"Who the hell are you?"

"Physician. Supposed to check you once an hour. You weren't expected to recover for a long time. Headache?"

"Goddamn well right."

"Cranky. Good." He placed his bag next to my kit, which he glanced through as he opened his. "What did you take?"

I told him, asked, "What do you mean, good?"

"Sometimes they come out listless. Never recover."

"Yeah?" I thought about whipping him just for the hell of it. Just to vent my spleen. But what was the point? Some guard would come bouncing in and make my pains the worse. Too much like work, anyway.

"Are you something special?"

"I think so."

A flicker of a smile. "Drink this. Better than the bark tea." I downed the drink he offered. "She is most concerned. Never before have I seen her care what became of one subjected to the deep probe."

"How about that?" I was having trouble keeping my foul mood. The drink he'd given me was good stuff, and fast. "What was that concoction? I could use it by the barrel."

"It's addictive. Rendered from the juice of the top four leaves of the parsifal plant."

"Never heard of it."

"Rather scarce." He was examining me at the time. "Grows in some place called the Hollow Hills. The natives use it as a narcotic."

The Company had been through those terrible hills once upon a time. "Didn't know there were natives."

"They're as scarce as the plant. There's been talk in council of growing it commercially after the fighting ends. As a medicinal." He clucked his tongue, which reminded me of the toothless ancient who had taught me medicine. Funny. I hadn't thought of him in ages.

Funnier still, all sorts of old odd memories were streaking to the surface, like bottom fish scared toward the light. The Lady had stirred my mind good.

I did not pursue his remark about raising the weed commercially, though that was at odds with my notion of the Lady. The black hearts don't worry about relieving pain.

"How do you feel about her?"

"The Lady? Right now? Not very charitable. How about you?" He ignored that. "She expects to see you as soon as you recover."

"Does a bear shit in the woods?" I countered. "I get the idea I'm not exactly a prisoner. How about I get some air on the roof? Can't hardly run away from there."

"I'll see if it's permitted. Meantime, take some exercise here."

Hah. The only exercise I get is jumping to conclusions. I just wanted to get somewhere outside four walls. "Am I still among the living?" I asked when he finished examining me.

"For the time being. Though with your attitude I am amazed you survived in an outfit like yours."

"They love me. Worship me. Wouldn't harm a hair on my head." His mention of the outfit put my mood on the downswing. I asked, "You know how long it's been since I was captured?"