[ sam gives a kind of snort when ciri answers him, nodding as he makes his way across the room. he knows she's still checking on geralt, still looking over to him, still wanting to check. it's part of why sam doesn't actually make to leave for a tavern, but instead reaches for a bottle of whiskey in his cabinets.

as ciri settles against the counter, sam busies himself with grabbing glasses, with pouring them both a drink. he sets her glass near her elbow - probably more full than it needs to be, but hey, sam thinks they all deserve a little more alcohol tonight - and takes a drink from his own as she lifts her head to him. asks the question.

he takes a moment to swallow, to let his eyes glance over to geralt's sleeping form. ]

Bad, but not as bad as it was. [ which is the most honest answer sam can give. ] Julie and Nadine did a lot, from the looks of it. He'll need more time than he thinks to recover, but none of it is lethal. [ he twirls the cup for a moment, watching the liquor swirl, before he exhales. ] As for his back, I honestly don't know. They're gashes of some kind, deep and long- they look almost like whip marks, but they're too deep for even that. It could be something magic, too, I guess, but I wouldn't be able to tell you one way or another. I stitched him back together, but it's going to take time, even with his Witchery-healing stuff.

[ sam, for a moment or so, considers if this is even the place to bring up his next question, but decides to ask it all the same. ]

Did you and Jaskier find anything out there? When you went looking for him?