I wished I could believe Vivian when she said I must have had a bad dream, but I knew that what I had gone through was all too real.

Pain. Agonizing pain. It hurt just to think about it! But... there was no sign of any lasting damage. And...

"That more you suffer, the more power it grants." That was what Grandmother said. I had suffered, so what powers had I gained?

"Why... are you watching over me," I asked Vivian, my confusion genuine. "You've already seen that I'm not a nice person, so why wait to see if I would recover?" Was the girl trying to endear herself to me, so that she might share in my wealth? In truth, I would have preferred to wake up alone, so I could think things through. It would be better if I did not rely on the necklace whenever I could help it... but I had no doubt that I would call on its power again. I had suffered, but that was better than letting my guards kill me or worse. 

"Did anyone else stop by to check up on me?" I asked, wondering whether the Team Leader would use this as an excuse to shoot me. Maybe, if I was lucky, the necklace would still grant my request, now that I had paid my dues. If not... well, the lingering soreness of my stomach had given me an idea. I could use my own suffering to my advantage. Vivian might be of some use yet.