wizard shrugged. "If I had, would you have attempted to stand?Now, walk-or don't you remember how?"
* * *The thunderstorm raged, giving added texture to the night. Jubal practiced alonewithout Ver-tan's supervision. This was not unusual now that his mobility wasreturning. He slept and woke according to the demands of his healing body andwas often left to exercise by himself.
The rain had driven the goats away from the hut; they sought and usually found