Chapter 14: The Beginning of Training

**Thelma Zane’s POV** I sat quietly, studying my mother’s face as she spoke. It struck me how much we looked alike—so much so that it felt like gazing into a mirror reflecting my future. Her grace and elegance, however, were qualities I doubted I could ever fully emulate. While I might share her features, I lacked her calm, gentle demeanor. My mother chatted with me for a while longer, as she often did since I’d been found. It was her way of making up for lost time, I suppose. I didn’t mind. On the contrary, I cherished these moments, the warmth of her voice and her presence filling a void I hadn’t realized was so vast. Eventually, she stood and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Alright, darling, it’s time for bed. You need your rest if you’re going to face tomorrow with energy.” I nodded, suppressing a yawn—my twelfth, apparently. Sleep seemed like a good idea, a temporary escape from the reality I’d face in the morning. Thanks to a new medicine I’d been taking, I slept de