What? Come on! Not again! I still got the shakes thinking about helping do in the Limper and Whisper

You have the practical experience, Catcher said.

I kept shaking my head.

Raven growled, I have to go, so do you, Croaker. Besides, youll want to get it in the Annals, how you took out more of the Eighteen than any of the Taken.

Crap. What am I? A bounty hunter? No. Im a physician. The Annals and fighting are incidental.

Raven told Catcher, This is the man the Captain had to drag off the line when we were crossing the Windy Country. His eyes were narrow, his cheeks taut. He did not want to go either. He was displacing his resentment by chiding me.

There is no option, Croaker, Soulcatcher said in a childs voice. The Lady chose you. He tried to soften my disappointment by adding, She rewards well those who please her. And you have caught her fancy.

I damned myself for my earlier romanticism. That Croaker who had come north, so thoroughly bemused by the mysterious Lady, was another man. A stripling, filled with the foolish ignorances of youth. Yeah. Sometimes you He to yourself just to keep going.

Catcher told me, Were not going it alone this time, Croaker. Well have help from Crooked Neck, Shifter, and Stormbringer.

Sourly, I remarked, Takes the whole gang to scrub one bandit, eh?

Catcher did not take the bait. He never does. The carpet is over there. Collect your weapons and join me. He stalked away.

I took my ire out on my helpers, completely unfairly. Finally, when One-Eye was ready to blow, Raven remarked, Dont be an asshole, Croaker. Weve got to do it, lets do it.

So I apologized to everyone and marched down to join Soulcatcher.

Soulcatcher said, Get aboard, indicating places. Raven and I assumed the positions we had used before. Catcher handed us lengths of cord. Tie yourselves securely. This could get rough. I dont want you falling off. And keep a knife handy so you can cut loose when we go in.

My heart fluttered. To tell the truth, I was excited about flying again. Moments from my previous flight haunted me with their joy and beauty. There is a glorious feeling of freedom up there with the cool wind and the eagles.

Catcher even tied himself. Bad sign. Ready? Not awaiting an answer, he started muttering. The carpet rocked gently, floated upward light as down on a breeze.

We cleared the treetops. Frame wood smacked me in the behind. My guts sank. Air whipped around me. My hat blew off. I grabbed and missed. The carpet tilted precariously. I found myself gaping down at an earth receding rapidly. Raven grabbed me. Had we not been tied we both would have gone over the side.

We drifted out over the canyons, which looked like a crazy maze from above. The Rebel mass looked like army ants on the march.