said you were a man, Dave Hanson? Can't you even understand that? You're
only half human. The other half is mandrake--a plant that is related to
humanity through shapes and signs by magic. We make simulacra out of
mandrakes--like the manicurist in the barber shop. And sometimes we use
a mandrake root to capture the essence of a real man, in which case he's
a mandrake-man, like you. Human? No. But a very good imitation, I must
admit."

Dave turned from Ser Perth toward Nema, but her head was bent over the
cords she was weaving, and she avoided his eyes. He remembered now that
she'd called him a mandrake-man before, in a tone of pity. He looked
down at his body, sick in his mind. Vague bits of fairy tales came back
to him, suggesting horrible things about mandrake creatures--zombie-like
things, only outwardly human.

Sather Karf seemed amused as he looked at Ser Perth. Then the old man
dropped his eyes toward Dave, and there was a brief look of pity in
them. "No matter, Dave Hanson," he said. "You were human, and by the
power of your true name, you are still the same Dave Hanson. We have
given you life as precious as your other life. Pay us for that with your
service, and that new life will be truly precious. We need your
services."

"What do you want?" Dave asked. He couldn't fully believe what he'd
heard, but there had been too many strange things to let him disbelieve,
either. If they had made him a mandrake-man, then by what little he
could remember and guess, they could make him obey them.

"Look out the window--at the sky," Sather Karf ordered.